If I owned a restaurant one of my main priorities would be to ban wimpy salads from the menu. It would be a Big Salad Only Zone enforced with salads the size of my head! *insert evil cackle* Salads that dreams are made of. We’ve all been presented with that sad restaurant salad garnished a few tomatoes and onions on top of a pitiful bowl of wilted lettuce. So tragic, isn’t it? The worst is when they have the nerve to charge $10 for such a thing. It’s just about enough to make a grown woman or man cry.
Let’s stop this insanity before it’s too late. I’ve created a Change.org petition…(just kidding!!).
How about offering a salad that’s satisfying enough to be a full meal rather than a disappointing side? Why not create something customers will rave about to their friends and bring in more business? I know it sounds crazy, but it just might work. Many restaurants already do meal-sized salads with great success; we just need to make hearty vegan salads more common on menus everywhere!
This salad is one I’d love to see on a menu at a local restaurant. A large bed of chopped romaine forms the base followed by rows of julienned carrots, red pepper, carrots, cilantro, toasted sliced almonds, and warm & comforting roasted sweet potato rounds. I just love beautiful food. Roasted sweet potato is a comforting, stick-to-your-ribs addition and a nice temperature contrast to the cool, raw veggies. My creamy almond butter maple lime dressing brings it all together. See the bottom of the recipe for other salad dressing suggestions if you are looking for options.
On the side, I served it with my Super Power Chia Bread spread with coconut oil. It’s a satisfying, delightful lunch that really goes the distance!
Restaurants: your move.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
The Big Salad
Yield
3 salads (estimate only)
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A hearty & vibrant chopped salad paired with a sweet and tangy almond butter maple lime dressing. Please note the measurements for the salad are approximate. Add as much or as little of each vegetable as you desire!
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 large sweet potato, sliced into 1cm rounds
- 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1 head romaine, chopped, washed, and spun dry
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 1/2 cucumber, diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- handful or two of cilantro leaves, chopped (or try parsley)
For the dressing (makes 1/2-2/3 cup):
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 cup raw almond butter (or roasted peanut butter)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup (or other sweetener), to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, to taste (optional)
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly coat the sweet potato slices with coconut or grapeseed oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping once half way through baking, until lightly charred and fork tender.
- Prepare salad dressing. Mince garlic clove in a mini food processor and then add the rest of the ingredients. Process until smooth. Note that the dressing will seem thin at first, but it will thicken up as it sits.
- Add chopped romaine into a large bowl. Layer on the vegetables (and almonds) in rows, if desired. Or simply mix everything together. Drizzle on dressing and enjoy!
Tip:
For other dressing options, see: Lemon-Tahini Dressing, Cashew Lemon Tahini dressing, or Balsamic Vinaigrette
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Cheers to Big Salads…and old reruns of Seinfeld. They never get old.
“But you had to have the BIG SALAD!!” – George Costanza
I just posted today about how I need some salad variety in my life and bam this salad is it. I’ve never thought of putting cooked sweet potatoes in a salad but now I can’t wait to try it.
Now that’s a salad!
Angela, this salad looks so colorful and nutritious! Sweet potatoes are my favorite vegetable.
I pretty much never order salad out now unless I know the place as I’m always disappointed with the meager plate which arrives :( This dressing sounds amazing!
Yum! Just made this dressing (with some miso and rice vinegar added) and poured it over a big salad of spinach, arugula, carrots, onion, cilantro and basil, with chickpeas. It’s great!
I am so with you on the wimpy salads! I recently went to a sushi restaurant with some friends and ordered an avocado salad, excepting something with at least a little substance, but no, it was literally lettuce with a few slices of avocado. So not only did I look like I was starving myself, but I was also still SO HUNGRY! It was awful, and so not worth $10!!
Yes, thank you for saying it! I also like the sweet potato idea, never have I ever thought to put those in my salad.
Mmmm this sounds awesome. I love love love big salads and am continuously disappointed with the salads that some restaurants have to offer. I would love to walk into a restaurant and have this served to me!
Perfect Salad! Complete and tastefully nutrient.
[ Smiles ] Another easy to make vegan recipe that is both healthy and delicious!
Salads are one of those things that restaurants generally screw up every time. The one that comes with your meal is usually pre-made, cold salad/cold plate, and just pulled out of the fridge, right? No love at all. Salad “specials” are usually a let-down, too, as if just made up food about to go bad. The other things they mess up on: bad tap water at the table and bad coffee after the meal. This is so often most abused by the more expensive restaurants.
Phew- so glad you slipped the Seinfield reference in there at the end…. its what I think about EVERY time I make a “big salad” ;)
The *worst* is receiving a wimpy salad when you’ve gone to dinner with your non-vegan friends. It shows up alongside their burgers and steaks and they’re all, “Oh, that’s what it’s like to be vegan? Booooriiiiiing.” Such a lame representation of just how flavorful and varied a vegan lifestyle really is!
YES! This happened to me the other week and I was like this isn’t really how I eat!! lol. It’s frustrating.
Beautiful salad and stunning colors and images. And those sweet tater rounds are just so tempting and perfect, too!
So much goodness in one bowl. Love!
Almond butter, maple syrup and lime? That sounds like an amazing and inventive flavour combination!
I am so happy that you mentioned the whimpy salads and outrageous pricing for some restaurant salads! Part of the reason I hate going out for lunch is because I usually want and salad and what I get almost always receives the same reaction of, “I can make this at home and better.” I can’t wait to give that dressing a try!
I would absolutely love to try this salad with the lemon tahini dressing! Thanks for sharing!
Amen sister! I LOVE salads, but it’s go big or go home in my opinion. The salad offerings at most restaurants are abysmal at best, and sometimes that’s really the only vegan thing on the menu (or at least the only thing that can easily be made vegan). Many times I just order two salads. I mean come on people, just because we eat plants doesn’t mean we aren’t hungry! I love FOOD! :) Anyway, your salad looks fantastic…start a revolution girl! :)
My favourite restaurant here has an avocado salad that I order as my main. Lovely crispy mixed greens with olives, feta, sundried tomato and an avocado sliced on top. I skip the dressing and it is just perfect.