Spring Salad

(Adapted from Joy of Cooking: All About Salads and Dressings by Rombauer, Becker, and Becker; Cobb Salad)

Grill your meat ahead of time and keep in fridge or freezer.  You could also mix the dressing ahead of time and store it directly in the jar you mixed it in. We usually make double the dressing because it’s so delicious.

Salad Ingredients

  • 1-2 heads of Bibb lettuce, separated into leaves, washed, and dried
  • 4-6  C cooked/grilled chicken (grilled tempeh is also an option*)
  • 1-2 C cherry tomatoes
  • 1-2 avocados, sliced
  • 1/4 C finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1/2 C pecans

NOTE: This salad is extremely versatile. Add in any of the following options according to your tastes and preferences:

  • crumbled cheese
  • crumbled bacon
  • diced hard-boiled eggs

Arrange all your ingredients on a large platter, starting with the Bibb lettuce.  Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Salad Dressing

  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 C red wine vinegar
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • salt and black pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients into a glass jar with lid and shake.

*Tempeh Option: Tempeh is a cultured food consisting of either soybeans, legumes, seeds, cereals or grains sold in cakes or patties.  You can find tempeh options in the refrigerated section of your local health food store.

Tempeh Preparation Steps

(Recipe adapted from organicauthority.com, How to Master Grilled Tempeh)

Place cake of tempeh in marinating sauce for at least a few hours. Marinating overnight allows the flavors to really soak in.

Remove cake from sauce and place on grill.  Grill for approximately 5 minutes on each side, until browned and caramelized. Remove from grill and cut into bite-size pieces.

Tempeh Marinating Sauce

  • 3 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 T lime juice
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 2-4 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1-2 tsp Dijon mustard