Here’s a quick and healthy vegan recipe for one of my favorite salads. It’s great for lunch on its own, or as an appetizer before a soup or lighter meal. Instead of quinoa, you can use other grains like couscous or bulgar, or use the dressing, avocado and tomato on fresh greens, like spinach or arugula.
This is a fun salad that I came up with sometime last year. The inspiration comes from salads I’ve had at restaurants and homes across Europe, especially in Germany and France. I’d seen endives (chicory) prior to moving to Europe over ten years ago, but they seem to be much more popular and celebrated on this side of the Atlantic. That said, I have had some great endive salads in Montreal, too.
One of my favorite appetizers, Sesame Cold Noodles, was inspired by frequent visits to Kingdom of Vegetarians and New Harmony Restaurant, both vegetarian Chinese places in Philadelphia. I used to work long hours in my studio loft in downtown Philly Chinatown and take a break for some excellent food. It got to be quite a habit. When my family visited from Jersey, a visit to one of Ming’s restaurants was almost certain. Especially from the dim sum menu, this was one of my must-order dishes. Eventually I figured out how to make it at home, which was practical because by the next year I wasn’t in Philadelphia anymore and visiting Ming sadly became an annual treat.
