Hi ya’ll.  Amy here filling in for Mark with my first post on IV.  He spent the entire evening helping me stretch the canvas for a ten-foot painting, so he deserves a break.  It’s salad time…just in time for your fall crop of lettuce.  Sadly ours got eaten by hoggish vermin.  We’ll take better precautions next year.

Mark and I each take different approaches to preparing a salad.  I tend to put ANYTHING in the fridge on some lettuce and voila!  Mark has a more regimented approach.  We can agree that any good salad has some sort of protein such as nuts, seeds, or beans.  We both also really enjoy a good homemade dressing.  So here we have, for your consideration, two salads- the first is a collaborative effort and the second is one of my weird (but delicious!) creations.

Salad 1: We had this one the other night.  Let’s call it Chloe’s Fall Salad.  I’m giving cred to our friend Chloe for the dressing recipe.

So of course you can put anything you like on this salad.  The apples are what make it a “Fall” salad.  Copycat these moves if you want to replicate the tastiness in the photo.

Salad:

• mixed red leaf  and green leaf lettuce washed and torn into shreds
• shredded carrots (we use a cheese grater for this)
• toasted pine nuts (pop raw pine nuts into a pan on medium heat, stirring constantly until aromatic)
• thinly cut apple slices
• pepper to taste

Chloe’s Dressing:

• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 tsp pomegranate molasses (you can get this at Whole Foods or Middle Eastern grocers)
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• fresh chives, finely chopped
• water to desired viscosity

Mix all ingredients in a blender.  Measurements are approximate.  I just kind-of keep dumping ingredients in until it tastes right, so feel free to doctor to suit your preferences.  Stores for weeks in the fridge (if it lasts that long!)

Salad 2: Amy’s “Everything Goes” Salad (furreal people)

This particular salad contains:

• green leaf lettuce, washed and torn into shreds
• chopped red onion
• cooked corn from the cob (we save ours in the fridge so it’s cold when put on the salad)
• blueberries
• hemp seed
• pepper to taste

Dressing (my take on a Japanese sesame ginger dressing):

• 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sake
• 4 tbsp freshly grated ginger (or from a jar)
• 3 tsp vegan sugar
• 10-12 baby carrots (or 2 medium-large carrots)
• 5 tsp tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped onion

Combine all ingredients in a blender starting with liquids and gradually adding solid ingredients and blend until smooth-ish.  Add water if necessary to thin.  Again, measurements are approximate.  We like this dressing to be rather sweet, so feel free to cut the sugar down some.  You can also substitute agave nectar or another sweetener of your choice.  This one saves for weeks too.

Let us hear your favorite salad mix-em-ups and dressings.  The more unexpected, the better!

In a sense, this should be a no-brainer. You know how to make a damned sandwich, right?

But do you know why you’ll never go hungry in the desert?

Because of all the sand which is (sandwiches) there. So think about that.

But I jest. Sometimes, it’s just nice to be reminded to make a sandwich, to remember how awesome a sandwich can be. While there are any number of variations, this is our “go-to sandwich”.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 pieces of bread (we like whole wheat or multi grain)
• 1 – 2 pieces of lettuce
• 1/8 small purple onion
• 1/2 small tomato or 1/4 large tomato (beefsteak, ironically, is very nice for this)
• vegenaise ™ / earth balance ™
• homemade seitan, sliced / almond chik’n bake / smoked tofu
• Miracle Blend Seasoning ™, or salt and pepper

Butter each piece of bread. Alternately, if your tastebuds are broken and you like vegan mayo, use that. It’s probably the more appropriate condiment for this type of sandwich…if you believe what The Man’s been telling you.

Now, thinly slice the tomato. Ideally, you will have an atom smasher for this. If not, a very sharp knife will do. A tomato is your worst enemy if you don’t have an atom smasher or very sharp knife. Put the tomato slices on the bread.

Next, you’ll want to slice the onion even thinner than the tomato. It doesn’t seem possible, I know, but have faith. You have to see a thinner onion in your mind’s eye. Put these on top of the tomatoes.

Now the lettuce on top of that.

And finally your homemade meat-like substance and sprinkle Miracle Blend ™ or salt and pepper on the top piece of bread.

Pop the top piece of bread on and cut the sandwich in half diagonally. Do not skip this step! You’re enjoyment of this sandwich will be increased by magnitudes.

Finally, eat! You won’t regret it.