Vegan Asian Salad with Hoisin Sesame Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1lb fresh rinsed spinach
1 head romaine lettuce chopped
1/4lb mung bean sprouts
1 carrot peeled shredded
1 cucumber sliced and diced
1 large tomato sliced into wedges or 10 cherry tomatoes
1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped
2 nori sheets cut into flakes
chinese parsley or cilantro chopped
1 tsp ginger root minced
1 clove garlic crushed and minced fine


Dressing:

balsamic vinegar
hoisin sauce
sesame oil
extra virgin oil
black pepper


Procedure:

Cut veggies according to your preference. Combine in mixing bowl drizzle dressing either premix or straight drizzled from the bottle like me and toss.  No salt needed.  Hoisin is perfectly salty by itself.  Also add chili pepper flakes if you like it spicy.  Also can add slices of fresh oranges or canned mandarin too.

The tanginess of the balsamic with the sweetness of the hoisin along with the smoky sesame oil is a wonderful
combination I found out.   You'll love it too!


Yields about 2 big bowls for me or 4 servings!!  LOL

Enjoy kaukau time!!

Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove
1/4 cup quaity Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
pinch of salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
3/4 cup quality extra virgin olive oil
sugar or sweetener optional to your taste or none for a zero carb dressing

Method:

Add the Balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and salt, pepper, and garlic.

Give it a quick whisk  allowing the mustard and vinegar to combine and begin to emulsify.

Or you can cheat like I do and use my salad dressing mixer shown below which I purchased from Pampered Chef along with the garlic press!

Begin to slowly add the olive oil until well combined, being careful to add just a little bit at a time so the dressing will emulsify, the mustard should help emulsification so don't leave it out. 

You can add other ingredients, herbs and spices to kick it up a notch it's up to you.  But this is the basic recipe I use.

Store in a glass jar for about a week.

Ono!!  Enjoy with your Apple Orchard Chicken Salad!!

:)