Broccoli, Kidney Bean, and Almond Salad

Although in some languages “salad” means “lettuce,” this salad doesn’t demand much lettuce at all—it’s mostly there for presentation. This salad enjoys broccoli as its central star, and provides lots of opportunities to make it a high-protein meal.

2 large pieces of lettuce (I like red leaf)

Splash of olive oil

Splash of vinegar

½ can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (about 2/3 cup)

3 TBLSP raw almonds, chopped

¼ head of broccoli, chopped into small pieces

½ zucchini or summer squash, diced

½ carrot, diced

¼ cup grapes, halved

2 green onions, diced

Sprouts for garnish

Avocado for garnish

1.  Cut or tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces, and dress it in oil and lemon/vinegar in your serving bowl.
2. In a mixing bowl, toss in the beans, almonds, broccoli, squash, carrots, grapes, and onions.

 Lemon Tahini Dressing

2 TBLSP tahini

1 garlic clove

¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about one whole lemon’s worth)

2 TBLSP nutritional yeast

1 TBLSP olive oil

1 pinch kosher salt

Black pepper to taste

2  teaspoons water, as needed

1.  In food processor or blender, add the dressing ingredients and whirl until amalgamated. 
2. Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and toss to coat everything.
3. Put the beans and broccoli salad on top of your prepared greens, garnish it with sprouts and avocado, and serve!

Variations:

• You could use kale, spinach, chard, or any other fresh leafy that you like, or leave it out entirely.
• You could switch out the broccoli for cauliflower, string beans, or any other yummy veg.
• You could grate or make noodles from the zucchini instead of dicing it.
• You could use chickpeas or any other kind of legume—even lentils! You could also add tofu or some form of faux meat.
• Switch out the almonds for peanuts and use peanut butter instead of tahini in the dressing. I can’t eat ‘em, but you could also add pepper flakes to the dressing, for a vaguely Thai taste.