Overflowing with green beans, tomatoes, herbs and spices, this salad from the gluten-free and vegan family cookbook Gluten-Free & Vegan for the Whole Family also features a vegan almond feta cheese that you won’t be able to stop eating.
Ingredients
- SALAD INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups purple potatoes, quartered
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1½ tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups green beans, ends trimmed
- 6 to 8 cups mixed greens
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
- 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
- Juice of 1 medium lemon
- 1½ teaspoons whole-grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ cup crumbled almond feta cheese (See recipe below. Must be made more than one day in advance.)
- ALMOND FETA CHEESE INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup pine nuts
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
- 2½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 cup water
- 3 layers of cheesecloth
Directions
Almond Feta Cheese
Put the almonds and pine nuts in a large sealable container and cover with water. Cover and put in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Rinse the nuts well and drain. In a food processor or blender, blend the nuts with the lemon juice, oil, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and water until very smooth and creamy.
Prepare 3 layers of cheesecloth by rinsing them and then layering in a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl; there should be ample overhang. Put the nut mixture in the cheesecloth. Gather the cheesecloth around the nut mixture and twist the cloth, forming a ball. Twist as much as possible to squeeze out the moisture. Discard the extracted liquid. Secure the closure with string or a twist tie. Refrigerate the secured ball in the strainer over the bowl overnight. In the morning, discard any separated liquid.
Preheat the oven to 200° F.
Unwrap the cheesecloth and divide the cheese ball into 2 equal portions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Flatten each cheese portion into a disk directly on the parchment. Each disk should be ¾ inch thick. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool, then store the cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Salad
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil and the rosemary, salt and pepper. Transfer the potato mixture to the baking sheet. Roast until lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a large plate to cool while preparing the rest of the salad.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put the beans in the pot and cook for 1½ minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Pat dry.
In a large salad bowl, combine the beans, greens, tomatoes, shallots, tarragon and chives. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, mustard and maple syrup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine. Divide among 4 to 6 serving bowls or plates, surround each with potatoes, top with Almond Feta Cheese and serve.
Nutrition Analysis (salad): 250 cal, 13 g fat, 0 mg chol, 980 mg sodium, 23 g carbs, 9 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 8 g protein.
Nutrition Analysis (full cheese recipe): 1770 cal, 173 g fat, 0 mg chol, 4800 mg sodium, 47 g carbs, 22 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 30 g protein.
Recipes from Gluten-Free & Vegan for the Whole Family by Jennifer Katzinger, cookbook author and co-founder of the gluten-free and vegan Flying Apron Bakery in Seattle. Reprinted with permission from Sasquatch Books © 2015.
