Salad Samurai Review and Giveaway

We eat lots of salads at our house, especially in the summertime. And while most people think of salad as a rather uninspired dish to be served "on the side," (or worse, as a chilled vehicle for consuming tuna, chicken, shrimp, or eggs), the artfully crafted plant-based culinary creations you'll find in Salad Samurai: 100 Cutting-Edge, Ultra-Hearty, Easy-To-Make Salads You Don't Have To Be Vegan To Love will lay any such notions to rest. Made with a variety of vibrantly delicious whole-food ingredients, sumptuous dressings, and a cornucopia of tasty toppings, award-winning chef Terry Hope Romero elevates the art of salad making to soaring heights of satiety and yum. No longer will salads be relegated to the lowly side dish. Within the pages of Salad Samurai you'll find entrée-sized salads that will satisfy your hunger for a meal that is healthy, hearty, and delicious.

When you get the book into your hot little hands, do take the time to savor the spectacular, full-color photos. Because I flipped through all 180 pages just before bedtime one night, I found myself dreaming about Terry's Tempeh Reubenesque Salad and her Bacon, Kale, Tomato Bowl. And while my photos may not do justice to the recipes, here is my rendition of the BKT. This luscious concoction of kale, avocado, red onions, tomatoes, Tempeh Bacon Bites, and Coconut Bacony Bits (recipes included in the book!) in a tangy maple-Dijon vinaigrette was extremely filling and made my taste buds very happy.

Tip: It doesn't hurt to make friends with the nice people working in the produce department at your local store. Case in point: I was asking one of the produce managers at my neighborhood supermarket if he would be willing to mark down some organic bananas that had brown spots on them, which he was happy to do. Just then, a co-worker walked by, overheard our conversation, and asked me if I would like some super sweet organic corn he was about to mark down to 3 for $1. (Yes, please! I'll take them all!) That was not only lucky, but serendipitous, because I was planning to make the recipe for Mexican Roasted Corn Salad with Avocado (aka Esquites) from Salad Samurai that very evening and just hadn't gotten around to picking out the corn yet!

I am crazy for super sweet, organic, fresh corn, and I could eat this twist on the classic Mexican dish, every day. (Given my fondness for Mexican food, art, and culture, I swear I must have lived in Mexico in a previous life.) A medley of avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, chilé pepper, and corn (still warm from roasting!), are bathed in a creamy, cashew-lime dressing. I'm pretty sure this must be what paradise tastes like. Make sure to scroll down, and grab the recipe, because it is that sensational!

The following recipe for Mexican Roasted Corn Salad with Avocado (Esquites) is from Salad Samurai by Terry Hope Romero ©2014. Reprinted with the kind permission of Da Capo Lifelong Books.

Serves: 3 to 4

Creamy Lime Dressing

½ cup unroasted cashews 

½ cup hot water 

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 

1 teaspoon olive oil or coconut oil 

1 clove garlic, peeled 

2 teaspoons white (shiro) miso

Corn Salad

4 ears of corn, husks and corn silk removed 

Olive oil 

½ cup lightly packed, chopped fresh cilantro 

2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced 

1 green or red jalapeño pepper, roasted or fresh, seeded and minced 

1 ripe avocado, diced 

1 big red ripe tomato, cored and diced 

2 teaspoons chili powder (preferably Mexican, such as ancho or chipotle) 

Lime wedges, for garnish

 

Make the dressing first. Soak the cashews in the hot water for 30 minutes, then pulse the cashews and soaking water in a blender until smooth. Add the remaining dressing ingredients, pulse until silky, then chill until ready to use.

Preheat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Rub the ears of corn with olive oil and grill each ear until the kernels are lightly charred, turning the cobs occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them from the pan to a cutting board and cool just enough to handle. Use a sharp knife with a thin blade to slice the corn kernels from the cob; for best results (and to prevent kernels from taking flight), slice a few rows off an ear, lay it flat on the cutting board, then slice off the remaining corn. Always keep one side of the ear flat on the cutting board.

Transfer the corn to a big mixing bowl. Add the cilantro, scallions, and jalapeño. Drizzle on the dressing and toss to combine. Transfer the salad to serving dishes. Top each serving with diced avocado and tomato and sprinkle each serving with chili powder. Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over the salad while the corn is still warm!

Want to be the master or mistress of your salad-making domain? Get your hands on a copy of Salad Samurai! Want to win your very own copy? Simply leave a comment below, and then follow the prompt in the Rafflecopter box.* After you leave your comment, you can earn additional entries by following any or all of the other Rafflecopter options. I'll be selecting one lucky winner at random. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

*Sorry international friends. The giveaway is open only to readers with US postal addresses.
 Note: This post contains affiliate links. If the product is purchased by linking through this review, I receive a modest commission.