This is a simple, light, and deliciously refreshing salad that incorporates the versatility of tofu. It is most recommended when fresh organic strawberries are available locally in your area, and during periods of hot weather when cooling, raw, and light foods are most beneficial. This salad provides healthy carbohydrates, fiber, and protein, and is naturally low in fat. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. The zesty lemon creamy dressing further enriches the flavors and health benefits of this salad.

Characteristics

Type:: Salad, Side, Meal Prep Time: < 15 mins
Servings: provides 2 larger or 4 smaller portions

  • Real food
  • Vegan / Plant-based
  • Oil-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Wheat-free
  • Peanut-free
  • Nut-free
  • Sugar-free

Goodies Needed

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 head Organic Green Leaf Lettuce
  • 1 lb (454g) Organic Strawberries
  • 1 block (300 to 400g) Organic Tofu (firm or medium)
  • 1/4 cup Organic Raw Sesame Seeds

Zesty Lemon Creamy Dressing:

TOOLS:

Preparation Steps

  1. At least 1 hour before making the salad, soak the cashews in a bowl of water.
  2. Wash the lettuce leaves and remove excess water using a salad spinner.
  3. On your cutting board, chop the lettuce leaves into small pieces and place them in the salad bowl.
  4. Wash the strawberries using the salad spinner, rinsing them well several times. Remove the leaf tops, cut the strawberries into quarters or smaller pieces of your choice, and add them to the salad bowl.
  5. Remove the packaging from the tofu and rinse it well. On your cutting board cut the tofu into small cubes or slices and add it to the salad bowl.
  6. Add in the sesame seeds to the salad bowl.
  7. To make the sauce, prepare the lemon by washing it, cutting it in half, and using a lemon reamer squeeze all of its juice into the high-powered blender.
  8. Drain the water from the soaking cashews, rinse well, and add them into the blender.
  9. Add in the remaining ingredients into the blender, and blend on high speed until perfectly smooth.
  10. Pour the dressing into the salad and mix all together or mix the salad alone and just drizzle the dressing on top.

Meal Nutritional Benefits

Lettuce

  • provides some healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and is virtually fat-free
  • provides lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provides vitamins, especially vitamin A, C, K, and some B vitamins, including folate and choline
  • provides minerals, especially potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other lifestyle diseases

Strawberries

  • provide healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and are virtually fat-free
  • provide lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provide vitamins, especially vitamin A, C, E, K, and some B vitamins, including folate
  • provide minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and iron
  • support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support optimal digestion, cleansing, and detoxification
  • support healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar
  • protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases

Organic Tofu

  • excellent source of protein; provides some healthy fats and carbohydrates
  • provides antioxidants, phytonutrients, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provides vitamins, especially most B vitamins
  • provides minerals, especially calcium, manganese, copper, selenium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and zinc
  • helps support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • helps maintain healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes type 2
  • Health Tip: Choose only organic tofu or non-GMO certified tofu to avoid GMO soy, as soy is one of the most prevalent genetically engineered foods worldwide.

Sesame Seeds / Tahini

  • provide healthy fats, protein, some carbohydrates, and fiber
  • provide phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provide vitamins, especially vitamin A and most B vitamins, including folate
  • provide minerals, especially calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and selenium
  • support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, osteoporosis, and other diseases

Lemons

  • provide alkalizing, cleansing, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial benefits
  • provide lots of phytonutrients and antioxidants
  • provide some vitamins and minerals, most specifically vitamin C
  • support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and liver function
  • protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, infections, and other diseases

Cashews

  • provide healthy fats, protein, some carbohydrates, and fiber
  • provide phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provide vitamins, especially vitamin K and some of the B vitamins
  • provide minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, and selenium
  • support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases

Garlic

  • provides anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties
  • provides lots of phytonutrients and antioxidants
  • provides vitamins, especially vitamin C and some B vitamins
  • provides minerals, especially manganese, selenium, calcium, phosphorus, and copper
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • supports the immune system and iron metabolism
  • protects against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes type 2
  • supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels

Coriander Seeds (whole or ground)

  • not a significant source of calories and macronutrients, but they do provide some healthy carbohydrates, fiber, fats, and protein
  • provide lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial benefits
  • provide vitamins, especially vitamin A, C, K, and some B vitamins
  • provide minerals, especially potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron
  • support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, infections, and other lifestyle diseases

Nutritional Yeast

  • great source of highly-digestible protein and nutrients
  • provide vitamins, especially B vitamins, including vitamin B12
  • provide minerals, especially molybdenum, iron, selenium, zinc, phosphorus and manganese
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • for more info, see the nutritional yeast overview on Best Natural Foods
  • Tips: Choose a reputable brand of nutritional yeast, as vitamin and mineral amounts will vary widely and some can contain GMO contamination. Note, not all brands contain vitamin B12, so choose a dependable source. Sari Nutritional Yeast is all-natural and non-fortified.

Cayenne Chili Pepper

  • not a significant source of calories or macronutrients
  • provide lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and analgesic properties
  • provides vitamins, especially rich in vitamin A, C, K, and some B vitamins, including folate
  • provides minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, infections, and other diseases

Unrefined Salt

  • unrefined sea salt unrefined Himalayan salt
  • naturally alkalizing
  • a source of over 80 essential and trace minerals
  • supports optimal blood pressure, heart and nervous system health
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • Health Tip: avoid all forms of refined, white salt and processed foods made with it