I need to do something, but I don’t know how to do it. You see, I need to thank nearly all of you for your wonderful support and encouragement in response to my last post. But I don’t think merely saying “thank you” will encompass the enormity of gratitude and love I feel towards all of you. Sharing such a huge (and controversial) life change with the world was no easy task for me. I was terrified of what the responses would be; of how my readers would react. After all, my entire identity (in regards to this space) was centered around the fact that I was vegan. But I think (I hope) most of you saw that I’m still the same person inside, just without any labels. Treating other people with honesty, kindness, and respect is still what’s the most important to me. And I’m so grateful that such a personal statement was met with nothing but those values.
So where do we go from here? To be honest, I’m still figuring that out. I don’t know the direction in which I want to take this space, or even my life. I feel like I’m at a crossroads in every aspect of my life. But at least in regards to Well and Full, I want this space to stay plant-based. This type of cooking fascinates me because it forces you to be creative with flavors without the crutches of dairy. You can make anything taste good with loads of butter or cheese, but creating a fully flavorful vegan dish is more of a challenge. And, to be fair, if there’s one thing I’ve learned through food blogging, it’s that it’s not actually that much of a challenge to make delicious vegan food. You just have to be a little creative!
Today’s recipe is an homage to delicious, wholesome, plant-based cooking. Even though it’s a salad, something that others may consider to be “boring”, every bite is an explosion of flavor. There’s spiced chickpeas (my signature item), crispy and addicting coconut bacon, and it’s all topped with a mouthwatering avocado dressing that’s just a bit spicy and a whole lot of lime-y. If you ever have any haters who say that vegan food isn’t flavorful, just make them this salad and call it a day. I hope you love it!
My Favorite Vegan Salad
Ingredients
Coconut Bacon
- 1 Batch Coconut Bacon
Chickpeas
- 1 Can Chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups cooked
- Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 Tsp Chili Powder
- 1/8 Tsp Cumin
- 1 1/2 Tsp Sriracha
Avocado Dressing
- 1 Avocado
- Juice from 1 Lime
- 1/2 Jalapeno ribs and seeds removed
- Handful of Cilantro about 1/3 cup packed
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
- 1/4 Tsp Pepper
- More water to thin if needed
The Salad
- Baby Kale or Mixed Greens
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
Coconut Bacon
- Start by making the coconut bacon. Recipe here.
Chickpeas
- Once the coconut bacon is done, crank up the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Rinse and drain chickpeas, then pat dry with a towel. In a bowl, combine all chickpea ingredients and mix until everything is evenly combined.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, bake chickpeas for about 25-30 minutes, or until slightly browned.
Avocado Dressing
- In a blender, combine all dressing ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more water to thin if necessary.
Putting it All Together
- Fill your bowls with a layer of greens, then add on chickpeas and coconut bacon. Drizzle everything with the avocado dressing, and top it off with fresh cracked pepper.
- Enjoy!
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