Lativa Sakina
This 7-layer vegan salad is healthier than the original, but it’s just as tasty. It has layers of vegetables, bacon or tempeh and a very creamy dressing.
When I was little in my house I ate a salad every day of the year, not only in summer and the truth is that I always feel like it, not only in hot weather.
They can be made with all kinds of ingredients: vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, nuts, seeds, algae, healthy fats, etc. They are the healthy version of fast food because they are prepared in a moment, but in addition to enjoying a delicious dish we are taking care of our health, what more can you ask for!
I like to create my own combinations with the ingredients that I have on hand, but I also love to try popular salad recipes from around the world and for a long time I had an eye on the 7-layer salad, which is American and as its name Indica is a salad with 7 layers of ingredients and a creamy sauce on top.
The original version is not vegan, but we have adapted the recipe by replacing bacon with tempeh bacon, cheese with grated carrots and hard-boiled egg with corn. The dressing is usually made with mayonnaise, but you can get a very creamy sauce with cashews, although you can also use our vegan mayonnaise if you want. As for the vegetables that are used, I have seen several versions, so I have decided to add the ones I like the most.
According to Wikipedia, this recipe has given salads a bad name because it is very caloric and greasy, but the vegan version is much healthier and if you want to reduce the amount of fat, you can use our eggplant bacon and add less dressing.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup romaine lettuce (50 g), chopped
• 1 cup of corn (140 g)
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes (150 g), cut into 4 pieces
• Bacon de tempeh (the complete recipe), chopped into strips
• 1 purple or white onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1 cup of peas (140 g)
For the dressing:
• 1 cup of cashews (150 g), soaked in hot water for at least 20 minutes
• 1/2 cup of water (125 ml)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon maple or agave syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1 We assemble the salad in 2 individual boats, but if you want you can use a large bowl, a baking dish or a salad bowl. You can also mix all the ingredients and not make different layers.
2 If you use corn and canned peas, strain them and wash them. If you use frozen corn and peas, cook them separately following the package instructions.
3 To assemble the salad place the ingredients in layers in the order you want. We use this order: lettuce, corn, tomato, tempeh bacon, onion, carrots, and peas.
4 To make the dressing, strain the cashews and pour them into a glass blender with the rest of the ingredients. Beat until they are integrated.
5 Cover the salad with the dressing and decorate with little chopped chives (optional). You can serve it immediately or leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours until it cools.
6 Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days. It is better to store the dressing separately if possible.
NOTES
• If you want an oil-free or lighter version, you can substitute the tempeh bacon with our eggplant bacon.
• You can use any vegetable or ingredient you want, it is a good thing about salads, which always look good.
• For the dressing, you can use any sweetener.
• You can also make the dressing using 1 and 1/2 cups of vegan mayonnaise (190 g) and 1 tablespoon of maple or agave syrup.
NUTRITION
Serving size: 1/8 of the recipe
Calories: 242
Sugar: 7.9 g
Sodium: 178 mg
Fat: 14.6 g
Saturated fats: 2.7 g
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Fiber: 3.3 g
Protein: 8.7 g
