Hilary's Eat Well Salad Dressings

New from Hilary's Eat Well is their line of Vegan Salad Dressings. I've been eating more salads lately, so I'm excited to try something new. The tasty line-up includes Ranch Chia, Apple Fennel, Balsamic Thyme and Creamy Remoulade. The Ranch and Remoulade are even suggested as dips, so get your veggies ready! Hilary's Eat Well was nice enough to send me all four flavors, but you can also find them at Whole Foods or Vegan Essentials.

Out of the four, I have to say Ranch Chia is my favorite. It's probably because I have always loved ranch. While it's not the most traditional Vegan ranch I've ever tasted, it definitely has some great zing. I could see it being a pretty good dip. Apple Fennel was my second favorite. Very comparable to a vinaigrette, I really enjoyed the sweetness of the apple. My next favorite, Balsamic Thyme, activated my love of balsamic vinegar. Tangy and good. Last but not least, the Creamy Remoulade. It was definitely creamy, but the lemon flavor didn't do too much for me.

All in all, it's nice to have four new Vegan dressing out there in the marketplace. If you eat a lot of salad, give Hilary's Eat Well Dressings a shot!

Dr. McDougall's Pistachio Citrus Quinoa Salad

I'm a huge fan of Dr. McDougall's Soup, especially the Spring Onion. So simple to make and it tastes wonderful. On my last trip to the store, I saw this Dr. McDougall's Pistachio Citrus Quinoa Salad. It's not soup, but I still had to give it a try. I love quinoa and couscous, so it felt like a no-brainer. At first I thought Howard Dean was on the package, which was weird, but it's Dr. McDougall of course!

As you can see, the salad isn't super photogenic, but don't let that fool you. It packs a lot of flavor and is perfectly filling. Upon the first taste, I noticed a strong citrus zing and a heartiness from the quinoa, couscous, pistachios and almonds. My only complaint is I would consider this more of a side dish instead of a sole meal, but that's a personal preference. Also, it's called a "salad" but it's warm. The package suggests the Pistachio Citrus Quinoa Salad over a bed of greens and I would have to agree with that.

Bottom line: if you're looking for a quick, filling and healthy quinoa bowl, this might be right up your alley!

 

The Laziest Vegan Salad

Thanks to the boiling hot summer from hell, I've taken to eating more salads. It just seems more enjoyable to eat something cool, crisp and light then something heavy and hot. I've also always had trouble getting all of my daily veggies in, so eating a big salad kind of resolves that. Being the lazy Vegan that I am, I devised the easiest and most satisfying salad possible, while staying within the pre-packaged rules of my blog.

Yes, I know it would be cheaper to buy veggies from the farmer's market, but that's not the point. This is for people who never eat salad because they are lazy but are also salad-curious. Don't worry salad-phobic people, it's all about baby steps. Just do what you can to eat a couple more veggies everyday.   
    

Well, first you need to start with a mix of greens. Do yourself a favor and stay away from iceberg lettuce and get some spinach or kale. This Earthbound Farm Organic Power Greens mix is pretty nice because it has baby kale, baby spinach and baby green and red chard.

At my Whole Foods, there is always tons of pre-packaged organic vegetables. I chose the broccoli and cauliflower mix, but you can get whatever veggies you heart desires.

These pre-washed Bunny-Luv carrots are pretty amazing. I HATE peeling carrots so these are heaven to me. Someone told me that baby carrots have less beta carotene than normal sized carrots. Well, if that's true, a little beta carotene is better than none because I'm not peeling carrots!

I love sprouts! They add crunch, texture and healthy flavor to salads. I almost got some bean sprouts, but opted for these Sun Sprout alfalfa sprouts instead. And make sure you throw the leftover alfalfa on a sandwich. 

The one thing I don't like about salads is that they can be so boring! You're eating a damn salad, so make sure you put something fun on it. I don't know, get those Snapea Crisps or some raisins. On this salad, I threw some Pig Out Bacony Bits from Wayfare. They add a little texture and are super tasty.

This Salad Girl Crisp Apple Maple Dressing really hit the spot. It was sweet, but not overpowering. Follow Your Heart also has a ton of amazing dressings you should check out. I also kick it old school once in a while and use Braggs Liquid Aminos Seasoning.

So here is my Laziest Vegan Salad! Pretty, isn't it? As you can see, I've added a some tomatoes from my garden. If you've never grown a tomato, try it, it's pretty easy! You won't believe how much better they taste than the store bought ones. If I can grow a tomato, anyone can. In closing, if you are a Lazy Vegan, it doesn't mean you can't eat a couple veggies a day and a salad is the easiest way to do it!