Maple Walnut, Apple, Bean Salad

(Vegan)

(This is our favorite!)

• Baby spinach and red leaf lettuce
• White cannellini (kidney) beans drained and rinsed
• Carrot-grated
• Red onion-thinly sliced-optional
• Roasted walnuts-(to roast walnuts place on a cookie sheet and roast at 350 degrees for 5 minutes)
• Granny Smith apple diced or Fuji etc. works fine. The Granny Smith adds a nice tartness.
• Serve with Lemon Maple dressing

Lemon Maple Dressing

(Altered from Mary Bernt)

• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1⁄2 tsp onion powder (or sometimes called granulated onion)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄4 cup real maple syrup (Trader Joe’s has a good price)
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 1⁄4 cup raw cashews, add more water to fill up the empty spaces between the nuts. Let the nuts soak in liquid about 30 minutes to soften before blending.

Blend lemon juice, maple syrup, water, cashews and dry ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. If you don’t have a Vitamix blender be sure to blend it long enough to get it creamy.

Great on spinach salad. Will last 10-14 days in the refrigerator.

This also tastes good over chopped red and green cabbage with raisins and peanuts, cucumber, sesame seeds, grated carrot, and chopped romaine (optional).