Roasted Broccoli & Apple Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Adapted from "But I Could Never Go Vegan"

Roasted Broccoli
2 medium bundles broccoli
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Dressing
3.5 tablespoons lemon juice (from one juicy lemon)
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1.5 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
A couple of dashes of garlic powder

Salad
4 strips of bacon
2 to 3 cups of spinach
1 to 2 apples, cored and diced (choose a tart but sweet variety, such as Pink Lady or Honeycrisp)
3 celery ribs, sliced
1/2 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
2/3 cup dried cherries or raisins
1/2 cup roughly chopped or sliced almonds


Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Chop the broccoli into small florets. Place in a bowl and toss with the soy sauce, maple syrup, and nutritional yeast. Spread broccoli on the prepared sheets and bake for 20 minutes, tossing once halfway through to ensure even cooking. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl or cup, use a fork to whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside. Start the bacon cooking.

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, apples, celery, onion, dried cherries, and almonds. Once cooked and drained, add the bacon. Once cooled, add the broccoli. Toss until fully combined.

Divide the salad among serving bowls. Drizzle the dressing on top.

Pizza Crust

Makes enough dough for 2 medium pizzas

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 packet yeast
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup water

1. Mix the packet of yeast with the 1/4 cup of warm water and honey.  Stir to dissolve the honey and let sit for 5 minutes.  When the surface of this is foamy, it is ready.

2. Whisk together the flour and salt.  Add the yeast mixture, stir to incorporate, then add the 3/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Mix together until it forms a shaggy, sticky ball.

3. Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough on the flour.  Knead for 2-5 minutes, until the dough springs back when poked.

4. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to an empty bowl and turn the dough until it's coated with the oil.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a lid, or a damp dish towel and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.

5. Preheat the oven to its highest temperature.  Once the dough has doubled in size, split it in two and stretch it into a pizza shape.  Add toppings and place in the preheated oven for 5-8 minutes until the toppings are slightly browned and the crust is lightly browned and stiff.

Chicken Salad

Adapted from SmittenKitchen

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 cup nuts, chopped (walnuts or pecans recommended)
1 or 2 celery ribs, diced into small bits
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
2/3 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons vinegar (white or red wine vinegar is nice)
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
~4 cups of cooked chicken, torn into small shreds

Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl until combined well.