Carpaccio Salad

I like to make salads that aren’t traditional so that everyone doesn’t think that a green salad is my go-to as a vegan.  This salad is using both fresh and canned veggies and is topped with a homemade pesto sauce that only takes minutes to put together.

You can roast your own beets if you have the time, or you can use precooked beets.  Actually, beets can be eaten raw, so you could even slice them super thin and use them raw in this recipe.  Whatever way you use them, don’t forget that they stain your hands, so you might want to consider using a pair of gloves when handling them.

I used canned hearts of palm for this recipe to have another creamy component to go along with all the raw veggies.  These are super easy to use and you can always keep a can in your pantry.

Otherwise, it’s all just fresh veggies: avocado and radishes.  Feel free to try different types of radishes with this dish such as watermelon or daikon, but since you do use the radish leaves in the pesto, you will have to use more basil to account for them if you don’t have any radish leaves.  You could always sub out mint leaves for a little different taste as mint and basil go together very well.  I like to use the radish leaves since they are a little “peppery” and give a nice dimension to the pesto, plus, it helps reduce the amount of waste I have if I use pretty much all of the plant.

If you don’t have nutritional yeast (or don’t know what it is), you can always use parmesan instead.

Lastly, get creative with the arrangement.  I did rows of the veggies, but you can make whatever shapes and arrangements that you find pleasing. Go for it!

Ingredients:

• 6 large radishes
• 1-2 hearts of palm
• 1 avocado
• 1 large beet, roasted, cooled and peeled (option to leave it raw)
• 1/3 cup packed radish leaves
• 1/4 cup packed basil leaves
• juice of 1/2 lemon (2-3 Tablespoons)
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast (or parmesan)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons water
• pinch of salt
• 2 Tablespoons pine nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Thinly slice the radishes, palm, beet (I cut it in half first) and avocado.
2. Arrange them on 4 plates.
3. In a blender, combine the radish leaves, basil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, olive oil, water, pine nuts and salt.  Blend till smooth.
4. Drizzle the pesto over the veggies.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!