Going Gluten-Free: Easy Sweet & Savory Raw Broccoli Salad

When going gluten-free, as with going vegan, there’s a period of mourning.

No more pizza, no more bread, no more cake.  No more, no more, no more.

Waita second.

There’s gluten-free pizza?  Bread?  Cake?!

Yes, yes, & yes.

There are plenty of gluten-free options for all your old faves, & it get’s better.  Most natural, unprocessed foods are gluten-free.

Fruits (berries!), vegetables (cauliflower, how I love you), seeds (my favorite being quinoa, because it cooks like a grain), tubers (love the sweet taters & potatoes), beans (soy, yes I’m not scared of you, in fact, I’m a fan of your milk & don’t get me started on tempeh).

Realizing that making positive dietary changes is not inhibiting you, but rather is allowing you to feel better & explore all the wondrous variety out there, makes all the difference when going gluten-free (&/or vegan).

Not only that, you realize that there are foods that you’ve been eating all along that you can continue to enjoy, but perhaps in a new way.

For example.

Raise your hand if you hate raw broccoli.

{I am raising both hands.}

Good, I knew you did. I always hated raw broccoli too, but then discovered that if it’s chopped into bite sized pieces & thrown into a mix of the right flavors & textures, I actually like it.

Here’s a quick 10 minute raw broccoli salad that does just that, & eats like a meal.

You know how I adore quick meals, & this salad fits the bill.

Again, I can’t overemphasize the fact that I’m a raw broccoli hater, unless it’s in this salad, or some variation of it. (I also will eat it if I have the right dip.)  The combination of sweetness from the craisins & vinaigrette & the savory from the sunflower seeds or cheese give the raw broccoli exactly what it was looking for.

Daiya cheese is some of the best non-dairy cheese on the market.  It’s no-soy, vegan, & melts beautifully.   It adds flavor, texture, & some fat, making calorie-dilute salads a bit more substantial & interesting.  If you’re not into non-dairy cheeses, then substitute with raw sunflower seeds, which also adds to the flavor & makes it more calorie-dense.

For a quick & easy gluten-free lunch, try this salad (2 servings is less than 400 calories) & add some fresh fruit for dessert.

When I made this salad, I added a side of Mary’s Gone Crackers crackers (one of my fave oil-free, gluten-free crackers) & I had cherries for dessert (living in Washington this time of year has it’s perks!).

Raw Broccoli Sweet & Savory Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Serving Size: 1/2 salad, or about 2.5 c.

Calories per serving: 193

Fat grams per serving: 5

Raw Broccoli Sweet & Savory Salad

Gluten free & vegan salad, one of my quick & easy go-to lunches. Light, yet filling!

Ingredients

  • 4 c. raw broccoli, chopped in small florets
  • 1 c. raw spinach leaves, washed & torn
  • 1/4 c. craisins
  • 1/4 c. chopped sweet onion
  • 1/4 c. Daiya yellow cheese OR 2 TBS. raw sunflower seeds
  • 3 TBS. balsalmic vinegar
  • 1 TSP. maple syrup/agave OR 1 packet stevia

Instructions

  1. I often buy pre-washed broccoli florets in bulk so making this salad is that much easier to throw together. If you don't have pre-washed broccoli florets, wash your brocolli. Cut off the heads & save the stalks for another recipe. Chop into bite sized pieces (you don't want it too big, but be careful to not cut too small either).
  2. Wisk vinegar & sweetener. Feel free to make a bit more vinaigrette to add to the salad, although I think that this amount is about right.
  3. Combine broccoli, spinach, craisins, onion, cheese/sunflower seeds.
  4. Pour 2 TBS. vinaigrette over salad & toss gently (use your hands!). Do a taste test, you can always add additional vinaigrette as needed.
  5. This is one of those salads that tastes best fresh, so eat immediately.

Nutrition info based on using sunflower seeds, not Daiya cheese, although 1/4 c. Daiya cheese is similar in caloric value to 2 TBS. of sunflower seeds.

Per serving: 8 g protein, 69 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 40 mg sodium.

♥♥♥

What is your favorite naturally gluten-free food?


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