Late Summer Salad

This might be the most perfect late summer seasonal salad. It's the peak of apple season, and local produce is abundant at the farmers market. This salad is a balanced combo of sweet and savory, plant protein, and a refreshing crunch of fresh produce. Go ahead and plan on skipping the store bought dressing, because the dressing for this salad is just too easy and delicious - and you probably have most of the ingredients at home already.

For the salad

• Spinach

• Apples

• Lemon

• Figs

• Tofu

• Chickpeas

• Chopped Pecans

For the dressing

• Dijon Mustard

• Olive Oil

• Sherry Vinegar

• Shallots

• Salt & Pepper

Quick Steps

1. Prep the salad

   • Wash and chop spinach.

   • Dice apples and coat with the juice of one lemon.

   • Slice figs.

   • Prepare tofu in oven.

     • Dice firm tofu and place on baking sheet in oven on 350 degrees for about 30 minutes - season with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

   • Prepare chickpeas.

     • First soak dried chickpeas overnight.

     • Bring to a boil then simmer until done.

     • Place in oven with tofu on 350 degrees for about 30 minutes - season with salt, pepper, and olive oil (optional to add nutritional yeast for an extra crunchy coating).

   • Chop pecans.

2. Prepare the dressing

   • Combine about a tbsp of Dijon mustard, one diced shallot, 1 cup olive oil, one tbsp sherry vinegar, salt & pepper to taste.

     
     

All of the produce in this version of the recipe was locally sourced at farmers markets, so remember to be creative with fresh local produce this time of year - and simply use this recipe as a template to create a variety of plant‑forward, nutrient‑dense versions. When you can, choose local organic ingredients to keep this meal as health forward and sustainable as possible. As always, small swaps like this can help you naturally increase the vegetables, protein, fiber, and compassion in your daily diet.

xo, Jen 💚🌱