This delicious, slightly spicy salad is perfect summer fare. The soymilk/coconut extract combination adds an exotic richness.

This dish features the bright flavors of Provence, highlighting artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh rosemary. If you double the recipe, you can have an excellent lunch served at room temperature the next day. Offer the chickpea salad on a bed of mixed baby greens (mesclun) for a light and colorful presentation.

Here is another one I use at holidays–it always looks impressive with the colors from the fruit and herbs (do use fresh mint if you can–dried is not the same!) I think I adapted it from one of Mollie Katzen’s cookbooks. This salad keeps very well, and is great to have on hand for lunches and snacks.

4 cups shredded green cabbage
3/4 cup diagonally sliced green onions…

1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1 lb. fresh wax beans, trimmed…

1 (12-ounce) packages firm tofu, drained
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice…

1 medium jicama, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes, about 2 cups
1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped into ½ inch cubes, about 11/2 cups…

1 medium papaya or 2 medium nectarines, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced…

1 lb pasta (your favorite pasta – rigatoni, shells, macaroni, etc.)
2 carrots, chopped (1/2 cup)…

I never eat it in pita bread…I usually just put the bean salad on top of lettuce and eat it as a salad. But, I am sure a pita would be good too!

4 cups spring mix
1 head of radicchio, torn…

This recipe originally called for 2 Tbs. olive oil to go in as well (I guess in the dressing), but I left it out and it was great. I think this would also work with any other grain you would like–brown rice, amaranth, millet, barley…I love dill, but you could add whatever fresh herb you have growing in your garden!

1 pound fresh spinach, stemmed
2 cups chopped kale leaves…

4 cups cabbage (shredded or thinly sliced) MAKE SURE THIS IS THIN. Trust me or you will be chewing until doomsday.
4 carrots (shredded) [optional]…

This dinner is exotic! Crisp yam slices, roasted bell peppers, steamed corn, and BBQ tofu topped with a spicy black bean sauce.