Healthy Southern “Fried Chicken” Salad

Garden Protein “Fried Chicken” Tenders
Mixed Baby Greens, Corn, Toasted Pecans
Vegan Ranch Dressing

This delightful and heart healthy vegan salad is made with Gardein’s Crispy Tenders, a baked plant-based poultry-like food made from veggies and grains – quinoa, amaranth, millet, and kamut. The delicious no-cholesterol dressing is made with Vegenaise and MimicCream, a cream substitute made from almond and cashew nuts.

Mock Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

• Vegenaise
• MimicCream
• Cayenne Pepper (don’t be shy)
• Dried Oregano
• Dried Dill Weed
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Sea Salt to taste

Whisk vegenaise and mimiccream together to the consistency of ranch dressing.
Add all the seasonings and blend together.

Toss dressing with mixed baby greens, corn kernels, toasted chopped pecans.

Meanwhile, bake the crispy tenders at 350° for 18 minutes, turning once.

Let the tenders cool slightly, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

Top the dressed salad with warm crispy tenders and a few whole toasted pecans.

Whether you make this salad with real fried chicken and buttermilk ranch dressing, or use the vegetable based alternatives as I do here, there is no doubt that the combination of crispy chicken, corn, pecans and baby lettuces tossed with a creamy ranch-style dressing makes a fabulous salad.

Vegan “Beef” Tacos

I have become of fan of Gardein plant-based protein and am having a ball experimenting with this delicious meat-like food made from veggies and grains. It’s high in protein, low in fat, cholesterol-free, and contains no animal products. I cook with it at least a few days during each week, which helps me to me keep my cholesterol in-check.

Please stop by our new blog, The Great VEGA’N VEGETARIAN Project for my “beef” taco recipe!