Pantry staples combined with a few fresh ingredients…I usually have a sweet potato or two kicking around in the pantry and couscous and cans of black beans always. Same for edamame in the freezer. And with the last of the spinach from the greenhouse, the abundance of mint out in the perennial bed and a smidge of volunteer basil we had in the greenhouse (it had self-planted into one of the citrus pots), I created this colorful, super healthy salad.
Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Couscous Salad w/ Sweet Lime-Ginger Dressing
Description
So much fresh flavor going on in this oil-free, plant-based salad!
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp. agave nectar (or your favorite sweetener)
- 1 tsp. low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tsp. white miso paste
- 1/4–1/2 tsp. chile garlic paste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
- dash black pepper
Salad
- 2 sweet potatoes, roasted, cooled, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup edamame (thawed if frozen)
- 2 Tbsp. red onion, chopped
- 2/3 cup (dry) whole wheat couscous, cooked and well-drained
- 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
- 4 cups fresh spinach, torn or chopped
Instructions
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients together and set aside.
- Gently stir all of the salad ingredients – except the spinach – together, then add the dressing and stir again. Divide the spinach between four big plates or bowls and top with the salad.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 307
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 205
- Fat: 2
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 59
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 0
For a quick side dish, I mixed together a splash of vegetable broth, soy sauce, white miso paste, ground black pepper and a clove of garlic (minced) and tossed in two sliced two zucchinis. Baked it at 425F until the zukes were tender (turning now and again). Pretty durn tasty.
Love all the fresh ingredients.
I am loving your 7 Days of Salads! Brilliant!
Also, I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. Details can be found on my post today! 😉
Wow, thanks Holly! That is so cool!
Loving this salad today! Looks delish – that couscous is a nice touch!
I totally love sweet potatoes and couscous together!
Yum – you are a true salad master!
Yesterday I made your Orzo salad and it was delicious!
Also thank you for the tip on the wordpress 5K run – I’m in 🙂
Oh excellent, Anne!!
Your salads look so beautiful! This one is so colorful and your orzo salad from yesterday looks divine as well!
awesome salad lady! sweet potatoes in salad are pure amazingness!
😛 thanks, gabby!
I’m so glad to have found this space and your 7 days of salad has got me running off to the veggie vendor each morning for fresh produce. So it’s salad for dinner… and a little something from my blog to yours. Do check it out at http://averilgomes.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/sunshine-versatile-and-a-plateful-of-pakoras/
Here’s to great food and a good life
Holy moly! Thank you, thank you! What a sweet treat!
Oooh! That dressing sounds amazing! I kinda want to make it and put it on everything. And the photo of the limes and ginger is beautiful!
Exactly! I felt the same way!
I love this, and everything you cook looks so delicious! Thanks for giving us so many great ideas.
Thank you!
You have a greenhouse? That’s so cool…even cooler that a basil sprouted out of nowhere. Your salad challenge could’ve never been more timely =)
Yeah, we put it up this past winter – it’s wonderful. Had fresh greens even while it was cold outside. Now we have tomatoes, peppers and carrots in there – plus some basil we deliberately planted ;-).
Have you thought about opening a ‘saladeria’ (whatever a salad-shop is called)?! You should 😉
I think I have to just so I can call it a Saladeria!
You put so much time and passion into your salads! I’m inspired, I on the other hand am so lazy! It’s just putting whatever I have in the fridge together and that’s it! 🙂
Love this salad so by far – all my favourite flavours and ingredients!
Believe me…there are days when our meals get thrown together ;-)! Definitely not “camera ready!”
I love this one ! I really like to add couscous in my salads : )
One word “Yumm.” Seriously… I’m eating this as I type. I made last night for my lunch today. This is really good.
Woooo! Yay!
I love your tasty & alternative dressing a lot here! So flavourful!!
We made this for dinner last night. Delicious!
Cool! Thanks for letting me know!
Pingback: Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Couscous with Sweet Lime-Ginger Dressing | veggie4ayear
Pingback: Creamy Tomato Soup | anunrefinedvegan