Recipe: Vegan Broccoli Salad

If you read my blog with any frequency, you may have noticed that I'm blogging about more and more vegan recipes. And that's no accident. About a month ago, I completed the Blueprint Cleanse. For 5 days, I sustained on nothing but the most delicious tasting fresh juice. I lost some weight and pretty much eliminated all the tummy troubles I'd been having. When I started eating "real" food again, I was more mindful of what I was putting into my mouth. For nearly a week after my cleanse, I was vegan and gluten free, and as of today, I'm still primarily vegan. I say "primarily" because I'm doing my best to avoid dairy products, but if I have an accidental slip up (I had to scrape cheese off of a salad the other day and I'm sure I missed a piece or two), I'm not going to beat myself up. I know that infuriates some vegans, which is why this blog will remain vegetarian focused. I might not be eating cheese but if you want to, go for it. I've always said it's not my place to tell anyone how to eat...unless they try to tell me how to eat. Then it's game on. But enough about me...onto my delicious broccoli salad!

For silly reasons, I generally avoid raisins, but I saw a recipe for broccoli salad the other day and just HAD to try it. It reminded me of a salad I love at a bar near my house and since my Fresh Fork Market bag was supposed to have broccoli (it didn't, though...weep womp), I figured this would be a good way to use it up. I was also looking for good picnic-y recipes, and this seemed to fit the bill.

Vegan broccoli salad

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup vegan mayo (I used Vegenaise)
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 head or 2 cups broccoli (approximate)
• 1 cup cashews
• 1 cup raisins
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cut up broccoli head into florets and set aside.
2. In a bowl, whisk together mayo, vinegar, and sugar.
3. Combine broccoli with whisked mayo mixture. 
4. Stir in cashews and raisins.
5. Serve immediately or chill for additional flavor. 

The result? A broccoli salad that tasted just like a regular old broccoli salad made with "real" mayo. I loved it. My boyfriend loved it...and I think anyone who likes traditional broccoli salad would like it. I can't wait to make up another batch for an upcoming party and "wow" people with the awesomeness of this vegan dish!