Chopped Thai Salad with Sesame Garlic Dressing

For the dressing:
•⅓ cup canola oil
•3 cloves garlic, peeled
•3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
•2 tablespoons water
•2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
•2 tablespoons honey
•1 tablespoon sesame oil
•1 tablespoon lemongrass paste (ginger would also work)
•a squeeze of lime juice


For the salad:
•16 ounces frozen shelled edamame
•5-6 cups baby kale
•3 large carrots
•2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow)
•1 cup cilantro leaves
•3 green onions
•¾ cup cashews (if you can find them, Trader Joe's Thai Lime and Chili Cashews are the bomb)

The store was out of edamame when I was shopping, so I have substituted black beans for this recipe. Nutrition facts use black beans vs. edamame though calories are semi-close.

1.Puree all the dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust to fit your preferences. Transfer to a dressing jar and rinse the food processor out for use later.

2.Cook the edamame by boiling it for 3-5 minutes in a pot of boiling water. Drain and allow it to cool. Meanwhile, slice up the kale, carrots, peppers, cilantro leaves, and green onions into thin strips or shreds.

3.Place the cooked edamame in the food processor and pulse 5 times to get a minced texture. Transfer to a bowl and repeat the same process for the cashews. Toss the kale, carrots, peppers, cilantro, green onions, edamame, and cashews together until well combined. Drizzle with the dressing, toss gently a few times, and serve immediately.

Serving Size: Makes 6 Servings

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user CAH-RD.