CRANBERRY BROCCOLI SALAD

If you’re looking for a delicious VEGAN salad to surprise your guests, this one is a hit every time! ???? With broccoli florets, chickpeas, walnuts, cranberries, green apples and more! The poppy seed sauce is very creamy and flavorful and complements the dish perfectly. ???? So many flavors and nice textures here!

Equipment

Blender

Ingredients

For the Salad

6 cups broccoli florets cut into small bite sized pieces
15 oz can chickpeas drained & rinsed
½ cup pecans or walnuts
½ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
¼ cup red onion finely chopped
1 green apple diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the Dressing

¾ cup raw cashews*
¾ cup water
3 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Grate your apple and put it in a large bowl. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on it and mix well so that it doesn’t darken later. Add all remaining salad ingredients to the same bowl and mix.
Add all sauce ingredients EXCEPT poppy seeds to your blender and process until smooth. Then add the poppy seeds and stir for 1-2 seconds just enough to blend into your sauce. Pour the dressing over the salad, mix well, and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer before serving.

notes

*If you don’t have a powerful blender like Vitamix or Blendtec, soak your cashews in boiling water for at least 30 minutes and drain before blending. This will help soften your cashews enough to blend them smoothly. You’ll notice that the recipe calls for lemon juice twice. The first example is to prevent darkening and off-flavor of apples. The second example is for poppy seed salad dressing. Both are required. Use a tart apple like granny smith for the best tangy flavor. Do not mix poppy seeds with sauce. Be sure to add them only AFTER the dressing has been processed. Refrigerate 1 hour (or more) before serving for best flavor. However, if time does not allow, you can enjoy it right away.