I’ve always been a huge fan of the Cobb salad, probably because it’s one of the furthest things from a salad in the first place. Dump a little ranch on there and you might as well eat a burger, fries, and a coke. The bleu cheese, chicken, and bacon make for a seriously caloric meal. But it turns out the Cobb doesn’t have to be fatty at all.

Rustic Country Meal

Serve this salad up with a country wheat baguette, heated up in the oven for dipping. The rustic nature of the salad lends itself well to a hand torn baguette. The vegan Cobb salad is all about creating the color combination that draws you in, so when you’re arranging make sure that the colors pop.

I used pinto beans for the protein portion of the show because they are a good source of folate, dietary fiber, tryptophan, manganese, protein, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and vitamin B1 (thiamin). I made mine from scratch using dry beans, but in a pinch, canned beans are fine. Cooking beans from scratch is always best because you avoid environmental toxins in packaging.

Cooking Beans

If you’re going to cook them yourself, start soaking them in the morning for at least six hours. Drain and rinse and then add to a pot, filling the water two inches over the beans. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Remove the foam bubbles that form on top of the beans with a large spoon. Cook for 2 to 3 hours, until the beans are tender to the bite.

Vegan Farmhouse Cobb Salad

1 cup cooked pinto beans, seasoned with salt and pepper
1/2 pint local cherry tomatoes, quartered
3/4 can artichoke hearts, quartered
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 avocado, peeled, seed removed, chopped
1/2 cup chopped sweet Vidalia onion
1/4 cup fresh herb vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

Method

1. Choose a big display dish to arrange your ingredients. I actually used a casserole dish because it fit everything perfectly.

2. Line up your ingredients so that there’s an array of colors. Dress with vinaigrette and serve with a fresh heated baguette.

Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Nama shoyu
1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp fresh chopped herbs (I used half oregano and half basil)
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.

Method

1. Whisk all the ingredients together.

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