Thai Salad with Creamy Cashew Dressing
Spring is in full bloom here in Denver & I am all about it! After finding all the veggies at the farmer’s market, I was craving a salad & this Thai Salad with Creamy Cashew Dressing was the result. The key to a good salad is variety & this one HAS IT ALL: crunchy cabbage & cashews, crisp peas & peppers, and tender greens all topped with a creamy, spicy dressing. Up the ante by adding grilled chicken or shrimp!
While I’m not currently doing a Whole 30, I always have the basics on hand for compliant meals. It’s really easy to make basic swaps like coconut aminos for soy sauce, cashew butter instead of peanut butter, or dates instead of honey.
It starts with the cashew dressing which is sweetened with dates instead of honey. Pit the date & soak in a few tablespoons of warm water to help it soften & mix well with the other ingredients. While it soaks, combine cashew butter, sriracha, sesame oil, coconut aminos, lime juice, rice vinegar, ginger, & garlic. Throw in the date & the water it was soaking in & blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Give it a taste & see what you think. Want more spice? Add more sriracha! 🔥
Now for ALL the veggies. For the base, de-stem & the kale & chop with the cabbage & romaine. Throw in the carrots (obviously I opted for the pre-shredded carrots but you can grate some big ones if you want to take the scenic route) along with the sliced bell pepper, snap peas, & cashews. Don’t forget the green onion, mint, & cilantro for even more flavor.
There’s something about fresh herbs in a salad that make it taste even more fresh!
Toss the vegetables with the cashew dressing & dig in. We added some grilled chicken and next time I’m definitely trying it with some shrimp!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 3 servings | 20 minutes |
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This Whole 30 compliant Thai Salad with Creamy Cashew Dressing is the perfect balance of textures & flavors! It's packed with all the vegetables & will be a favorite even when you're not on the Whole 30.
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- 1/3 cup cashew butter
- 1 Medjool date
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1.5 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup chopped kale
- 1 cup chopped Napa cabbage
- 1 heart romaine lettuce chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1 small red bell pepper julienned
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped snap peas
- 2 stalks green onion chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped cashews
- Pit the date & soak in the warm water. While it soaks, combine cashew butter, sriracha, sesame oil, coconut aminos, lime juice, rice vinegar, ginger, & garlic in a small bowl. Add the date & the water it was soaked in & blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine all of the vegetables and top with the Cashew Dressing. Enjoy with grilled chicken or shrimp.
You can substitute: peanut butter for cashew butter; 1 tbsp honey for the date; soy sauce for coconut aminos.
