BUILDING A SALAD

AS MEAL REPLACEMENT
(2023)
This is in continuation of my earlier document on HEALTY VEGANISM- OPTIMAL
ANGLE. We have focused on combining following TWO categories to bring forth
basic trick to build a salad.

1. The First category of foods

 Fresh fruits;
 Succulent (Juicy, moist) fruit-like vegetables
 Leafy greens
 Non-starchy vegetables
 Dried Nuts (Almonds, cashew) and seeds (Flax, Sesame).
2. The Second category of foods
 Starchy vegetables;
 Grains (Soaked 5-6 hours) and Millets (Sprouted best)
 Lentils & Legumes (Sprouted best, Else Soaked in water 4-5 hours)

While building a salad make proper combinations of categories, viz starchy, non-
starchy vegetables, leafy greens n fruits, lentil and legumes, fat, sweetness,
sourness, flavours etc

TIPS TO BUILD A SALAD

1 JUICY VEGETABLES Cucumber, Tomato, Capsicum, Gourds
etc

2 ROOT VEGETABLES Carrot, Radish, Turnip, Onion, etc

3 LEAFY GREENS Spinach, Amaranth, etc

4 SWEETNESS Raisins, Dates, Dried Apricot, Dried

Prunes, Dried Figs etc

5 SOURNESS Amla, Lemon, Tamarind, Starfruit,

Orange etc

6 FATS Peanuts, Almond, Cashew, Flax Seed,

Sesame Seed, Sunflower Seed, Coconut
meat, Avocado etc
 7 FLAVOURS Garlic, Ginger, Cumin , Chillies, coriander
, mint etc.

8 STARCH ( OPTIONAL) Sweet potato, Potato, Kidney Beans,

Chickpea, Yam etc

9 SALT ( We need sodium NOT NOT RECOMMENDED

Sodium Chloride which is
Natural mimics of Salty flavour –
chemical composition of ALL
Gooseberry, Lemon Zest, Garlic, Bell
salts)
pepper, Spinach, Celery ( very High
sodium)

Some basic Suggestions for BUILDING A SALAD with dressings/ dips etc (as MEAL
REPLACEMENT ideally)

 Not all the vegetables should be eaten raw and not all should be cooked. Body
absorbs a greater amount of some of the nutrients like vitamin A, calcium, iron
and lycopene etc if you COOK (Steam, Grill, Boil, Sauté). So process different
vegetables accordingly. We have listed below how to process each of them to
retain maximum and required nutrients to best of my knowledge.
 Wash your salad vegetables properly otherwise it can lead to foodborne illness.
Especially leafy greens. Wash vegetables with peels (even if you are removing
peels afterwards) before cutting.
 If you are plucking vegetables/fruits from organic farm directly, do not wash
much, process with skin. That’s the best way to get B12 directly from soil.
 No fruits are to be cooked even if you are making salad dressing. Also NO FAT
of any kind in FRUIT SALAD DRESSING (e.g. mango, orange)
 By STEAMING we mean steaming in STEAMER not boiling in container /
pressure cooking in pressure cooker. Also Steaming should be done with skin
on WHOLE vegetables, remove afterwards if needed. Bring the water in
steamer to boil then load the vegetables to be steamed (We have given time
of steaming time with each vegetables below)
 Do not pressure cook any vegetables, also do not Blanch; vegetables lose large
amount of nutrients while pressure cooking and blanching, nutrients are
leached in the water used. Just big lentils and legumes to be pressure cooked.
 GRILLING we mean in OVEN OR GAS STOVE (ON Grill Plate or Skillet) with
minimal or zero oil, not convection microwave.
 SAUTÉ we prefer without oil, sprinkle water while sautéing in pan, minimal free
oil (will recommend oil with high smoking point) can be used.
 NON STARCHY
VEGETABLES, LEAFY GREENS, FLAVOURING VEGETABLES, SOUR VEGETABLES,
SOUR (CITRUS) FRUITS - All are mostly by default are Non Starchy. (Take as per
Season)-

JUICY VEGETABLES, LEAFY VEGETABLES &

FLAVORINGS
VEGETABLES
( NON STARCHY) HOW TO PROCESS?
1 Cabbage ( green and Purple) Raw / steamed (3 min)

2 Cauliflower Raw / steamed (3 min)

3 Broccoli Raw / steamed (3 min)

4 Lettuce ( Romaine, Purple, Butter-

head) Raw

5 Radish, Parsnips, Turnips,

Kholrabi (purple, green) Raw

6
Carrot ( Orange and Red) Raw / Steamed (3 min)

7 Plantain Grilled / Steamed (3 min)

8 Onion Raw

9 Garlic Raw

10 Turmeric Raw Raw

11 Tomato Raw

12 Ginger Raw

13 Capsicum Raw

14 Bell Pepper ( Yellow & Red) Raw

15 Scallions (Green Spring Onions) Raw/ Sauté

16 Chillies ( Green & Red) Raw

17 Raw, Chopped /Spiralled with

Cucumber spiralizer ( Noodles)
18 Raw, Chopped /Spiralled with
Zucchini ( Green , Yellow) spiralizer ( Noodles)

19 Gourds- ( Sponge, Bottle, Ridge, Raw, Chopped /Spiralled with

Snake, Apple) spiralizer ( Noodles)/ steamed

20 Brinjal (Aubergine) Sauté/Grill

21 Green Papaya Raw/ Julian chopped

23 Mushroom Sauté/Grill

24 French Bean Raw/steamed (1 min)

25 Beans (field,broad,Cluster,
Cowpea) Raw /steamed (1 min)

26 Chayote (chow chow/badnikai/

sow sow) Raw / steamed (1 min)

27
Okra- Bhindi Raw/ Sauté/Grill

28
Green Chillies Raw

29 Leek Raw /steamed/Sauté

30 Knol khol ( ganth gobhi) Raw/ Steamed

LEAFY GREENS & FLAVORINGS

( Add more to the list available locally and
seasonally)
1 Spinach (Winter) Raw

2 Malabar Summer Spinach (

Mayalu/Pui Saag) Raw

3 Safflower leaves-( Kardi/Kardai) Raw

4 Dill Leaves ( Shepu) Raw

5 Moringa Leaves - Sahjan Raw

6 Amaranth greens (chaulai) & Red

(Lalmaath)- Raw

7 Kale Raw /steamed (1 min)

8 Beetroot Greens Raw

9 Turmeric Leaves- Haldi Patta Raw

10 Coriander Raw

11 Mint (Pudina) Raw

12 Asparagus (Shatavari) Raw/Grilled /steamed (1 min)

13 Celery (Dhaniya) Raw

14 Turmeric Greens ( Haldi patta) Raw

15 Carrot greens Raw

16 Swiss Chard –( Raspalak) Raw

17 Collard (Kashmiri haak) Raw

18 Cinnamon Stick Crushed in mortal

19 Cumin Seeds Crushed in mortal

20 Black & White Pepper Crushed in mortal

SOURNESS
SOUR VEGETABLES HOW TO PROCESS?
1 Lemon Raw

2 Indian Gooseberry (Amla) Raw

3 Tamarind ( Raw or Pulp) Raw

4 Kokum ( Raw ) Raw

SOUR FRUITS HOW TO PROCESS?

5 Orange Raw

6 Tangerines (Kinu ) Raw

7 Sweet Melon (Mausambi) Raw

8 Grapefruit/ Pomelo (Chakotara) Raw

9 Star Fruit ( Kamrakh) Raw

 SWEETNESS

FRUITS & DRIED

FRUITS HOW TO PROCESS?
1 RAW-Wash ,DRY-Soak in water 2-3
Apricots (Kubani/Jardalu) Raw /Dry hour
2 Plums
3 RAW-Wash ,DRY-Soak in water 2-3
hour
Dates- Raw /Dry
4 RAW-Wash ,DRY-Soak in water 2-3
hour
Figs (Anjeer)- Raw /Dry
5 RAW-Wash ,DRY-Soak in water 2-3
hour
Prunes(Dry Alubhukhara)- Dry
6 RAW-Wash ,Soak Raisins in water 2-3
hour
Grapes/ Raisins

FAT
DRIED NUTS HOW TO PROCESS?
1 Almond RAW (Wash, Soak 3-4 Hr in water)

2 Cashew RAW (Wash, Soak 3-4 Hr in water)

3 Walnut RAW (Wash, Soak 3-4 Hr in water)

SEEDS HOW TO PROCESS?

4 Black Sesame RAW (Wash, Soak 2-3 Hr in water)

5 White Sesame RAW (Wash, Soak 2-3 Hr in water)

6 Flax seed- ( Vegan Omega 3 RAW (Wash, Soak 2-3 Hr in water)

source)

7 Sunflower Seeds RAW (Wash, Soak 2-3 Hr in water)

8 Melon Seeds RAW (Wash, Soak 2-3 Hr in water)

9 Pumpkin Seeds RAW (Wash, Soak 2-3 Hr in water)

 FRUITS HOW TO PROCESS?
10 Coconut Meat (Malai)-30% less
fat than avocado.

Coconut slices (Raw) RAW

11 Indian Avocado RAW

STARCH (OPTIONAL)
Most ROOT VEGETABLES, GRAINS AND MILLETS and some LENTILS & LEGUMES
listed below are STARCHY FOODS-

STARCHY
VEGETABLES HOW TO PROCESS?
1 Beetroot Steam (5 min)

2 Potato Steam (5 min)

3 Sweet potatoes (Shakarkand) steam (5 min)

4 Yam ( Purple & White) Poak holes and steam (5 min)

5 Taro (Kachalu) steam (5 min)

6 Pumpkin ( Green & Orange) Raw/steam (5 min)

7 Corn/Maize (Makai)- Pearls & baby

Corn Raw/steam (3 min)

8 Tapioca ( Raw) Poak holes and Steam (5 min)

9 Tapioca-Dry Pearls (Sabudana) Soak 2 hours- Sauté

10 Carrots ( Red and Orange) Raw/steam (5 min)

11 Peas Raw/steam (3 min)

STARCHY- LENTILS &

LEGUMES HOW TO PROCESS?
1 Peas DRY ( green n white) Soak 4-5 hr in water & Pressure cook

2 Peanut Sauté /Grind/Chop do not COOK

3 Chick pea ( Chole) Soak 4-5 hr in water & Pressure cook

4 Kidney Beans (Rajma) Soak 4-5 hr in water & Pressure cook

5 Whole Bengal Gram ( Sabut Soak 4-5 hr in water & Pressure cook
Chana

6 Bengal Gram (Chana daal) Soak 4-5 hr in water & Pressure cook

STARCHY GRAINS & MILLETS

We recommend to use IN ONLY SOME SALAD
recipes in very small quality (1-2 Tablespoon
per serving plate)
1 + sign is for millets
prescribed by millet man of
India Dr. Khadar Valli HOW TO PROCESS?

Wash , Soak for 7-8 hrs in water &

Mildly steam till cooked in a bowl in
Finger millet (Raagi) steamer.

2 Wash , Soak for 7-8 hrs in water &

Mildly steam till cooked in a bowl in
Foxtail ( Kangni) (+) steamer.

3 Wash , Soak for 7-8 hrs in water &

Mildly steam till cooked in a bowl in
Kodo ( Kodo chawal/ Kodra) (+) steamer.

4 Wash , Soak for 7-8 hrs in water &

Porso/ broomcorn millet ( Mildly steam till cooked in a bowl in
Chena) steamer.

5 Wash , Soak for 7-8 hrs in water &

Barnyard- Samvat chawal, Sava Mildly steam till cooked in a bowl in
chawal) (+) steamer.

6 Wash , Soak for 7-8 hrs in water &

Little millet – ( Kutki Bajra, Mildly steam till cooked in a bowl in
Moraiya Bajra) (+) steamer.

7 Wash , Soak for 7-8 hrs in water &

Mildly steam till cooked in a bowl in
Brown Top- (Hari Kangni) (+) steamer.

8 Puffed Rice (Kurmura) Not Processed

PRE REQUSITES
 Do not use aluminium, plastic vessel or container or anything with wet
ingredients (Food grade plastic measuring spoons & Cups will work)
 INVEST in good knife set, chopping board, Peeler, Spiralizer, Grater, Steamer,
Oven, High power electric grinder, measuring spoons & Cups, if already do not
own all OR any.

SPECIAL REQUEST
 COMPOST your salad peel waste & make BIO-ENZYME from your Peels/ outer
skin of - Lemon, Orange, Tangerines (कीनू ), Sweet Melon (Mausambi),
Grapefruit/ Pomelo (चकोतरा). Maintaining a SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP with
nature and vegetation and other cohabitant species is utmost important for our
survival.
 DO SPROUTING of Lentils and Legumes to begin with, till all the way to some
grains and millets (little difficult).
 GROW your own flavouring herbs coriander, mint, ginger root etc in soil, water
and coco-pit any medium which you are accustomed to.

This document is researched and written by VEGAN IDEAS. A Social Media

platform promoting healthy veganism. Leena- Founder, Admins- Shalini and
Shabana

-Disclaimer-

The above information is to the best of our research driven understanding,

knowledge and experience; which has been working out practically well for us. We
do not claim the 100% perfection of the information parted in this document.
 SOME SALAD IDEAS
SHABANA DEAN-

THAC (The Health Awareness Centre, Mumbai) Expert, Founder- Saladicious

Food, Wellness Coach. Updates on -https://www.facebook.com/SaladsRfood

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SHALINI PRAKASH

Founder – Folklore Living; Follower IMANAH (The Institute of Mahayoga and

Natural Hygiene), Vegan since 2018. Natural Living Advocacy. Music, Sound
Healing.

Updates on -
https://instagram.com/shalini_prakash_folkloreliving?utm_source=qr&igshid=Z
Dc4ODBmNjlmNQ%3D%3D

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