RECIPE4HEALTH

Vegan Summer Salad

Refreshing seasonal watermelon replaces seared ahi tuna in this creative, flavor-packed dish

Whether you’ve just gone meatless, are trying to cut down on animal products, or are a long-term vegan, you can create beautiful, tasty recipes that are simple to make. Here’s a perfect one for summer, excerpted with permission from Plants Only Kitchen by Gaz Oakley.

m a k e i t !

RECIPE BY GAZ OAKLEY

Seared Watermelon ‘Tuna’ Salad Serves 8

When marinated, watermelon takes on the texture of tuna. The taste is unexpected and exquisite! Make sure to get a nice caramelization on the “tuna” before serving.

1 medium watermelon, peeled and cut into 1-inch thick steaks 1 Tbs. sea salt Vegetable oil, for frying

MARINADE 2 tsp. tahini 6 Tbs. soy sauce (or tamari for GF) 2 Tbs. rice vinegar Juice of ½ lime 1 tsp. dried chili flakes 1 garlic clove 1 Tbs. Sriracha sauce 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled 2 spring onions (scallions) 3 Tbs. sesame oil

SALAD ½ cucumber, cut into batons 5 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced 1 cup sugar snap peas, finely sliced length-ways 10.5 oz. rice noodles, cooked according to the packet Handful of Thai basil leaves

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F, and line a deep baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange watermelon steaks in single layer on baking sheet, lightly salt, and bake 1 hour, or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, combine marinade ingredients in blender. Remove watermelon from the oven. (It will shrink down and have a lovely, deep red color.)

3. Pour marinade over cooked watermelon. Allow watermelon to cool, then place in fridge to marinate at least 2 hours. When watermelon has marinated, toss salad ingredients together with a few tablespoons of watermelon marinade.

4. Heat non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add a little oil, and sear watermelon steaks 2 minutes each side. Divide noodle salad among four plates, and top with sliced watermelon to serve. Per serving: 380 cal; 6g prot; 7g total fat (1g sat fat); 80g carb; 0mg chol; 1,110mg sod; 4g fiber; 37g sugar

London-based chef Gaz Oakley, 26, is the author of three books on vegan cooking, including his latest cookbook, Plants Only Kitchen (Quadrille, 2020). His YouTube channel, avantgardevegan, has more than 1 million subscribers. Visit him at avantgardevegan.com.

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