Apple Beet Salad with Crunchy Cashew Sauce

This colourful salad is sure to please the taste buds of any Earth Day enthusiast. Granny Smith apples make for a juicy base, while the red beets and maple syrup add a natural sweetness that complements the apples’ tartness.

1 cup (250 mL) raw cashews
1 Tbsp (15 mL) nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp (15 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp (15 mL) almond milk
1 tsp (5 mL) light miso paste
1 tsp (5 mL) grated yellow cooking onion
4 Granny Smith apples
3 small raw red beets, peeled and very finely diced
2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp (10 mL) maple syrup
2 Tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon (optional)

Soak raw cashews in cold water for two hours or overnight. In a pinch for time, soak in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and cool. Place between 2 large sheets of parchment paper and, using rolling pin, crush cashews until almost smooth.

Transfer to large bowl and stir in nutritional yeast, lemon juice, almond milk, miso paste, and grated onion. Taste and add a little more miso if you wish. Sauce can be stored in tightly covered container and refrigerated for up to a week. Simply whisk to blend before using.

Core and thinly slice unpeeled apples. Arrange on individual serving plates or on platter. Scatter with very finely diced raw beets. Drizzle single servings with 1 Tbsp (15 mL) cashew sauce or drizzle platter with 1/4 cup (60 ml) sauce. Refrigerate remaining sauce for another use.

Combine olive oil and maple syrup together to blend. Drizzle over top and sprinkle with chives, mint, cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon, if you wish.

Serves 8.

Each serving contains: 182 calories; 5 g protein; 11 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 20 g carbohydrates (11 g sugars, 3 g fibre); 56 mg sodium

source: "Earth Hour Appies", alive #389, March 2015