Tiny umbrellas seemed like the perfect accent to this tropical getaway style salad. My Aloha Salad with Tiki Tempeh is filled with vibrant salad greens, crunchy chopped macadamia nuts, sweet, juicy pineapple and a few thin circles of sweet banana. My creamy vegan Avocado Pineapple salad dressing completes the dish. Top each salad bowl with a triangle of my Tiki Tempeh – smoky, sticky-sweet island fare.

Spring-y & Summery-y Salad. This zesty, bright, fun Aloha Salad is perfect for sunny days. This would taste amazing dining outside with a cool glass on sun tea and some hearty slices of freshly baked bread or toasted pita on the side.

Aloha Salad with Tiki Tempeh

Salad:

1 bag baby spinach

1 bag Romaine Lettuce or Cole Slaw Cabbage Blend

1 cup pineapple, chopped

1/3 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

1 banana, sliced

pepper to taste

optional: shredded coconut

Creamy Avocado Pineapple Dressing:

1 avocado, pit removed

1 Tbsp tahini

1/3 cup pineapple, chopped

1/2 cup orange juice

1-2 Tbsp oil (I used walnut oil)

2 tsp tamari

salt/pepper to taste

optional: add a jalapeno or a few dashes cayenne to make it spicy

Tiki Tempeh:

4 triangles tempeh

2-3 tsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

2 tsp tamari

salt/pepper to taste

1 Tbsp safflower oil for saute

1 tsp macadamia nuts as texture (optional)

Directions:

1. Add all dressing ingredients to high speed blender or food processor – blend on high. Adjust salt/pepper to taste.

2. Toss the greens with a few spoonfuls of dressing. Do not over dress. You can always add more dressing during serving. Arrange nuts, banana and pineapple over top greens.

3. Tempeh: Heat oil in skillet. Add triangles. Add maple syrup, tamari and liquid smoke over top tempeh. Allow to cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side – until sticky and browned. For quicker cooking, slice triangles into thinner slices before sauteing. Add pepper/salt as desired. You can also add other spices if desired. Turn off heat and add nuts over top hot tempeh – the hot pan will slightly warm the nuts and stick to the tempeh which is still cooling. Once cooled, add tempeh to salad bowl or serve on separate plate.

Colorful mini umbrellas optional 🙂

Another one of my FAVE Dole-inspired salad recipes: Mango Avocado Macadamia Nut and Arugula Salad.

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