Creamy Cashew salad anyone?

  Vegan MOFO 2013 Begins!                                                

     Happy Labor Day weekend everyone! Boy can time fly when you are having fun. October of 2003 I became a vegan.  Why you ask? I had health issues whenever I ate animal products. Sick tummy, lethargic, just down right yucky. Granted I had been basically vegetarian for most of my life, but just didn’t realize it. We would all go to McDonald's (yikes) for breakfast and I would order a sausage McMuffin without the sausage, just cheese and bread please. Thank God they use processed cheese, which I am not even sure it has any dairy in it, because I found out after years of being sick that I am allergic to dairy. Sure my tummy would not be happy after I ate it, but it was nothing like when I ate the sausage. Then we would all go out to a restaurant and everyone would order steak, me too. But I would only taste the corner and then put it in a doggie bag for my hubby’s lunch the next day. I could however devour that baked potato and salad. This is how I lived for many years. I would say 90% vegetarian and 10% omnivore. 

     After being tested on how my digestive system works with different foods I found out that my body just doesn't digest animal products well. Hence the sick tummy, blotting and other nasty stuff. What to do? Pray and as I did it was as though I heard Heavenly Father speak to me, “Just do it. Go all the way and you will feel better.” I talked to my hubby and from that day on I went 100% vegan. When I first began I just did it on my own. Went to the local health food store and sought out every thing vegan and went from there. Then, and I don't know when, I got the grand idea to search the internet. Some of the first blogs and websites I found were Susan's, Dreena's, and Bryanna's and I continue to this day go to them for recipes, ideas, and questions. Of course, since then I have found hundreds of wonderful bloggers and fellow plant based people whom I gather information and make friends with. 

     With all that said, here is a perfect dish for this Labor Day weekend from Susan,

 

                                                 Cashew Carrot Salad. 

      I really missed that creamy carrot salad from the salad bars, but knowing they were made with mayonnaise, which contains eggs and dairy I figured I was going to have to learn to live without it. Sure, I could make my own with one of the many vegan mayo's out there, but they all seem to have so much fat in them, which my body does not need so stumbling upon this recipe from Susan  was exciting!

   

     Only six ingredients, some time in the fridge, and in no time at all you can put this together for tomorrow's celebration!  I made mine with fresh squeezed orange juice, but Susan enjoys using lemon, which I have not tried. I also like to make mine the day ahead and let the flavors meld over night. Susan makes printing the recipes oh so easy. Just click on the print button at the top right hand corner of her recipe. Oh and while you're there check out her photo's of this dish. They are fantastic. My phone camera just doesn't do justice to this dish. 

                                                  Question of the day?

     What is your favorite salad to bring to celebrations and family gatherings?