Here’s one of the recipes that make people think I’m a kitchen pro. Sweet, tangy, savory, rich, and crunchy, it ups the ante on all those peanut-noodle salads that you’ve wanted to love over the years but—let’s face it—are usually too sweet or so gloppy, they could glue your mouth shut! Using pineapple to help sweeten the sauce reduces the amount of sweetener necessary; add the protein of your choice if you want, but the dish is super-satisfying as is. A special shout-out is warranted here to chef Dacia Horn at my kids’ school. I first tasted a version of this dressing when she made it for school lunch—it was so popular that faculty and parents began asking for it.
Serves 6 to 8
Make the dressing: In a blender, combine the pineapple, coconut sugar, coconut aminos, water, lime juice, sesame oil, ginger, turmeric, and 1 tablespoon of the garlic. Blend until smooth.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, 9 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon garlic and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the blended dressing and cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the sunflower seed butter and cook until thickened and warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
Make the salad: In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, spinach, carrots, cucumber, herbs, and red onion. Add the dressing and the chicken strips, if using, and toss well to coat. Garnish with the gomasio. Serve with rice noodles or kelp noodles, if desired.