teaspoon salt

cup water

cup pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar (regular balsamic is okay, too, but try the white stuff-you"ll be hooked)

Prepare the beets: Preheat the oven to 425F. Scrub the beets well and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast until tender, about 75 to 80 minutes. To make sure they"re ready, unwrap one beet and stick a b.u.t.ter knife through the top. It should slice through the beet with no problem. Unwrap the beets and let them sit until cool to the touch, then refrigerate. Once chilled, slice into -inch-thick slices.

Prepare the yams and purple potatoes: Slice the yams and potatoes widthwise at an angle into -inch-thick pieces. Place in a large, broad, lidded pan (not a pot) and cover with cold water and a sprinkle of salt. Cover the pan and bring to a boil, then simmer until the yams and potatoes are tender but still firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Use tongs to flip them once. When they are ready, drain them in a large colander and spread them out on a large plate to cool. Sprinkle with a little grapeseed or olive oil, then wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill.

Prepare the dressing: Preheat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Saute the garlic and shallots in the oil for about 3 minutes. Add the figs and wine, cover, and bring to a simmer. When the wine has mostly evaporated (about 3 minutes), add the salt, water, and maple syrup. Cover and simmer for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and mix in the mustard and vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, then transfer the dressing to a blender and puree it until smooth. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water if it is too thick to puree; it depends on how much of the water evaporated. Serve warm, or refrigerate and reheat when ready to serve. To heat it, gently warm in a saucepan over low heat, adding a few splashes of water if necessary.

To serve: In a large bowl, use tongs to mix the greens with about half of the dressing. Reserve the rest to dollop on the vegetables after they have been arranged.

On each plate, make a circle with slices of the vegetables. It looks nice using 3 or 4 beets, then 3 or 4 yams, then 3 or 4 blue potatoes. You can also alternate the vegetables. Drizzle the reserved dressing over the vegetables. Place the greens on top in the center, leaving the beets, yams, and potatoes peeking out from underneath.

SHREDDED PARSNIP AND BEET SALAD IN PINEAPPLE VINAIGRETTE.

SERVES 6.

TIME: 50 MINUTES.

This salad is magical. At first blush, the ingredients look a little insane, but once it comes together it is out-of-control delicious; earthy, sweet, and fragrant. Oh, and it"s raw! People like raw. You can serve it as a little accompaniment to a sammich, the same way you might serve coleslaw, or by itself as a dinner by placing it over a handful of mixed salad greens: drizzle the greens with some of the dressing and then plop a mound of the salad over that. If you would like to make it a meal, add Tangerine Baked Tofu or tempeh.

YOU absolutely need a food processor to get the beets and parsnips to their desired uniform thinness. Sorry, non-food processor people.

Pineapple dressing: 2 cups pineapple juice

cup red wine vinegar

cup grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or agave nectar (you

can also dissolve 2 tablespoons sugar into it if

you have neither ingredient)

1 clove garlic, grated with a microplane grater or very

well minced

teaspoon salt

Salad: 1 pound beets, peeled and shredded (about 3 average

size)

1 pound parsnips, peeled and shredded (about 2

average size)

cup coa.r.s.ely chopped fresh mint

WHISK together all the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Add the shredded beets and parsnips, using tongs to thoroughly mix them into the dressing. Let the veggies sit and macerate for about 15 minutes. Add the mint and mix again. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until ready to eat.

CREAMY ASIAN PEAR AND TEMPEH SALAD WITH WASABI DRESSING.

SERVES 4.

TIME: 35 MINUTES, PLUS CHILLING TIME.

Light, refreshing, a little sweet, and piquant, this is an excellent salad during the dog days of summer. Asian pears (also called Korean pears) are very large, round, sand-colored pears with a unique, snappy crunch and a hint of fruity, white winelike flavor. Any pear can be subst.i.tuted, but do try to make this just once with Asian pears. Look for them wherever Asian produce or groceries are sold. Serve with rice crackers or rice cakes.

Not all wasabi powders are created equal. Some are more flavorful than others; use a reliable brand (ask your Asian grocer which brand he or she recommends) or you might have to add quite a bit to properly season the dressing. Purists might also want to avoid brands that contain green artificial coloring.

We like the flavor of Silken Mayo Dressing for this salad, but you can also use you favorite commercially prepared vegan mayo. We"ve suggested using less of the prepared kind because it tends to be very rich. If you find it so, try watering it down it a little bit of soy milk or soy creamer before adding to the other dressing ingredients.

1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, diced

cup small, sweet fresh or frozen green peas

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 scallion, sliced very thinly

1 Asian pear or other firm, crisp pear, pitted and cut into -inch dice (about 2 cups)