Well, it is HOT here in the Okanagan! The summer weather has finally arrived, big time. I was thinking about my posts and realizing that they are not necessarily indicative of what an average day is in a plant based eating world. A lot of my posts are sit-down meal recipes for dinners mainly or desserts. I haven’t really focused on lunches or lighter fare for summer when you just want something light and easy to digest. Well, let’s fix that!!
I have to say my favourite lunch is definitely salad. I’d say I have it 6 out of every 7 days of the week. Not a little salad with wimpy ingredients, a BIG salad. So big, that sometimes I don’t even know how I will ever get through it, but I do! Every time.
Sometimes I will invite friends over for a big salad lunch where I will prep everyone’s salad dish so that they get a bit of everything, it looks gorgeous and it is easy to just sit down and eat. (More time for talking and less work preparing!) There is nothing worse than having a huge bowl of salad made up where everything sinks to the bottom and no one gets any of the good stuff on their plate! So many friends say to me that they love the salads yet they rarely make them at home because they feel like they just don’t have the right recipe. I think salad should be more of a mix of food on hand and less of a recipe. I thought I would post some salad photos for you to give you some ideas to make your next salad a work of art! I would love it if you would send me back your favourite salad photo!
Dr. Greger states that the most nutritious, health improving, disease fighting food we can eat is dark leafy greens. Try to incorporate some into your diet each day. They are shock full of vitamins A, C and K as well as lutein, (a carotenoid that protects your skin and eyes from free radicals), zeaxanthin, (protects against macular degeneration) and iron. Iron is the key component of hemoglobin that allows red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the body, and it plays a key role in cell growth. Salads are also full of fibre which is exactly what your digestive system needs. It makes you feel full longer, and helps with successful trips to the washroom, if you know what I am saying. 😉 If you missed my post on the importance of fibre, you can read it here.
According to an article published on Dr. Greger’s Nutrition Facts.org, greens consumption is also associated with increased physical attractiveness, reduced facial wrinkling, improved dental health, better immune system, and may reduce free radical DNA damage. To read a short article on al the benefits of adding greens to your diet, click here.
The great thing about salad is that if you fill it with the right foods, you can be so satisfied that you are left wanting nothing. There are so many options that your salad need never look the same! One fun thing about making a salad is adding in all sorts of textures.
How to build your salad:
Greens base: I like to have a base of some sort of greens, spinach or a mix of romaine and kale, butter crunch, spring greens… then add on some
Veggies: stir-fried (warmed leftovers from the night before), mushrooms, avocado, fresh veggies such as tomatoes and cucumber, kohlrabi, celery, sprouts, any veggie you enjoy… a couple of tablespoons of sauerkraut (excellent for your gut health)
Legumes: some beans, chickpeas, tofu, lentils, avocado, hummus (yes literally scoops of it)
Grains: rice, quinoa, buckwheat or farro (try it it’s freaking delicious), left over veggie burger patty, pakoras, falafel, – anything that you find filling. Next, add some…
Nuts and Seeds: such as sunflower, pumpkin, sliced nuts, pine nuts, crispy bacon flavoured coconut flakes… (without the actual bacon:)). Sprinkle on some hemp or ground chai or flax seeds for some omega-3s et voila! You are set! Actually, not quite. Now you need some great…
Dressing!:
My two favourites are from Little Creek Dressing here in the Okanagan: Okanagan’s Original and Spicy Strawberry. They are unreal, and both are vegan. Look for dressings with ingredients you can pronounce, no high fructose corn syrup (it’s the devil), not too much salt or sugar, and organic if you can swing it. If you would rather make a quick dressing than purchase a bottle from the store, which is cheaper and usually healthier, try out these easy dressing recipes.
Snappy garlic dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar of any sort
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dijon mustard or 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Mix in a glass jar and chill. Shake before using.
Ginger dressing:
2 tablespoon cider vinegar or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
1/3 olive oil
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon each of: sugar, salt, pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Mix vinegar and ginger together for a couple of minutes. Strain and press to extract liquid. Mix in remaining ingredients.
Avocado dressing: (I got this one from a friend a few years ago)
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 gloves garlic
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
1 avocado diced
pinch of sugar, salt, pepper
Blend together!
Mom’s Pink romaine salad dressing:
1/4 cup vinegar
1/3 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 red onion (makes it pink!)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Blend.
Santa Fe Salad dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Blend together. Great on any salad, or stirred into black beans, corn, diced red pepper and red onion. Add minced seeded jalapeño pepper if you like it spicy!
Bottom line, look for dressings with not too much oil, although I know these recipes have quite a bit. Oil isn’t ideal for you, especially if you have any heart issues at all. When buying an olive oil, looked for First Cold Pressed, Extra Virgin Olive Oil. For all oils, buy organic. Remember oil is a highly processed item. It’s always best to eat the whole plant (such as olive or avocado) and not the extracted oils… If you are avoiding oil, try out this recipe:
Oil free Balsamic vinaigrette:
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon dried basil (or other dried herbs)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine in a jar with a lid and shake.
Arugula, kale, radish, peppers, tomatoes, farro, cucumber 
Avocado, baby tomatoes, spinach, chickpeas, broccoli salad from Nature’s Fare, sunflower seeds
Spinach and sprouts, mixed bean salad, avocado, parsley, radish, kohlrabi, baby tomatoes, cabbage and carrot sauerkraut
Similar to above with my bean salad (recipe under side dishes), parsley, pumpkin and cranberry seeds.
Steamed beets, avocados, spinach, roasted peppers and onions, ground flax seeds, ginger turmeric sauerkraut
Romaine, kale, beet sauerkraut, celery, Moroccan chickpea salad from Nature’s Fare, alfalfa and peas sprouts, faux chicken fingers, sunflower seeds
Spinach, brown rice, cucumber, lentils, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, baby spinach and fresh figs (yum!)
Spinach, cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli salad, celery and hummus, smoked bacon flavoured coconut chips.
Buttercrunch lettuce, chickpea salad, cucumber, kohlrabi, sauerkraut, crispy coconut crisps.
However you make your salad I hope you enjoy it and your body receives all of the amazing goodness it brings you!
I am excited to share how much I am enjoying my book from Simply Happy Kitchen with you. It is an illustrated book of guides for everything you can think of from how to sprout beans and make almond milk, to knowing which foods are the highest in fibre and some simple recipes for sandwich spreads and ways to increase iron absorption. The illustrations are amazing and great for kids as well as adults.
Here is a photo of the page that discusses the benefits of leafy greens. Sorry it’s not that easy to see. So adorable! Happy salad creating!
