Spice Up Your Salads

Salads are a perfect way to get in tons of fresh vegetables, quality protein, and healthy fats. But having the same boring salad every day gets OLD real quick. Below are 4 of my favorite go-to salads, perfect for lunch, dinner or to bring and share at parties!

SALAD #1: SIMPLE POWER SALAD

Serves 2

• 3 cups of leafy greens (spinach, arugula, kale, mixed greens)

• 2 hard-boiled eggs

• ½ avocado

• ¼ cucumber peeled, chopped and seeded

• 1 green onion chopped

• 1-2 teaspoons of nutritional yeast

• 2 teaspoons of hemp seeds

• 6-8 olives

• ¼ cup almonds

• 1 tablespoons of tamari sauce or coconut aminos

• 2 teaspoons of avocado oil

• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

• salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste (dressing)

INSTRUCTIONS

• For the dressing blend the almonds, avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, tamari/coconut aminos, and seasoning till creamy.

• Toss together the salad, veggies, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. Top with nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, and avocado and drizzle with creamy dressing!

SALAD #2: KALE SALAD WITH QUINOA AND PUMPKIN SEED

Serves 2

• ½ bunch kale leaves (about 6 cups), chopped

If raw kale bothers you then steam for 2-3 minutes to make it easier to digest

• salt to taste

• 1/2 lemon juiced

• ¼ cup tahini

•1-2 tsp honey

• ¾ cup quinoa cooked

• ½ cup toasted tamari pumpkin seeds (see recipe below)

•1 avocado

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place kale leaves in a large bowl and massage for about 2 minutes with the lemon juice to help soften the kale. A little salt can be added to help drain some of the kale juices and soften it up a bit as well. Transfer kale to a fresh bowl (and discard any liquid from the kale) and mix it with the tahini & honey. Toss with the cooked and cooled quinoa, avocado, and pumpkin seeds.

TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

• ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds

• 1 tablespoon wheat-free soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix pumpkin seeds and tamari in a small bowl and let sit for at least 15 minutes so the tamari can be absorbed. Place seeds flat on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven at 350°F degrees for 10 minutes, flipping at least twice. The seeds are done with they are dry and crunchy.