Springtime Eating + The Best Raw Salad
Springtime Eating:
While Wisconsin Springtime is quite slow to arrive, I can feel the shift happening.
The light lingering longer into the evening, the temperatures warming from harsh to brisk, plants starting to bloom.
Growth, new beginnings and a refreshing lightness is reflected in Spring.
With this shift in season, a LIGHTNESS can be reflected in terms of what's on our plate.
In contrast to the comforting, heavier foods consumed in fall and winter, we can turn to lighter fare in Spring and Summer. Foods that naturally help to cleanse the body.
Nature is reflective of this way of eating, just look at what's in season this time of year. Lighter veggies like carrots, radishes, spring onion, arugula, peas...cleansing vegetables!
With that said, let me introduce you to the perfect Springtime Salad, created by the ever inspiring Sarah Britton of My New Roots and tweaked by yours truly.
This salad is jam packed with so many health promoting phytonutrients. It's full of gut-loving fiber, plant protein (hello garbanzo beans and quinoa!) and antioxidants.
Essentially, you pick your favorite veggies, bean variety, and quinoa and combine well with the dressing. The exact amount of each veggie doesn't matter, so use what you have available. I'd recommend fresh herbs, as that will pack a lot of flavor into this salad. This salad is quite large when you add everything together, making it the perfect salad for 5-7 people! Or, use it throughout the week and store in a mason jar for the perfect lunch.
Directions:
Prepare 1 c. dry quinoa and cook while you're chopping the veggies. Once prepared, add quinoa to the veggies and combine well with dressing.
Dressing:
4 Tbsp. Cold-pressed, unrefined EVOO
Zest and juice of 1organic lemon
1-2 organic garlic cloves
1 Tbsp. organic raw honey
Dash of sea salt
Salad:
1 c. organic cucumbers, julienned
2 c. organic carrots, julienned
1 c. organic sugar snap peas or snow peas, chopped
1.5 c. organic cherry tomatoes, halved
1-2 c. Organic dandelion greens, chopped (any leafy green you have: spinach, arugula, kale, etc.)
3-4 stalks organic spring onion, sliced finely
1 can of organic garbanzo beans, rinsed well
Any herbs of choice: I use basil, mint and chives, chopped
1/2 c. pumpkin seeds (Or Sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, or almonds)
Bon appetit! x