As Summer progresses, as much as we love them, chomping through another plate of salad greens can shy on the side of food boredom. But it needn’t be that way, in fact, we think with a little attention salads can be one of the most versatile plates of food. All it takes is a little preparation and some fresh ingredients to hand and you have yourself a plant-based meal that’s as nourishing as it is tasty. Read on for our top three ways to supercharge your salad.
RETHINK YOUR DRESSINGS
A dash of lemon and olive oil is hard to beat, but we suggest rethinking your dressings to make them as nutrition packed as your leaves for a double-dose of vitamins and minerals. Our current go-to comes from on of our favourite New York based vegan eatery Pure Food and Wine. Featuring a host of essential skin-food ingredients including healthy fats; avocado and olive oil, vitamin C; freshly squeezed orange juice, collagen supporting sulfur; onions and shallots and antioxidant and vitamin A rich coriander to name a few – douse your salad with this satisfying combination and get a dose of #skinfood too.
Creamy Citrus Dressing
• 1 small avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed!)
• 1/4 plus 2 tablespoons lime juice (also freshly squeezed!)
• 1 handful coriander
• 1 green onion, white and 1 inch of green, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
• 1/2 small jalapeño
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
Makes 2 1/2 cups.
Method
Add the avocado, orange and lime juices, coriander, green onion, shallot, jalapeño, and salt to a blender and mix until smooth. While the blender is still running, slowly pour the olive oil in – don’t rush this, you need to let it emulsify for a creamy consistency. The dressing should be thick but able to still be poured. Season to taste with pepper and store in an airtight jar. The great thing about this dressing is that it can be used on anything but our favourite way is simply adding it to a bowl of greens or salad leaves topped with sprouts and the following additions…
Add Some Crunch
One of our favourite ways to add texture is by topping our salads with roasted nuts or chickpeas, not only does this add a satisfying crunch but it encourages us to chew properly which is essential for optimum digestion and nutrient absorption.
Right now we’re enjoying almonds tossed in a mix of paprika and Himalayan salt and roasted in the oven until golden and crunchy. To mix it up a little we’re also trying Angela Liddons ‘Perfect Roasted Chickpeas’ featuring cayenne pepper and garlic powder and her ‘Salt and Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas’ both featured in the Oh She Glows Cookbook.
Eat Your Supplements
If you’re familiar with our wellbeing ethos, you’ll know that we believe a healthy digestive system to be at the core of true wellbeing. It is essential to ensure our digestive system is in the right condition to absorb and process the nutrients we eat.
For a hefty dose of probiotics in a wholefood form, we love adding Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) to our daily salads. Rich in vitamins A, C and antioxidants, the fermentation process that is required in the conversion of cabbage to its probiotic form, turns this simple vegetable into a super food. Sauerkraut is best enjoyed raw as the pasterurisation process which most of the shelf brands undergo actually destroys large amounts of the beneficial bacteria contained within so opt for the refrigerated versions which should be of the raw and ‘live’ variety. Right now we’re loving Raw Health’s Fresh Sauerkraut and Vadasz Deli’s Garlic Dill and Beet Kraut.
CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR SKIN-FOOD FAVOURITES HERE
