Posts filed under ‘Salads’
Sprouted Quinoa Tabbouleh
This is the perfect summer salad. It’s so light and refreshing…and quite addicting. I love all of the fresh herbs in it…especially the mint. Mint makes me happy. Add it to your smoothies and it will make YOU happy too. 🙂 This was great on a bed of sprouts…but you could also use it in a wrap or on crackers.
Sprouted Quinoa Tabbouleh
2-3 cups sprouted quinoa* (you could also use cooked quinoa)
2 green onions, including tops
3/4 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped (optional)
1 cucumber, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 handful of each: mint, basil, and parsley (minced)
Dressing (adjust to taste):
1 lemon, juiced (approximately 2 T)
1-2 T olive oil
1 T agave
1 t sea salt
*To sprout your quinoa, soak it overnight and then rinse. Let it sit for 1-2 days until you see the little “tails” sprouting out of the seed. I put mine in a mason jar with a mesh lid and invert it into a bowl for good drainage.
Raw Kale Avocado Salad
Kale is an amazing food. You should eat lots and lots and lots of it. We’ve been eating it daily here…in the form of juice, smoothies, and salads. You can check out its awesome benefits and nutritional content here. Anytime you can avoid cooking something…it’s better. However, kale tends to be rather tough and stringy when raw. One of the most common raw recipes you’ll see out there is the raw kale and avocado salad. The mixture of salt and lemon juice essentially “cooks” the leaves and breaks them down enough to make it a delicious salad.
I first saw this recipe in Alissa Cohen’s cookbook, Living on Live Food…but you can find so many different versions of this salad across the web. I’ve adjusted the ingredients to my taste, but as always…tweak it to YOURS!
- 1 head kale, shredded (I prefer the taste of curly kale for this one)
- 1 cup tomato, chopped (fresh salsa is also delicious!)
- 1/2 avocado
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or hemp seed oil (go for less if you can)
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- Celtic or Himalayan sea salt, to taste (1/4 – 1/2 t)
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- For extra yummy…add 1-2 sheets untoasted nori (snip up with scissors into little bits)
- Optional toppings: raisins, pine nuts, hemp seed nuts, sesame seeds
Preparation
In mixing bowl, toss all ingredients together. Mush everything together (with hands) to created marinated/wilted effect on kale. This makes it much tastier and easier to digest.
Here is a great video by the raw food coach, Karen Knowler…demonstrating how to make this salad:
Salad Love
I love salad. I could seriously DRINK my balsamic vinaigrette dressing (below). I love it that much. I’ve been trying to eat a lot cleaner lately (no refined sugars or flours)…basically eating raw until supper. Fruit for breakfast and snack and I’ve making a huge salad like the one above nearly everyday for lunch. Eating greens will really help curb sugar cravings…try it! I’m so excited for the Farmer’s Market to begin so I can get some local, organic greens and veggies. Oh the joy!
My salad usually consists of:
- organic spring mix or romaine
- walnuts
- raisins
- broccoli
- kale
- tomatoes
- ground flax
- hemp seeds
- carrots
- avocado
Don’t ever say that a salad won’t fill you up! This salad will 🙂
Here is the dressing recipe again. I usually make a double batch and it keeps for at least a week, if not longer. Just add a little water each time you use it and shake.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods
Renee Underkoffler
6 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T balsamic vinegar
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 T maple syrup or raw honey
1 T nama shoyu
1 T white miso
1-2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 t oregano
Sun-dried sea salt to taste
In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Store in a glass jar in refrigerator. Keeps for 3-4 days. To re-use, add a little water and shake.
Happy Foody 