NUT_AsianSalad_MAINWhoever said that salads were boring has never tried one of my salads. I am here to debunk the myth that salads are just a bland “diet food.” Salads can be a nutritious way to incorporate a lot of different nutrient dense foods in one dish. Eating a salad a day is an easy way to assure yourself that you are getting a fair dose of vitamins and antioxidants found in many plant foods. Contrary to popular belief, eating a salad can be an enjoyable experience. Furthermore, salads can be a substantial meal if they contain balanced combinations of macronutrients. To cover your bases, make sure that your salads contain complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat. This Asian Delight Salad is a delicious way to eat your greens!

Asian Delight Salad

Ingredients:

 Salad

-1 cup of mixed greens (spinach, arugula, romaine, etc.)

-2 tbsp Sauerkraut (optional-a great source of probiotics)

-1/4 cup shredded purple cabbage

-1/4 cup cauliflower

-A handful of shredded carrots

-1/2 cup edamame beans

-1/2 sliced avocado

-A few slices of cucumber

-A handful of alfalfa sprouts

-One fried egg and/or a few slices of extra-firm tofu

-1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Carrot Ginger Dressing

-2 carrots

-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

-1 tbsp coconut sugar

-1 inch peeled ginger

-1 tbsp miso paste

-1 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)

-1 tbsp rice vinegar

-1/2 cup water

-1/8 sweet onion

(Makes a little over a cup)

If you don’t want to make your own dressing, Whole Foods sells a delicious carrot ginger dressing that would be fantastic on this salad.

Method:

Put the greens at the bottom of a large bowl as the base for your salad. Finely chop the purple cabbage and carrot, and thinly slice the cucumber. Add any remaining vegetables. Next, half the avocado and slice both horizontally and vertically, overlapping in order to create cubes. Scoop out the contents of the avocado with a spoon. For the beans, I buy frozen organic shelled edamame beans, so I just defrost them for 30 seconds in the microwave. If you are adding tofu, I highly recommend lightly pan-frying it in a little bit of coconut oil. This gives it a better texture and flavor, but raw tofu works as well. For the egg, crack it in the skillet and add the lid and cook on low heat until the whites are cooked through.

Combine all of the ingredients for the Carrot Ginger Dressing in a high-speed blender and blend for 1 minute on high.

Lastly, mix it all up and add your desired amount of dressing. Enjoy!