Making salads is a form of creative expression. Really, it is. What you put in your salad – the color scheme, textures, and choice of veggies; and how you chop your veggies – whether you dice, julienne, or brunoise them, or just cut them chunky – really says a lot about a person.
And people tend to have strong sentiments towards salad – you either love them or hate them, or wish you were someone who loved them. Those in the last category often emit a deep sigh when any talk of salad preparation comes up, with sentiments such as “it takes so much effort to cut a salad.”
Well folks, I’m here to tell you that making a delicious salad takes 10 minutes. That’s all. And if you throw in some healthy fats and protein, voila, you’ve got yourself a full meal in a bowl. Can I hear a small “hurrah” for less dishes to wash?
Plus, now that it’s summer, it’s a perfect time to include more raw veggies in your diet. Loading up on veggies is always a good idea as they're an amazing source of vitamins and minerals, especially when we eat a variety of colors. The added benefit of consuming them raw is that the live enzymes help break down the nutrients for optimal absorption into the body. Plus, veggies and other plant-based foods provide the body with ample fiber to further assist in nutrient absorption and which plays a key role in shuttling toxins out of the body. (Yes, I'm talking about using the loo).
So, are you ready to make a nutritious and gloriously tasty vegetable masterpiece?
Recipe - Zucchini summer salad
(serving size – bowl for 1)
Ingredients:
1 tbsp coconut oil
½ small onion, chopped
100 grams organic tofu, cubed
1 cup shredded cabbage
½ zucchini, grated
Large handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ cob of corn
Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp tahina
1 tbsp tamari
Sprinkle of pumpkin seeds
Instructions:
Heat a small skillet and add coconut oil. Wait a few minutes, then add the onion & tofu and sauté for five minutes while occasionally flipping the tofu. Once the tofu is browned and the onions have softened, remove from stove.
In the meantime, prepare the rest of the salad veggies and cut the corn off the cob. Add all veggies to a medium-sized bowl. Then add the cooked tofu & onion, and mix everything together.
To dress – pour all of the dressing ingredients directly overtop the salad, and toss everything together. If you find that it hasn’t coated the salad well enough, add in 1-2 tbsp water and toss again.
Transfer salad to a dish (or keep it in the mixing bowl – I won’t tell anyone). Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, grab a fork, and enjoy!
To make this salad even more filling, you could add some lentils or chickpeas.