Spirit as Healer, Lifestyle as Medicine
This salad tastes so incredibly fresh, and it will surprise you at how fast it is to make. It’s perfect to have ready to go for when you walk in the door and want to start nibbling. Full of volume, fiber, and nutrients – you won’t have to feel guilty for enjoying this (vs. chips). Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food (April 2009)
This salad is packed with cancer-protective brassica vegetables (also known as cruciferous vegetables). Brassica veggies, when eaten alongside grilled animal proteins, help provide some protection to cells against cancer-causing Heterocyclic Amines (HCA) (HCAs should still be minimized or avoided when possible). HCAs form when meats and animal proteins are heated at high temps that result in browning and charring (the “desired” crispiness of grilling).
This recipe was recommended to me by CARE member, Alana. Thank you, Alana. You were right, it is delicious!
Below, I increased the amount of chickpeas, arugula, and sundried tomatoes from the original recipe. I also used the chickpea penne pasta to increase protein content keeping the dish a vegetarian meal. But the credit all goes to SkinnyTaste.com!
From Abbey: “This is one of my favorite salads I’ve created because of the zucchini. Most Greek-inspired salads call for cucumber. But one time, I replaced the cucumber with zucchini and it was a big hit with my family. Why? Because I had made it the night before and it wasn’t soggy the next day like it can get with cucumbers!”
This bright green pesto is packed with flavor and nutrients. Nutrients like lutein and vitamin A, especially important for eye health. Use to dress extra lean protein (like fish or super firm tofu), spread on a sandwich, or add to any combination of cooked grains/roots and leafy and tender vegetables for a fast and delicious salad.
This flexible salad can be made denser for fall/winter depending on which grain you use. Heartier long-grain rice, bulgur, or spelt add welcomed comfort, while grains like quinoa and couscous keep it lighter.
This salad also uses our Kale Pistachio Pesto, packing it with flavor and nutrients. This bright green pesto is packed with flavor and nutrients (like lutein and vitamin A, especially important for eye health).
In addition to incredible volume to help keep you full, this salad provides a remarkable amount of bioactive compounds. Cauliflower is a member of the brassica family known for their powerful cancer-protecting properties. Parsley is rich in immune-supporting Vitamin C and green onions contain immune and liver boasting sulfur-compounds. Olive oil is a source of desirable monounsaturated fat and, given that all ingredients are enjoyed raw, this salad is a strong natural ‘digestive’.
This recipe is to help you play with flavors that we often crave in favorite comfort foods – like BBQ – but in a more purposeful way. Satisfy that craving by dipping the bites into the sauce (allowing you to control the amount of sauce you use). These bites can also be made in less than ten minutes and are very family friendly. Individuals are often hesitant to prepare protein because they feel they lack the cooking skills needed to ensure it doesn’t end up dry or flavorless. These bites are fail-proof and can just as easily be made using turkey, lean steak, fish, or tofu.
Here the texture of riced cauliflower pairs incredibly with the diced potato goodness of tater tots. The cauliflower allows us many more bites of tater tot than having them by themselves. Cauliflower and potato pair extremely well together in many dishes. I find it much more enjoyable to keep a touch of potato in any revised idea rather than just trying to use cauliflower as a full substitute for potato. For example, when making cauliflower mashed potatoes I always add one potato and it has made all the difference with my family. The same applies here mixing tater tots with riced cauliflower.
Cancer-causing Heterocyclic Amines (HCA) form when meats and animal products (not fruits or vegetables) are heated at high temps that result in browning and charring (the “desired” crispiness of grilling).