Palate & Planet. Fuel your body and mind with this environmentally-friendly, nutrient-dense, ultra satisfying salad.
To the salad skeptics out there, we hear you. So many salads that we encounter are boring, bland, and leave us feeling hungrier (often with more intense cravings) than before. What's up with that? We blame a couple of things, namely: poor-quality ingredients and unawareness of the astounding potential that a salad can hold! This leaves you with unimaginative and unsatisfying poorly-dressed leaves. Blech!
Cue: AMAZING SALAD AWESOMENESS TO THE RESCUE!
What's so great about our favorite Save-the-Planet Salad? You better believe we are about to drop all the knowledge bombs! Not only are the ingredients fresh, delicious, and filling; they are also sustainably sourced, nutrient-dense, and super easy to throw together! No more forcing yourself to eat your greens - this is a salad that you will crave and look forward to!
WHY SARDINES? Sardines often get a bad rap, so it may seem odd to brag about their leading role in our recipe. When prepared with ingredients that compliment the saltiness and mediate the fishiness of sardines (such as whole fat Greek yogurt and avocado) while pairing with foods that create luscious texture and palatability (like walnuts and celery), sardines go from "weird" to "wow"!
Not only are sardines a tasty source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, B12, and selenium, they are also a more sustainable alternative to their big fish counterpart, tuna. Overfishing of bluefin tuna has led to their status as endangered - given the option, the avoidance of purchase and consumption of tuna in favor of sardines can lead to exponential returns to the ecosystem! PLUS, predatory fish such as tuna often carry dangerously high levels of toxins such as mercury. By avoiding tuna and opting for smaller bottom-feeders such as sardines, you can also reduce your risk of consumption of these harmful compounds.
Who knew those salty little fellas could be so stinkin' groovy?
(#GREENTIP: stop using wasteful paper towels and switch to reusable, washable, completely hygienic cloth napkins! Even after soaking up tough messes, they can be thrown straight into the washing machine for next time. Super cute, classy, affordable versions can be found all over the internet. OR, cut up old shirts, towels, etc!)
Shopping List*
1 can butter beans (or 3/4 cup dry)
Basil pesto
Salad greens (your favorite!)
Sprouts (we love broccoli sprouts for the high concentrations of sulforaphane)
Hemp seed hearts
1 can sardines in olive oil
Whole fat Greek yogurt
Kalamata olives
Celery
Walnuts (whole)
Eggs
Dijon mustard
Avocado
Fresh flat leaf parsley
Green onion
Black pepper
Coarse kosher sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Crackers (we love Jillz gluten-free, paleo-friendly crackers!)
*we LOVE and encourage organics, but always be sure to buy what is freshest, most affordable, and whenever possible, local!
*we did not include all measurements (see Recipe below!) because these are ingredients that we buy regularly and keep on hand for many meals and snacks!
Recipe
(approx. 4 servings)
Prep:
Hard boil 2 eggs (pro tip: place eggs in shallow sauce pan, cover with water and lid, bring to a boil, remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes, place into a cool bowl of water, peel)
Toast 1/4 cup whole walnuts, then chop (pro tip: heat oven to 400F, place dry walnuts onto a baking sheet and bake about 5 mins; shake pan to gently toss walnuts; toast about another 5 mins until fragrant and crunchy)
Chop 2 stalks celery, 1/4 cup green onion, 1/4 cup parsley, and 1/4 cup Kalamata olives
Drain sardines
Drain & rinse canned butter beans; combine in small bowl with 2 tbsp. basil pesto and 1 tsp. salt (if using dry beans, soak overnight before cooking to save time!)
Combine in medium mixing bowl:
Sardines, celery, green onion, parsley, walnuts, and olives
1/4 cup whole fat Greek yogurt
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 hardboiled eggs
Salt & pepper to taste
Assemble:
Top your salad greens with the sardine salad mixture, sprouts, sliced avocado, 1 tsp. hemp seed hearts, a drizzle of olive oil, and an extra sprinkle of coarse sea salt
Nestle the pesto butter beans next to your salad (or on top - you do you!)
Enjoy with crackers (we recommend making a delicious cracker/avocado/sardine salad sandwich)!
Pro tip: prep the ingredients ahead of time, store in separate mason jars in the fridge, and assemble for lunches, snacks, or last-minute meals in a jiffy! Storing in the fridge for a while before eating allows the flavors of the sardine salad to fully develop, and the cool temperature is so refreshing! Note: do NOT mix wet ingredients with salad greens or sprouts before storing. Keeping these ingredients separate and mixing at the time of your meal allows for a delicious, crisp flavor combo without losing the beautiful texture of the greens.
Bon appetit!
Hozzászólások