Fresh
Easy
Classic … Without the egg and tuna.
This is full of vibrant, nutrient-dense vegetables and extremely satisfying. Getting in nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, potatoes, avocado and beans, gives your body the energy, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins it needs to absolutely thrive. So with this food, eat as much as you want, eat in abundance!
I made this for my amazing Grandma while I was visiting. Each bite came along with multiple ‘mmmm’s. She just looooved it!
I have been enlightening her about the whole idea of eating in abundance, because she is used to the traditional idea of having a small piece of protein on her plate, a side of vegetables, and maybe some grains or potatoes. That small piece of meat, what ever it may be, is calorie-dense, but nutrient deficient with saturated fat, hard-to-digest animal protein, low in fibre, and has close to no water content. It takes up a small space in the stomach, and can be eaten in no time. This means your digestive system barely has a chance to wake up before the piece of meat has gone down the hatch and is already sitting at the bottom of your stomach. Your stomach won’t be able to tell your brain that it’s full before it’s too late and you’ve had already had seconds.
Plant-foods, on the other hand, are packed with fibre, water, nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Because of the bulk of fibre and water, they take up more space on your plate and more space in your stomach. You’ve got to spend time chewing, enjoying and digesting each bite. This time spent allows your body to easily digest the minerals, vitamins and nutrients the plant foods are carrying. Your body will have the time to realize that it is completely satisfied with nutrients, water, and fibre, before you over-stuff yourself then send that signal to your brain at the right time.
I love this, because it means I can eat in abundance until I’m completely satisfied. No counting calories, because each calorie is meaningful and packed full of the good stuff.
My Grandma saw this plate and never thought she could finish it, but gobbled down the entire thing and was completely satisfied and full of food that will help her live long!
I enjoyed wrapping mine up like lettuce wraps!
Benefits:
Beets are detoxifying and anti-inflammatory.
Adzuki beans are packed with plant protein and fibre to keep your bad cholesterol down, and to keep things moving through your digestive system.
All types of sprouts are packed with plant protein, and can have up to 100 more enzymes than any other raw fruit or vegetable to act as catalysts for all of your bodily functions.
Serves 2 (or 1!)
Prep time 40 minutes (only the beets take this long)
Ingredients:
-8 fingerling potatoes, quartered
-3 beets, washed (keep the greens for another time!)
-Head of red leaf lettuce, washed and dry
-Container of cherry tomatoes
-Bag of green beans, washed with ends chopped off
-1 cup adzuki beans, drained and rinsed
-1/2 avocado, sliced
-Handful of sprouts of your choice (here we used sunflower and garbanzo)
For Dressing:
-1 tbsp dijon mustard
-1 tbsp maple syrup
-Juice of 1/2 lemon
-2 tsp balsamic vinegar
-1 tsp olive oil
Directions:
- Cook beets – Place in pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 30-45 minutes (until you can poke your knife through it). Rinse under cold water, and peel off skin with your fingers. Slice in wedges.
- Cook potatoes – Place in pot, cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes
- Cook green beans – add to pot of potatoes with just 3 minutes left
- Whisk all dressing ingredients together
- Now it’s time for art! Plate your salad, then drizzle with dressing.