Summer it's in its best and gives us lots of green goodnes. Kale, Silverbeat, Broccoli, Peas, Avocado, Herbs and more. This Super Greens Salad has it all. Dress it up your way and enjoy on its own, as part of healthy lunch or amaze your friends on Saturday BBQ.
The best thing is that it's customable. You don't have to follow this recipe at all, just take it as an inspiration and make up your own SUPER GREENS SALAD.
My salad contains of Kale, Broccoli, Peas, Avocado, Pepitas and Fresh Basil. I dressed it with Avocado lime dressing but feel free to use your imagination. Swap the greens, change the dressing, add some nuts or cheese if you wish.
How to build SUPER GREENS SALAD.
Start with your leafy greens (spinach, kale, curly kale, lettuce, silverbeat, ...)
Add broccoli for the texture an for its benefits.
Add more greens as peas, sprouted mung beans, baby beans, ...
Make it interesting with fresh herbs (basil, coriander, chives, parsley, thyme...)
Dress it up. Mayonaise based, yogurt based,oil based or oil-free dressing.
Add some crunch (apples, pears, pumpkin seeds, ...)
Upgrade it fo a meal by adding quinoa or brown rice to the salad mixture.
Green leafy vegetables have plenty of vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting chemicals. They are rich in fibre, which helps in digestion and keeps you full and hence aiding weight loss. Fibre also slows the absorption of carbohydrates hence controls blood sugar. Green leafy vegetables ensure beautiful skin and hair.
Vegetables such collards and kale are rich in calcium, which ensure strong teeth and bones.
Antioxidants such as vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin in greens reduce the risk of cataracts and muscular degeneration. Vitamin C also reduces the risk of arthritis and bone fractures.
Vegetables that contain beta-carotene, such as spinach, help in the growth and repair of body tissues.
Green vegetables are a good sources of folate, which can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and memory loss as well as warding off depression.
Why we should eat more broccoli
Broccoli has a healthy dose of vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. This super veggie can regulate your blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, and manage your diabetes. It can even fight depression. More importantly, it has a place in your anticancer diet because of the presence of sulforaphane, which is a phytochemical.
If you are pregnant, you know how important is calcium during this period. It is vital to support the nervous and circulatory systems. Broccoli, as a calcium-rich food, can provide you adequate amount of calcium during your pregnancy period.
SUPER GREENS SALAD
Ingredients Salad
2cups of chopped leafy greens
1 head of broccoli, steamed, chopped 1 cup of peas (frozen, defrosted or fresh) handfull of chopped herbs (Basil)
1/2 avocado, diced
1/4 cup of dressing
salt & pepper to taste Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to taste
Ingredients Dressing
1/2 avocado
1 tbsp lime juice 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp lemon skin finely chopped
50ml water
Salt & Pepper
Pich of chilli (optional) 1tbsp chopped lemon thyme (optional)
Method: Steam the broccoli, cool down immediately and chopp into small pieces. Chopp up Green leaves into bite size portions - about 3x3cm. Defrost peas, if using frozen. Add all above into large mixing bowl and combine.
Add chopped herbes and diced avocado. Add dressing of your choice and mix well untill all combined.
Sprinkle with pepitas or add any other ingrediets you may use as Feta cheese / Halloumi / Pear / Apple / ..
Avocado Dressing
Place all ingredients into blender.
Pulse until soft smooth texture.
Store the rest in air tight container in fridge for upto one week.