Salad Ideas

As a healthy eater, I get asked a lot, "Do you eat anything besides salads?" Yes, yes, I do. But I also DO eat A LOT of salads. I know they are very good for my skin, digestive system and overall health, but they can get very boring. So, here are a few samples of the salads that my family and I eat.

Raw walnut taco salad has become one of our new favorites. Just process 2 c walnuts until they are small pieces, add in 3 green onions, 3 cloves of garlic, 1/2 bell pepper, juice of 1 lime, 1 T chili powder, 1 T cumin and 1 t oregano. Pulse until combined. I serve it with guacamole or cashew ranch.

Leftover falafel is amazing on top of a salad. Served with cashew ranch and lemon marinated cucumbers and tomatoes.

    

Black beans, lime juice, tortilla chips and spicy cashew ranch give a regular salad some kick.

There is nothing wrong with some pretty greens, colorful veggies and your favorite dressing.

Italian Pasta Salad, my favorite to take to parties.

Red potato salad with Cashew Aioli, capers, white beans, spinach, arugula and red bell peppers is a family favorite. 

Hearty Vegetable Soup

In the winter, I make soup 4-5 times a week. It's my favorite go-to meal and with a little help from the slow cooker, it makes my nights a bit less busy. I've been making this soup for years, but recently cut out chunks of tomato in favor of adding just tomato paste. My kids enjoy it much better that way. For some reason the chunks of tomato were not appealing to them. This recipe is very easy, yet flavorful, I hope you enjoy it.

To make life simpler, grab a bag of organic mixed veggies instead of cleaning and chopping fresh.

Hearty Vegetable Soup

You'll need:

1 jar of tomato paste, such as Bionaturae

1 c chopped carrots

1 c chopped celery

1/2 c peas

1/2 c corn 

4 c vegetable broth, or more

1 chopped bell pepper

5 cloves garlic, pressed or smashed

1 c green beans

1 medium onion, chopped

4 red potatoes, quartered

Option: add in your favorite beans

Let's get started!

For stove top

Throw your onions, garlic, celery and bell peppers in a pot ( medium heat) with 1/2 c of water and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add in the rest in the rest of the veggies, tomato paste and broth, and let boil for 10 minutes. Lower heat and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, or until everything is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

For slow cooker

Throw all ingredients into a slow cooker and set for 6 hours. That's it!