On The Third Day of Christmas My True Love Made For Me…

This delicious pasta salad is packed with nutritious ingredients such as artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and black olives.  Olives are packed with iron and copper, and they are a good source of dietary fiber. They’re also rich in vitamin E, which is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.  Sun Dried Tomatoes are a natural source of vitamins C (and antioxidant) and a good source of iron.  Artichokes are high in fiber, they improve digestion and they are good for the liver.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 package brown rice fusilli pasta
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes (from jar)
• 5 artichoke hearts, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped finely or 1 tbsp dried
• 2 tsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 3/4 cup black or kalamata olives, sliced
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Directions

1. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil to make a smooth dressing. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water (about 1 tbsp salt to 4 quarts water) to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain, then pour pasta into a large bowl.
3. While the pasta is still warm, pour a couple tablespoons of the dressing over the pasta and toss so that the pasta doesn’t stick together as it cools. Let it cool to room temperature, tossing now and again to help the cooling process and to prevent sticking.
4. When the pasta has cooled, add the sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, basil, onion, olives and oregano and toss. Add the vinaigrette and toss again until the pasta ingredients are evenly coated. Chill until ready to serve.

Prep Time and Cook Time: 30 min

Serves: 6-8

On The Second Day of Christmas My True Love Made For Me…….

This is one of our favorite salads. It’s refreshing, filling and nutritious.  The walnuts add a great crunch and are also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.  The ingredients are appealing and will therefore be a great addition to your Christmas Dinner!

Mango, Avocado, Walnut Salad

Ingredients

• 1 mango, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 avocado, sliced thinly
• 1/4 red onion sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 4 cups mixed baby greens

Directions

• Toss all ingredients in a bowl and serve with our Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Prep Time: 25 min (including time to make dressing)
Serves: 4

Garlicky Tomato Salad

Ingredients

• 1 large leaf lettuce, large leaves torn into smaller pieces
• 4 large or 6 small ripe Italian tomatoes sliced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 16 fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds

Garlic Vinaigrette

• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• pepper to taste

Directions

1. To make the garlic vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, oil and pepper in a small mixing bowl.
2. Place a layer of lettuce leaves on a serving platter or on 4 plates and arrange the sliced tomatoes and then the cherry tomatoes on top. Drizzle over the vinaigrette.
3. Scatter the basil leaves and the pumpkin and sunflower seeds over the tomatoes, and serve at once.

 

Greek Salad with Avocado

Ingredient
– 1 avocado diced
– 2 tomatoes diced
– 1 lemon
– 1/2 small red onion sliced
– 1 tsp oregano
– 1 handful black olives sliced
– 1 heart romaine lettuce
– 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
– sea salt and black pepper to taste
– red wine vinegar

Directions
1. Add zest of one lemon to a bowl
2. Squeeze the juice of half of the lemon
3. Add oregano to this bowl and extra virgin olive oil
4. In a separate bowl add onions with a splash of red wine vinegar and a small pinch of sea salt and black pepper
5. Chop lettuce and add to another bowl with avocado and tomato
6. Add dressing and marinated onion to the bowl with the lettuce
7. Toss well and serve.

Edamame Salad

Ingredients

• 4 cups mixed baby greens
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
• 2 cups edamame
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup peanuts or other nut crushed
• Miso Salad Dressing

Directions

• Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well

Prep Time: 20 min

Serves: 4-6

 

Hearty Salad with Lemon-Miso Dressing

Ingredients

• 8 cups (4 oz) mixed baby greens
• 1/2 small head radicchio, chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 bunch radishes, whole, halved or quartered
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp miso paste
• 1 shallot, finely chopped

Directions

1. In a very large bowl, combine lettuce, radicchio, garbanzos, radishes and cucumber
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, apple juice, miso, shallot and 1 tablespoon water
3. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss

Prep Time: 20 min

Serves: 8

recipe courtesy of wholefoodsmarket.com with adjustments made by me

Quinoa and Pomegranate Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 & 1/2 cups leaves watercress, stems removed and leaves chopped
• 2 ripe pears, diced into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp pomegranate juice
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Directions

• Rinse quinoa under cold water and drain
• Combine water and quinoa in a medium sized saucepan and bring to boil.  Reduce to heat and simmer, covered and cook until quinoa is tender and all the water is absorbed – About 15 min
• Once quinoa has cooled, combine with all ingredients above
• Stir well and serve

Cook time and Prep time: 25 min

Serves: 4

recipe courtesy of wholefoods.com

Mango, Avocado, Walnut Salad

Ingredients

• 1 mango, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1 avocado, sliced thinly
• 1/4 red onion sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup walnuts (omit walnuts to make this standard process purification friendly)
• 4 cups mixed baby greens

Directions

• Toss all ingredients in a bowl and serve with our Cilantro-Lime Dressing

Serves: 4

Grilled Asian Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Salad

• 12 asparagus spears, julienned
• 1/4 red pepper, julienned
• 1/4 yellow pepper, julienned
• 1/4 zucchini, julienned
• 1/4 red onion, julienned
• 2 tbsp grape seed oil
• 45 g tofu, firm
• 4 English cucumbers, seeds removed, julienned
• Handful cilantro leaves
• 4 handfuls watercress

Directions

• Preheat barbecue or grill to high.
• For dressing: Place all ingredients in a bowl, whisk together, and adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside.
• For salad: Add asparagus, red pepper, yellow pepper, zucchini and red onion to medium-sized bowl.
• Add 1 tbsp grape seed oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
• Place vegetables on grill and grill until vegetables begin to soften
• Cut tofu in half to make two flat pieces. Brush on all surfaces with remaining grape seed oil
• Grill tofu until crispy on all sides. Slice width-wise into 1/2-cm strips and add to grilled vegetables.
• Add dressing, cucumber and half of the cilantro, and gently toss together.
• Place equal amounts of watercress on four plates. Top with equal amounts of salad.
• Sprinkle with remaining cilantro leaves.

Serves 4

Orange, Beet and Arugula Salad

Ingredients

• 1 large beet
• 3 navel oranges or 2 tangerines
• 2 handful of walnuts
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white- wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 bunches arugula, washed well and dried

Directions

• Peel and steam beet for 15 minutes covered. Then cut into wedges
• Peel oranges and squeeze juice of one orange into a bowl
• Add extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and mustard to orange juice, then add sea salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk and mix well
• Add arugula and toss to coat with dressing
• Add the beet wedges, orange segments and walnuts

Prep time and cook time: 20 min

Serves: 4

recipe courtesy of http://www.besthealthmag.ca with adjustments made by me!!!