Salad is one of my “island” foods. You know, the kind of food I’d want if I were stranded on a deserted island. It’d be a pretty sweet island if I had this many ingredients…Suffice it to say, I eat salad every day and sometimes twice a day. It never gets boring, because I always mix it up, depending on what I have in the fridge and what flavors sound good. First and foremost, I make sure to add a lot of greens. Greens are the gateway to health. From there, I incorporate seasonal veggies, beans and grains (or sweet potatoes), and healthy fats (avocado, nuts and seeds). Then, I top it all off with a little bit of dressing. Dressing is great, but it can be calorie dense, so a little goes a long way.
Think of this recipe as a template – a rough idea of the type of ingredients that make for a hearty, bountiful, satisfying salad. You can add, remove, swap out or switch up whatever you like. Go to the farmer’s market for inspiration and have fun with it. Yes, salad-making can be fun. Trust me.
MY BIG FAT GREEN SALAD
Vegan, dairy free, gluten free, refined oil free
Recipe by Jentry Lee Hull, dressing recipe adapted from Sid Garza-Hillman
Makes 1 giant salad
SALAD INGREDIENTS
- 3 large handfuls organic greens (baby spinach, baby kale, spring mix, baby romaine)*
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
- 1 handful cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ½ cup cooked beans (chickpeas, black beans)
- ½ cup cooked quinoa, brown rice or diced sweet potato
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced and minced
- 1 Tbsp. hemp seeds (also known as hemp hearts)
- ½ cup berries or sliced fruit (plums, nectarines, mangos)
CILANTRO RANCH DRESSING INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes
- 1 ½ to 2 cups water, depending on your consistency preference
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 small handful fresh cilantro
- 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. cayenne
- ½ tsp. ground white pepper
- 1-2 tsp. pink Himalayan salt, or to taste
CILANTRO RANCH DRESSING METHOD
- Soak cashews in boiling water for 15 minutes (in a tempered glass container – Pyrex works), drain and rinse.
- In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine cashews and remaining ingredients. Blend until creamy and smooth.
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
SALAD METHOD
- Wash, rinse and spin greens in a salad spinner.
- Wash, rinse, slice and dice remaining veggies and fruit.
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, toss and slowly incorporate desired amount of dressing. Go light at first, thoroughly mix, then add more as needed.
- Enjoy!
NOTES
- The greens are just a guide. If you prefer other greens, go for it. Just make sure to thoroughly wash and spin before eating.
- I suggest cooking your beans (or buy canned) and grains/potatoes ahead of time. That way you can just throw your salad ingredients in a bowl and enjoy.
- If you’re making this ahead of time, for lunch, put the heavy ingredients in the bottom of the bowl first, then top with greens. Incorporate dressing right before eating, otherwise you’ll have a soggy mess on your hands.
Cheers!
Coach Jentry
Gumsaba Outdoor Fitness Class schedule Thursday 7/21/16
5:30AM Sunrise Danville Womens only class – Coach Karen – Med Ball Mash Up
5:30AM Sunrise Danville Mens only class – Coach Joel – Med Ball Mash Up
6AM Sunup Moraga Co-Ed class – Coach James – Weightless
6AM Sunup Lafayette Co-Ed class – Coach Jentry – TRX Strength
8:15AM Sunshine Moraga Womens only Class – Coach James – Weightless
9AM Sunshine Walnut Creek Womens class – Coach Michelle – Circuit Funday
10:30AM Summer Yoga at the Lafayette Reservoir – Coach Michelle D.
11:00AM Cytosport Advanced Boot Camp at the Park – Coach Joel (private class)
12:00PM Cytosport Vinyasa Flow Yoga – Coach Jentry (private class)
4PM Miramonte Varsity Stretch & Mobility – Coach Jentry & Coach Michelle (private class)