The Secret To Balanced Full Meal Salads

To me, this time of year is a bit of a tease. The long, warm days of summer have arrived. But the summer foods haven’t yet. Soon local farmers and our backyard gardens will be busting with veggies and fruit. Until then we can nourish our cravings with full-meal salads using the veggies and fruit that are available now. It’ just takes a bit more creativity.

Full-meal salads are my absolute go-to during the summer months. And, with the growing trend of salads-in-a-jar, I can see that others are catching on.

The secret to a perfectly balanced full-meal salad (that will actually fill you up) is to include whole grains, protein and healthy fats as well as all those veggies. I also like to include some fruit for a sweet note. 

Here are two of my favourite full-meal salads with ingredients that we can get this time of year. You’ll notice that there aren’t amounts listed for the salad ingredients – make as much or as little as you want.


Thai- Inspired Brussels Sprout Salad

Inspired by: Food and Wine Magazine, February 2015

This salad gets better when the Brussels Sprouts marinate in the dressing for a few hours - making this the perfect salad to making in the morning and bring to work for lunch

Salad Ingredients:

Cooked short grain brown rice 
Steamed edamame 
(not in the pods) 
Brussels sprouts 
Apples

Dressing:

1/3 cup lime juice
3 TBSP fish sauce
2 TBSP hemp or flax oil
1 TBSP brown sugar
(coconut sugar would be a 
great alternative)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Directions:


In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Wash the apples and Brussels Sprouts, removing the apple core and the outer leaves and stems of the Brussels Sprouts. Slice thinly (I use my Cuisinart but a mandolin would work too).
In a large bowl, toss the salad ingredients with the dressing. 





Pistachio-Sweet Potato Salad


Inspired by: Alive Magazine

This salad gets better when the Brussels Sprouts marinate in the dressing for a few hours - making this the perfect salad to making in the morning and bring to work for lunch


Salad Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes 
(baked, cooked)
Pistachios
Raisins
Granny Smith Apples



Dressing:

1/4 plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1 TBSP garam masala or 
curry powder
Salt and Pepper


Directions:


In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together.
Dice the sweet potato and apple into similar size pieces.
In a large bowl combine the salad ingredients. Toss in the dressing.
Enjoy!











For ideas of how to change what you’re eating, check out my free resource: How to Eat Healthy to Boost Your Energy: 10 Steps that Even Healthy Eaters Miss at www.KristenYarker.com/womens-nutrition (Guys: head over to www.KristenYarker.com/mens-nutrition)




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