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)




www.KristenYarker.com

www.Facebook.com/KristenYarkerNutrition

Twitter: @KristenYarker

Pinterest: KristenYarker

The Goods on Apples

What you’ve heard is true: an apple a day keeps the doctor away. This high-fibre fruit has been known to help detox your liver, lower cholesterol, reduce your risk of developing diabetes, boost your immune system and even help minimize tooth decay.
 
Unsweetened applesauce also makes a great sugar substitute when it comes to baking. To make your own, simply wash, peel and core two pounds of apples, add two tablespoons of lemon juice, two tablespoons of water, a pinch of cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until soft. 

Dr. Ashely Gordon is a Squamish-based Naturopathic Physician and owner of Garibaldi Health Clinic, an integrative health care facility offering safe and effective care including Naturopathic Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Massage, Midwifery and Physical Therapy. Dr. Gordon’s treatments focus on the whole person, from the physical and mental to the emotional and spiritual realms. To learn more about what Naturopathic Medicine can do for you, or to make an appointment, visit www.garibaldihealthclinic.com or call 604 898 1999.

Red Cabbage with Apples and Cloves

This sweet tasting cabbage dish tastes more like dessert than a side-dish.
From: Sarah Brown’s World Vegetarian Cookbook
 
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1lb red cabbage
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 sweet apples, peeled and finely chopped
3-4 cloves, ground with a mortar & pestle
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
2 TBSP cider vinegar
salt

Directions

1. Shred the cabbage.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over low-medium heat and fry the onion until just soft.
3. Increase the heat and add the cabbage and apples. Mix well. Then add the remaining ingredients.
4. Cover the pan and simmer mixture for 35 – 40 minutes, until the cabbage is really soft.
5. Serve hot & ENJOY!

Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

1 Cup Quinoa
2 Cups Water

Salad:
1 Apple
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Tomato
2 Stalks of Celery
1/2 Red Onion
1/2 Cucumber
6 Sprigs Cilantro
1/4 Cup Walnuts


Dressing:
8 Tbspn Olive Oil
6 Tbspn Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tbspn Lemon Juice
2 Sprigs Cilantro
1/2 Tspn Salt
1/2 Tspn Pepper


Directions 

1. In small pot, bring to boil 1 Cup Quinoa and 2 Cups of water.  
Turn down to simmer for 15 minutes, until water all absorbed in the quinoa.
Once Quinoa is done, put in the fridge/freezer to cool off (Do not freeze) so it is cold when added to salad.

Chop up Apple, Green Pepper, Tomato, Celery, Red Onion, Cilantro into small chopped pieces.  Put aside.

In a small blender, blend together Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Cilantro, Salt and Pepper.
Everyone is different, so try the dressing and add what you think will make it better for you! Be creative! 

In a large bowl, add the cooled down Quinoa to the chopped fruit and Vegetables.  Add your dressing and mix thoroughly.  

Sprinkle some crushed walnuts on top and voila!  A healthy salad that is absolutely delicious!

Homemade Pectin (For Jams & Jellies)

Adapted from http://www.pickyourown.org

Ingredients:

4 cups water

2 Tbsp lemon juice

3 lbs sliced, washed tart green apples with peels and cores. Granny Smith is good, crabapples are best if you can get them. The less ripe the fruit, the better.

Directions:

Wash, but do not peel, your green apples and cut them into pieces, including the cores.

Put all the pieces into a pot and add the water and the lemon juice.

Boil the mixture until it reduces by half (about 30 to 45 minutes)

Strain it through a cheesecloth back into the pot.

Boil the juice for another 20 minutes.

Pour it into sanitized jars and seal them to store in the fridge or freezer.

You'll have to experiment a little with how much you use for recipes, since every apple contains a different amount of pectin. The riper the fruit, the lower the level of pectin.

How do you test homemade pectin amounts for Jam?

Once your Jam is ready to be canned, remove one spoonful and place an ice cube against the bottom of the spoon. If the spoonful sets to your preferred texture, then you've used enough pectin. 

If not, then reheat the jam and add a bit more sugar, another Tbsp lemon juice and more pectin. Boil for 1 more minute and test again. Try it first on a very small batch, then once you know your pectin levels, go for the bigger batches.

Quick & Easy Freezer Jam

Adapted from
A Girl Worth Saving



Ingredients

1 lb berries or other fruit, cubed
1 Tbsp gelatin/pectin
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla

Note: This recipe can also be used with frozen fruit, no changes necessary.

Directions

Throw your fruit, the sea salt, vanilla and honey into a medium sized pan and bring to a boil. 

Let the mixture cook into a low boil for roughly 45 minutes or until the mixture is reduced by half.

Leave the pan on the stove and mix in the gelatin. Stir thoroughly for 1 minute and then pour the mixture into a mason jar. Be careful not to add more than the recommended amount or to go over the 1 minute. Gelatin/pectin is very fussy and can easily turn your jam grainy if overcooked or too much is added.

Allow to cool, then seal with a lid and store in your freezer for long term storage or your fridge if you want to eat it right away.

Once opened, the jam is good for one week. 

If you don't eat jam that often, I recommend storing it in small stackable square jars so you only need to unfreeze what you're going to use and they save space in the freezer by being a square shape.

Beeless Honey?

So, thought only bees could make honey? Think again! People have been making honey on their own for decades, but only now have we started to see an emergence into the public market.

With the risk to honey bees so high, demand for a more stable source of honey has been rising as well. Most of these beeless honeys use clover, rose hip, and alum as a base, but there are a few which use apples and other fruits as well. These honeys are Vegan, Gluten-free, and great for anyone with an allergy to traditional honey.

Our top 6 Healthy Office Snacks

Having healthy snacks in your office can sometimes be challenging. At Green Earth Organics we are very lucky to have access to so many healthy and delicious snacks through the day. That is why we've made a list of our Top 6 Healthy Office Snacks! Enjoy!


1. Oranges -
Smooth, thin skin encases sweet, juicy fruit with a deliciously tart taste. Cut in small wedges and sink your teeth into the tender, silky flesh.






2. Apples -
Apples have a high antioxidant concentration. Antioxidants are disease-fighting compounds. Scientists believe these compounds help prevent and repair oxidation damage that happens during normal cell activity.







3. Bananas -
The banana is an anytime, year-round snack. Slice them onto cereal or fold into a fruit salad.






4. Dried Fruit -
Dried fruit has a long tradition and is a great snack that will boost your energy levels with its sweet taste, nutritive value, and long shelf life.

5. Crackers and cheese -
Cheese and crackers can provide a source of healthy carbohydrates and protein that will get you going till the end of the day.












6. Granola Bars -
Instead of a loose, breakfast cereal consistency, granola bars are pressed and baked into a bar shape, resulting in the production of a more convenient snack. Nature’s Path has delicious flavours that will melt in your mouth.

Baked Apple Slices

Adapted from Wenderly

Ingredients

Apples

Cinnamon

Brown Sugar

Aluminum Foil


Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400 º

Tear an approximately 12 inch sheet of aluminum foil.

Core your apple and slice thinly (1/8^th inch), makes approximately 40 slices per apple.

Place the apple slices into the center of the aluminum foil.

Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over the apple slices.

Gather the corners of the aluminum foil and pinch together to make a sealed pouch.

Place your packet onto a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.

The sugar and cinnamon meld together with the juice from the apple to make a great sauce.

Serve over ice cream, granola, yogurt, or just eat it by itself! Yum!

Nicolas Fried Apples

Adapted from VegWeb



Ingredients

1 large apple
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons white flour
oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

Place oil in a small pan on about medium heat.

While that's heating place the brown sugar, sugar, and flour in a small plastic bag and shake it to mix it up.

Slice your apple into small wedges.

Place one slice of apple at a time in the plastic bag and shake until the apple is coated.

Turn the stove to low heat and place the coated apple in the pan and evenly fry both sides for about 20 seconds per side. Easy as that!

Preparation Time: 7 minutes
Servings: 2

An Apple A Day!

An apple a day really does keep the doctor away! 

Scientists have found that eating one apple every day 

reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke by 12%. 

Now that’s a prescription I’m happy to take.

The Daily Mail.co.uk