by Vanessa
This is hands down my favorite spring/summer time salad. I’m calling it Salad with SASS…mixed salad greens topped with
Strawberries,
Avocado and
Sunflower
Seeds then dressed with a very easy, light and crisp,
coconut vinaigrette.
Salad with SASS is spectacular as a side to a grilled grass-fed steak
or a bunless burger, even better with grilled chicken thighs added on
top. If you do dairy, feta (or crumbled chèvre) cheese completes it
nicely.
SASS Salad Superstars
Strawberries
Seriously, you can’t go wrong with strawberries, any berries really. They are low in sugar and
fructose and
loaded with phytonutrients, which is just a fancy word to say they are
chock full of compounds that promote good health. Berries are berry good
for you. Strawberries provide the body with calcium, magnesium,
phosphorus, potassium and vitamin C. Strawberries are on the
EWG’s Dirty Dozen List,
which means they have a high amount of pesticide residue. Best to buy
organic, I say. Recently spotted…organic strawberries at Costco! And,
they were only a $1 more compared to the conventional. Score.
Avocado
There is far too much to say about the this superstar in one paragraph. In fact, I’ve devoted an
entire blog post extolling
the virtues of avocados. Here’s a fact that you’ll not soon not forget.
Or perhaps you’ll remember the next time your eye starts twitching.
We’ve all heard bananas being praised for their potassium content,
right? Well guess what, avocados got bananas beat in the potassium
department. Per ounce, bananas have 100 g of potassium, meanwhile,
avocados have 144 g. In addition to potassium, which is essential for
proper functioning of the heart, kidneys, muscles, nerves (see twitchy
eye example above) and digestive system, avocados are also rich in
magnesium, an essential mineral that most Americans don’t get enough of.
Unlike strawberries, which have pesky pesticides, our friend the
avocado is one of the
Clean 15.
Sunflower Seeds
I ditched croutons on my salad over a decade ago, but if you are new
to living a low-carb lifestyle and missing the crunch, sunflower seeds
come to the rescue nicely. In addition, they are little powerhouses that
do a body good. Sunflower seeds are rich in both vitamin E and
selenium. Vitamin E in the body acts as an antioxidant, protecting the
cells from damage caused by free radicals. A 1/4 cup serving of
sunflower seeds provides more than 40% of the recommended daily value.
Selenium, a trace mineral, is necessary for several processes in the
body, including the immune response and thyroid function. Who knew
sunflower seeds could be more than just bird food!
Salad Greens
I recently shared on the
Healthy Living How To Facebook page a TEDx talk titled
Minding your Mitchondria. In this talk,
Dr. Terry Wahls
shares how she cured her secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis with a
diet rich in dark leafy greens. Wow! The video is amazing, be sure to
take the time to watch it below. The diet which she recommends is a
“hunter gatherer” diet, one in which processed foods are ditched in
favor of things like fish, grass-fed meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts,
seeds and lots of greens. For optimal health, Dr. Wahls encourages at
least three cups of salad greens a day,
“greens are rich in B
vitamins, plus A, C, K and minerals. The B Vitamins will protect your
brain cells and mitochondria. Vitamin A and C support your immune cells,
Vitamin K keeps your blood vessels and bones healthy and minerals are
co-factors for hundreds of different enzymes in your body. Plus having a
plate of daily greens will dramatically lower your risk of having
cataracts and macular degeneration.” Greens…they are on the
dirty list, go organic, if you can.
Ingredients
Directions
- To a large salad bowl add salad greens.
- Top with diced strawberries, sliced and diced avocado and sunflower seeds.
- In small dish whisk vinegar, oil and stevia.
- Dress salad.
- Enjoy!
Notes
This makes one large salad for one person. Scale up or down accordingly. Don't forget to eat your protein...on the side.