Known for their insane health benefits, these little nutrient powerhouses are filled with vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and antioxidants. Many of them neutralize free radicals, and can contain phytonutrients that can work to prevent certain kinds of cancer. They are the ultimate foods, the ones that you can eat mountains of and never really feel guilty about. Why can't all food be that way? Like brownies, yum.
In truth I don't pay much attention to eating superfoods every day. Sure I'll have some kale in my salad, and some walnuts as a snack, but I don't make entire meals devoted to them - mainly because it's just so damn expensive. Truly, one of the pit falls to healthy eating nowadays largely has to do with the pretty penny that goes along with it. As much as I wish I could say that I regularly wag my finger in the general direction of those who spend their evenings (and money) eating fast food, I feel like I can't. I get it. I'm a 23 year old girl who just graduated from college, piled high with student debt, and living on a service member volunteer salary. While my SNAP benefits definitely help along the way with providing food to put on my table, I spend a lot of my time in the grocery store weighing the cost of the item versus the level of need that it has in my diet. Sometimes it's hard for me to justify spending money on certain foods given their price and my limited budget, but sometimes it's worth it and I like to think that this salad is definitely one of those "worth it" meals.
So, the other day as I was contemplating whether or not I wanted to eat my last serving of matar paneer (which if you haven't checked out that recipe you should), I realized that I had unknowingly picked up everything that I needed to make this. Several of these food items are just staples for me - I love kale, carrots are a must, blueberries are my favorite to put in smoothies, I love craisins on salads, and walnuts are good brain/snacking food. So after a breakfast comprised of a homemade biscuit topped with a fried egg, gooey cheese, and hot salty bacon I decided that my diet could use a little TLC. Enter the superfood salad! It is earthy, nutty, and sweet. Everything a good salad should be. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
Superfood Salad
Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 0 min Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
6-8 large stalks of kale, taken off of the stem and chopped or torn
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Directions:
Remove the kale from the stem and give it a rough chop or tear it in to large pieces and add it to a large mixing bowl.
Next you want to peel you carrot and cut it into long thin strips - this technique is known as a julienne. Add the carrot to the mixing bowl with the kale and then finish off by toping with the blueberries, craisins, and walnuts. I normally eat this salad just by it's self but if you want a snazzy dressing to go along with this, the food blogger Oh She Glows makes a really good vegan green goddess dressing. I'll leave the link HERE!
Have a happy weekend!
Jules
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