Photo by Dave Laus
Your body is a machine. And when it comes to performance – whether it’s in the gym or your daily life — how you fuel up is everything; if one component is missing, you can’t fire on all cylinders. So when it’s time to fill the tank, this super salad is like going for premium. Crammed with nutrients to keep your energy levels steady, it also provides a muscle-building punch of plant-based protein. Ladies, start your engines.
Energizing Goddess Bowl
Prep Time: 20 min • Total Time: 35 min • Makes 3 servings
• 1-2 cups of quinoa or brown rice
• ½ head of broccoli, chopped
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1 tsp coconut oil or olive oil (for sautéing)
• 2-3 handfuls of baby kale, chard or spinach
• 1 cup chickpeas or black beans, rinsed well
• ¼ cup leek, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup ground flaxseed
• 1 Tbsp each: hemp seeds, raw sunflower and pumpkin seeds
• 1 avocado, cubed
• ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Add ½ cup of sauerkraut to amp up the digestive and immune health benefits!
Dressing
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• ¾ tsp fresh ground pepper
• ¾ tsp tamari
• ¼ tsp organic sugar
• ¼ tsp mustard powder or tsp of Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¾ cup sunflower oil and ¼ cup flax oil
1. Cook rice or quinoa according to package instructions. Meanwhile, gently steam broccoli and carrots in a steam basket until al dente. Set aside to cool.
2. Heat coconut oil or olive oil and crushed garlic over medium heat in a pan. Lightly sauté greens and leeks until wilted, but do not over cook.
3. In a blender, puree all dressing ingredients except the oils. While the blender is running, slowly add the oils in until all is combined well.
4. In a large bowl, layer your salad: Begin with a scoop of grains, then add beans, sautéed greens and leek mixture, and steamed veggies. Top with olives, avocados and seeds. Drizzle with dressing and let stand for approximately 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with chopsticks.
Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 550, Fat: 34 g, Carbs: 52 g
Protein: 14 g, Fiber: 13 g
