Finally, we are enjoying summer in the UK and I love having salads during this time. It can be a simple way of including lots of different vegetables as well as beans and greens. My favourite part is making the dressing as it just lifts all the flavours and makes you reach out for the next bite.
I make several different salads, sometimes as part of a meal but mostly on its own for lunch. Today I am sharing my Mexican salad, which I recently made and the whole family enjoyed.
So let’s get started.
Ingredients
A cup of cooked black beans
Half a cup of boiled buckwheat
Romaine lettuce
Chopped fresh tomatoes
Chopped spring onions
Chopped red/ yellow peppers
A small finely sliced red onion
One whole avocado- chopped in small cubes
Some toasted walnuts
Chopped fresh coriander
For the dressing
Two tablespoons olive oil
Two tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Some fresh garlic paste
Half a teaspoon smoked paprika
A teaspoon of mustard paste
Juice from half a lemon
Optional – a tablespoon on honey/ maple syrup
Method
Mix all the ingredients of the dressing in a small pot and mix well. Set it aside so the flavours blend in well.
Apart from the coriander, mix all the other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss gently so they all get incorporated well. In the end add the coriander.
Pour the dressing before serving and enjoy!
If you wish you could add some wholemeal bread croutons which can make it more substantial as a meal. I do this when my boys are having this salad as a main meal. It keeps them fuller for longer.
As you can see this salad is a meal in itself. It has a balance of the macronutrients protein, fats as well as complex carbohydrates. The selection of the colours and vegetables add a bunch of anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols. Avocado and Olive oil add to the healthy fats and the walnuts are rich in omega three. Apple cider vinegar and lemon restore the digestive juices and also nourish the gut microbiome.
For me the main thing is the huge amount of flavour with no calorie counting! So I can enjoy as much as I like.
Have a fabulous week ahead and look after yourself.
Anni
x
