I hope everyone had a great Memorial weekend! Mine was spent with family and friends, some of the best things in life! Today was EXTREMELY HOT! I love all of the seasons in Ohio, but I am a Spring kind of girl. I love the showers. Something about the feeling of cleansing that overcomes and calms me. But it is full out Summer and I am more than ready to bring out the SALADS!
Besides drinking a lot of water today I stuck with fruit at the cookout (no burgers or hot dogs for me) which kept me cool and hydrated!
The picture above are my best friends from high school! It is so important to keep those healthy relationships with the ones you truly care about!
Tonight, Graham wanted eggplant but I was up for something more light, salad maybe? (He will eat anything I throw together) I had just made my famous dish, cowboy caviar for the cookout, which happens to be right up my ally for vegan raw goodness filled with fresh vegetables and packed with vitamins and phytochemicals!
I saved some for me and Graham and it was a good idea because it was gone in less than 20 minutes! It has the effect of engulfing your hand when you stand beside it!
It is great to have leftover to add to salads, burritos or stir fry. It has a lot of protein from the beans which is great to add to anymeal for vegetarians! I also decided to add some brussel sprouts and yams to "ground" me for the evening. Yams, which are a root vegetable have grounding effects on our bodies, leaving us centered and well, grounded!
Zesty Summer Salad
Ingredients:
Leafy green of choice (I used lettuce)
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
5-10 Brussel sprouts
1 Yam
1 fresh lemon
2 tbsp of Olive Oil
Cowboy Caviar (ingredients below)
First, wash and cut the brussel sprouts. I cut them in half and then again through the center (into fours). Add 1/2 fresh lemon and olive oil with pepper and set aside.
Wash and cut yam into even pieces and place in the steamer with brussel sprouts until tender. 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.
Chop broccoli, cauliflower and carrots and add the other 1/2 lemon and a splash of olive oil. Mix well with some pepper and salt.
Then add in lettuce. I poured my cowboy caviar into my salad which is tomatoes, 1 can of corn, 1 green bell pepper, 1 can of black beans and 1 can black eyed peas (onion left out). To make cowboy caviar combine these ingredients and add your favorite Italian dressing (about 1/2 to 1 cup). Mix and chill. IT IS AMAZING!!! This will be your new fav. dish to take with you to any occasion, I promise!
The dressing is absorbed by the vegetables and beans and is pure goodness! Not only are they also cooling foods they also add amazing flavor to any dish.
I added some cashews on top because I am obsessed with them :) Yams and brussel sprouts on the side with an amazing lemon zest flavor!
Don't miss out on the best gift of summer: healthy, flavorful, cooling and energizing salads! This is a must try!
