Picnic Salad with Potatoes, Green Veggies, and White Beans

Ingredients

• 1 medium shallot, peeled

• 3 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar

• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 ½ lbs mini potatoes

• 1 tablespoon capers

• 1 teaspoon grainy mustard

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• ½ cup cooked white beans

• 1 stalk celery, fine dice

• ½ lb asparagus, woody ends trimmed

• ⅓ lb green beans, ends trimmed

• 4 radishes, thinly sliced

• ¼ cup finely sliced chives

• ¼ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions

Mince or finely slice the shallot. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with the sherry vinegar. Add some salt and pepper and stir. Make sure that the shallots are covered in vinegar. Set aside to soften for at least 5 minutes.

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover them with water. Place the saucepan on medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook potatoes until they are just tender, about 13-16 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked potatoes to a plate or bowl and allow them to cool slightly. Keep the cooking water!

To the bowl with the shallots, stir in the capers and mustard. While whisking, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl. Whisk until you have a unified dressing. Once you can handle the potatoes, cut them into quarters and place them in the bowl with the shallot dressing. Add the white beans and celery to the bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

Bring the saucepan of water back up to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Cut the asparagus and green beans into bite-sized pieces and add them to the saucepan. Boil vegetables until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain the vegetables and place them in an ice bath or run them under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Dry the asparagus and green beans with a kitchen towel and add them to the bowl with the potatoes, white beans etc. Add the radishes, chives, and parsley, and toss everything to combine. Check the salad for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Adapted From: The First Mess https://thefirstmess.com/2018/05/02/favourite-picnic-salad/

Macros: Per serving (1/4): 80 calories / 5 g protein / 13 g carbs / 13 g fat / 5 g fibre

Tuna Salad

High protein snack, anyone?!⁣

The most highly requested recipe ideas within the community are for high protein snacks, and @laurashealthyhacks delivers this week with a great, versatile rendition of a protein packed tuna salad!⁣

Ingredients

• 1 can flaked white tuna

• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1/2 tsp lemon juice

• Salt and pepper

Directions

Mix together tuna, yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.⁣

Add in your choice of crunch with veggies such as celery, radish, cucumber, pickles and/or shallots for added flavour. ⁣

Macros for the tuna salad only: 251 calories, 33g protein, 5g carbs (depending on veggies used), 11g fat

Here's how you can adapt this recipe to suit your own nutritional needs:⁣⁣⁣

• Need more carbs? Serve on rice cakes for your lowest carb option, or on lightly toasted sourdough bread, or in a wrap for higher carbs.

• Need more fat? Melt some cheese on top, or add in extra olive oil (better yet, choose canned tuna in olive oil).⁣

Fresh Summer Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups spinach leaves

• 1/4 cup strawberries or blackberries, sliced

• 2 tbsp feta or goat cheese, crumbled

• 1 tbsp walnuts, chopped

• 2 tbsp chopped mint

• Dressing

  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 tsp mustard

  • 1 tsp maple syrup

Directions

Assemble salad. Prepare dressing ingredients with a whisk in a small bowl, food processor, or shake up in a closed mason jar. Top with grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, or tempeh for your protein!⁣

Can be completely customized to fit your macros!

Macros as listed: 291 calories // 24g fat // 14g carbohydrates // 9g protein // 5g fibre

Dairy-Free Kale Caesar Salad

Ingredients

For the Salad (makes 1 serve):

• 2-3 cups Kale (or mix of kale, romaine, and/or other greens)

• 7g olive oil

• 100g or 3/4 cup Yam /Sweet potato

• 40g or 1/4 cup Chickpeas

• Garlic salt

• Paprika

• Chilli powder

• 150g Protein of choice - we like prawns, chicken, tofu or tempeh

For the Dressing (makes 4 serves):

• 30g / 2 tbsp olive oil

• Juice from 1 lemon

• 15g / 1 tbsp tahini

• 1 tsp Worcestershire

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 15-30g or 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (to taste/consistency preference)

• Salt and pepper

Directions

Wash and chop your kale; rub with olive oil to 'massage'

Chop your sweet potatoes into cubes, spray with olive oil and season with garlic salt and paprika. Roast in the oven at 425 F/ 215 C for 30 minutes.

Toss your chickpeas in a spray of olive oil and season with chilli powder.⁠ Optional: you can use the chickpeas raw or roast them with your sweet potato for some added crunch

Pan sear your protein with your choice of seasonings from above

Whisk or use a food processor to combine olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper

Assemble your salad, drizzle with 1/4 of the salad dressing and top with any other optional extras the pantry holds (capers & red chilli pepper flakes are highly recommended)

MACROS

Macros per serve (dressing only):

115 cals, 2g protein, 2g carbs, 11g fat

Salad macros per serve (made with prawns):

470 cals, 33g protein, 41g carbs, 20g fat

Protein and Micro Packed Man's Salad

Protein and micronutrient packed, find me a man or boy who doesn't like this delicious salad!

Ingredients:

50g shortcut bacon (cut into 1cm pieces)

1/2 onion finely chopped

1 large egg

1 romaine lettuce leaf

1 large handful of spinach

2 tsp olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Directions

• Sautee onion and bacon until crisp

• Remove and set aside on paper towel

• Poach the eggs for 2/3 mins (keep the yolk runny!)

• Roughly chop the lettuce and mix with the spinach and dress with the oil and vinegar

• Toss the bacon and onion through the salad and place poached egg on top

Macronutrient information per serve: 274 calories / 18g protein / 1g carbs / 22g fat

*macros may differ based on type of bacon used

Summer Chicken Salad

Whether or not the sun is shining where you are, keep the summer vibes alive with this flavourful salad, packed full of all the micros and macros!

Ingredients

Salad

• 2-3 cups spinach

• 1/4 cup red onion

• 1/2 cup beets

• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

• 1/2 cup roasted sweet potato (100g raw)

• 1 tbsp pine nuts (15g)

• Chicken breast (100g raw)

Dressing

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 2 tsp mustard

• 2 tsp maple syrup

Macronutrient information per serving: calories: 555 / protein: 37g / carbohydrates: 45g / fat: 26g

Plant Based Power Bowl

Homemade vegan meatballs made from chickpeas, flax, breadcrumbs and your favourite seasonings! Even meat lovers will love these.  These are oil-free and very low fat, and easy on the digestive system. 

They are fairly easy to make, and don't require any fancy ingredients or equipment either - just a regular blender, baking sheet, and three simple ingredients. 

The most time consuming part of the preparation for this meal is peeling the skin off of the chickpeas.  This makes the finished product smoother and easier to digest.  If you’re starting with canned chickpeas, after you drain and rinse them you can pop them out of their skins one-by-one. It’s tedious, but not difficult, taking about 10 minutes for a 15oz can. 

Ingredients:

• 15 oz can chickpeas

• 2 tablespoons ground flax seed

• 6 tablespoons water

• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

• 2 teaspoons onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• Italian seasoning, or other 

Directions: 

1. Prepare your flax seed "egg" - mix 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed with 6 tablespoons of water. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.

2. Drain the chickpeas & pinch the skin off as many as you have the patience for. Blend chickpeas in a blender until broken down.

3. Mix together the chickpeas and flax seed eggs. 

4. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too sticky. You want a consistency that will be easy to roll into balls without sticking to your hands or cracking.

5. Form the chickpea mixture into meatballs and place onto a greased or parchment-lined baking dish.

6. In a 450 degree oven, bake the chickpea meatballs for 20-25 minutes, turning over halfway through. They will be golden and crispy on the outside when done!

Assembling the salad:

1. Add shredded kale to a bowl and pour 1tsp olive oil on your hands and massage the kale until soft

2. Add shredded carrots, cucumber, berries and any other fixings you like

3. Mix together equal parts tahini, syrup/honey/agave, honey mustard, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar to drizzle on top.

Nutrition

‘Meatball’, 1/4 of recipe:

Cals: 167 calories
Protein: 8g
Carbs: 26g
Fiber: 7g
Fat: 4g

Dressing, 1/2 tbsp of each ingredient:

Cals: 93 calories
Protein: 1g
Carbs: 13g
Fiber: 1g
Fat: 4g