As a self-proclaimed Salad Lover, I’ve come to see that the pregnant version of myself is not at all a Salad Lover.
No, these days I’m more of a Salad Avoider. I’m able to stuff leafy greens into sandwiches or the occasional glass of green juice or green smoothie, but my regular salad days are currently on hiatus – much like my days of wearing pants with a button and zipper.
Of course I know how insanely good greens are for us and I’m well versed in how good I feel when I’m doing the green thing on a daily basis. But alas, my favorite blue salad bowl has remained in the cupboard for weeks on end now, surely lamenting the days gone by when we use to hang out with each other every day.
I miss you too Blue Salad Bowl. Except not really.
Recently I was reminded of a salad I use make all the time and loved with all my heart. The thought of this salad restored a long lost hankering for a big, giant bowl of green goodness, so I stocked up on the necessary ingredients and laid it all out today:
spinach, red leaf lettuce, an apple, miso dressing, tofu and cashews
Tofu is optional. I’ve come to really question the safety of unfermented soy, so I only eat tofu occasionally these days. Today though, tofu was my source of lunch time protein. Garbanzo beans or hard boiled egg could easily be subbed for protein here as well, for whatever reason tofu might strike fear into your heart.
The most important parts of this salad though will now be presented in the following three photographs, in no particular order.
Raw Cashews
Chopped Gala Apple
and Miso Ginger Dressing
I don’t know what it is about apples, cashews and miso dressing, but together they make this Salad Evader want to dive right in and start chewing, greens or no greens.
Topped with a couple tablespoons of miso dressing, gently stirred so all ingredients are evenly coated. This is where the big blue bowl really shines and saves me from a big ol’ mess on the table.
In hindsight, I probably should have plopped this concoction onto a pretty plate to make it a bit more presentable for the picture. But Blue Bowl was so happy to be reunited with me, I couldn’t bear to break its little heart.
OR
I was really hungry and ready to sit down and eat NOW, presentation be damned.
(One of those reasons is true.)
And oh yeah, this salad rocks. That’s true too.
Love salads, especially with dark greens, but it’s tough to force them down in the winter. Hang in there… it all evens out.
Hmmm… good point Maria. Maybe WINTER is my salad problem!
I’m not much of a salad eater in the winter either, but my friend and I make this simple salad that I really like. I finally got around to getting all the ingredients together, so today’s the day! Greens/spinach, beets, feta, and onion (red or green preferably) are the main ingredients, but I also happen to have shredded carrots and grape tomatoes so in they’ll go. Sometimes we do a raspberry vinegarette, but she also makes an easy, quick dressing that’s so yummy: red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey, stone ground mustard, salt, and pepper . . . Now you’ve got me drooling over a salad before 7am!
the right combo of ingredients makes such a difference, doesn’t it?
That salad looks delicious! I’m not pregnant, but I’ve been having trouble with salads lately too. maybe because they are cold and I’m getting tired of winter and it’s coldness? That blue bowl looks awful familiar to me. It wouldn’t by chance have come with smaller versions in yellow and pink, would it?
Have a great day!
It was a set of three that I split between a couple of friends. I got the middle sized bowl, the other two bowls were the same color… I believe it is a pretty popular set though!
Ok, I can totally see how this salad would convert a salad-hater….cuz it’s got lotsa good non-green stuff in it! My strategy for eating salads when I don’t want one is to add more crunchy non-greens, fat, and texture (usually cheese instead of tofu…but I’d def do the nuts and fruit)….then it becomes so much yummier!
I do believe there are more salads like this in my future!
I’m much more apt to eat a salad with some fruit and nuts on top. Glad you were able to get some greens in via salad again!