Big Salad
This is my go-to staple for lunch almost every day. It's versatile and delicious, and ensures I get my daily dose of greens, beans and veggies. You can switch it up with whatever you like. It's a great meal-prep item-- takes about 45 minutes to prepare, then it's ready to eat four days out of the week. Elaine Benes would be proud!
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1 head Romaine lettuce, sliced, chopped thinly
- 1 bunch curly kale, sliced/chopped thinly
- 1 bag baby arugula
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halves
- 1/2 head small red cabbage, sliced thinly
- 1 cucumber, peeled, diced
- 2 carrots, organic, grated or sliced very thinly
- 1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15.5 oz can white (Northern or Cannellini) or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup sweet corn, fresh, canned or frozen
- 2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped and seeded, roasted (see note)
- 1/2 med/large red onion, sliced thin into slivers
- 2 oz nuts, any kind, chopped
- 2 oz seeds, any kind (pumpkin, sesame, hemp)
- 1 large avocado, chopped
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in very large bowl. Toss to combine.
- Enjoy with your favorite dressing. Some recipes below.
Notes
Be sure to massage the kale slightly (with a little olive oil) before tossing it into the salad. This will break it down and make it easier to consume.
I like my peppers roasted but you can always put them in the salad raw if that's your preference!
Roasted Red Peppers: Slice or roughly chop, toss in 1 tbsp olive oil with pinch of salt & pepper, roast in 375 degree oven for 15-20 min. Switch out my suggested ingredients for your favorites-- you can use almost any kind of salad greens, beans, tomatoes, nuts and seeds to vary the salad every week. DRESSINGS:
For all: Whisk together in a small bowl, enjoy! Honey Mustard Dressing
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp maple syrup
Salt and pepper, to taste Asian Style Peanut Butter Dressing
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 tbsp water Lemon Vinaigrette
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste Curry Balsamic Dressing
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (try darker, richer ones for more flavor)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sea or kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Roasted Red Peppers: Slice or roughly chop, toss in 1 tbsp olive oil with pinch of salt & pepper, roast in 375 degree oven for 15-20 min. Switch out my suggested ingredients for your favorites-- you can use almost any kind of salad greens, beans, tomatoes, nuts and seeds to vary the salad every week. DRESSINGS:
For all: Whisk together in a small bowl, enjoy! Honey Mustard Dressing
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp maple syrup
Salt and pepper, to taste Asian Style Peanut Butter Dressing
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 tbsp water Lemon Vinaigrette
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste Curry Balsamic Dressing
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (try darker, richer ones for more flavor)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sea or kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Watch here:
Elaine and the Big Salad:
“It’s a salad, only bigger, with lots of stuff in it.”
-Elaine Benes
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