Jumping in today with one of my favourite Superfood Salad recipes! This salad is seriously so delicious, filling and nourishing. I could easily have it every day. The name says it all…Super. Food.
Nutrient Dense Foods
One thing I have noticed about the blogger sphere these last couple of weeks, is how everyone seem to have reevaluated their eating habits. The internet is afloat with loads of information on health and nutrition. Some pretty far fetched, I might ad. The trend is definitely one of wholesome living, choosing nutrient dense foods and seeing food as medicine, rather than just, you know, food. I think it’s each to his own. Explore which foods make you feel better, and which makes you as grumpy as a bear. Do and eat what’s right for you, not one person is the same and our bodies are all unique and can react differently from others.
Superfoods are super
It’s pretty straightforward what this means. A superfood is a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being. There are loads of superfoods that you can incorporate into your daily diet. Some of the most common superfoods are: spinach, tomatoes, blueberries, Greek yogurt, green tea, broccoli, strawberries, salmon, sweet potato, nuts, seeds, beans, beets, quinoa, freekeh, fermented or pickled veggies, chia seeds, dark chocolate, apples, chickpeas and avocado – just to name a few.
Salad for days
I made my salad with cooked freekeh (a cereal food made from durum wheat) that’s believed to be an Ancient grain. With less than a gram of fat per serving, freekeh is a low-fat and nearly fat-free food, and, of course, it’s vegetarian and vegan. However since it is essentially wheat, it’s not gluten-free. Simply replace your freekeh with quinoa for a gluten free version. I added slow roasted tomatoes, chickpeas, pickled red onion, roasted sunflower seeds and avocado to my superfood salad. I also love pesto, so I decided to add a few teaspoons to my salad. Make in bulk and keep in the fridge for those crazy busy days where you need a quick lunch to regain strength and focus…
Are you in?
Are you keen to try more superfoods? There are just so many ingredients and food products that can benefit our health! I hope you guys give this delicious salad a try. Great to serve as a side, if you still enjoy a healthy dose of meat. But to be honest – it’s decent right on its’ own. This superfood salad is a pretty balanced meal. With protein from both the chickpeas and freekeh, high in fibre, rich in vitamins and minerals with a dose of healthy fat from the avocado. Let me know if you give it a try and what your favourite superfood combos are?!
Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Cook Time | 30 minutes |
Servings | servings |
- 1/2 cup cracked freekeh
- 1,5 cups water to cook freekeh
- pinch salt
- 200 gr rosa or cherry tomatoes
- 5 ml olive oil
- 30 ml balsamic vinegar
- sprig fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup chickpeas
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 avocado to serve
- pickled onion to serve
- basil pesto to serve
Ingredients
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- In a saucepan, add the freekeh, cover with water and add the salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, until the grains have absorbed the water. Set aside.
- In a small oven safe dish, arrange the cherry or rosa tomatoes (you can slice them in half or leave a few whole), drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and add the sprig of rosemary. Roast in a hot oven at 180 degrees Celsius, until blistered. Set aside.
- In the meantime, place the chickpeas (you can pat them dry with a kitchen towel) and sunflower seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat and allow to toast for 5 minutes.
- Assemble your salad by mixing the cooked freekeh with the roasted tomatoes (the liquids left behind too), chickpeas, sunflower seeds and add a few pickled onions (or add a spoonful of kimchi). Top with avocado and pesto and season to your liking.