Asian Shrimp Salad Turnip Salad

Saturday I stopped at the Brighton Farmers' Market to see Stone Coop Farm, the local organic farm where we have a CSA share this year. Our shares don't start for a couple weeks so I wanted to pick up a few things. They have a fantastic salad mix and I also got some dinosaur kale and turnip greens. I was almost ready to pay when I saw some 'salad turnips'. I asked about them and apparently they are best eaten raw, no need to even peel. I'm all about trying something new, so they came home with me too!

After searching through a lot of blogs and recipes, I came across one to base my salad on, a "CSA Salad with lime ginger dressing". I made some changes and additions, so here's my version, which made a really wonderful lunch salad! I even brought one to work for a friend to enjoy too.

Asian Shrimp Salad Turnip Salad
serves 2-3

Ingredients:

Dressing:

• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small thumb fresh ginger
• Juice of 1 large lime (or about 3 TB)
• 2 TB Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1 TB toasted sesame oil (be specific on this, it has amazing flavor!)
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Salad:

• fresh mixed salad greens
• 3 salad turnips (young turnips, you don't need to peel, just cut off root and greens), sliced thin and then chopped into strips with mandolin
• 3 carrots sliced very thin with mandolin
• 1/2 english cucumber sliced very thin with mandolin, then sliced in half
• 3 TB black sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 8 cooked, tail-off shrimp per serving

Directions:

1. Throw all dressing ingredients in blender or food processor and blend well.
2. Slice and chop all veggies, mix with salad greens.
3. Add in cooked quinoa, gently mix.
4. Plate salad portions, drizzle with salad dressing, mix gently. 
5. Sprinkle sesame seeds and add in shrimp on top.
6. Enjoy!

Grapefruit Avocado Spinach Salad

So it all started with half an avocado. That's how many of my lunches begin - with one ingredient! I have been using grapefruits this week in my smoothies and doing a quick search online, saw grapefruit and avocado combined in several recipes. And so, at 10pm last night, today's lunch was born! 

Grapefruit Avocado Spinach Salad

serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pink grapefruit, sectioned, each section cut in half
• 1/2 small avocado, diced
• 1/2 shallot, sliced thinly
• 3 cups baby spinach (or however much you'd like)
• 1/2 TB pepitas
• 1/2 TB pine nuts (toasted if you have time, I didn't)
• 1/4 cup cooked quinoa

Dressing ingredients: 

• 1/2 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 1 TB juice from pink grapefruit
• 1 tsp honey
• fresh ground salt and pepper

Nutrition:

355calories, 18.5gfat (2.2 saturated, 3.4 polyunsaturated, 10.2 monounsaturated), 83.4mg sodium, 526.8mg potassium, 44.5g carbs, 8.6g fiber, 8.8g sugar, 7.8g protein.

high in vitamin A, C, manganese, iron, phosphorus, riboflavin

note: measure out your nuts! they add up quickly. 

Watercress Salad with Sardines and Clementines

I've never had sardines in my life, ever. I would say both Thad and I were a little hesitant about it, there seems to be such an aversion to them. In the spirit of trying new things and following the recipes of the Whole Living detox, this was our lunch. I was very pleasantly surprised! There was some semblance to tuna, except not as dry. Sardines are very rich in omega-3s and vitamin B12. The combination of flavors and textures in this salad was excellent!

Watercress Salad with Sardines and Clementines
serves 2

Ingredients:

• zest and juice of 1 small lemon
• 1 TB olive oil
• coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups watercress sprigs (I used the whole bunch I had bought)
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 TB fresh tarragon (this was 2 large sprigs for me, I removed the leaves and chopped them)
• 2 clementines, peeled and sectioned
• 1 4oz can olive oil wild-caught pacific sardines, drained and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Directions:

1. Whisk lemon zest and juice with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Place pepitas in a small dry skillet and toast over a medium-high heat.
3. Combine watercress, red onion and tarragon in a medium bowl. Add in vinaigrette and toss well. Divide onto two salad plates.
4. Top with clementine sections, sardines and pepitas. Season with salt and pepper.

Sweet Potato, Celery & Apple Salad

Today starts our first day doing the Whole Living 21 day detox. I have planned and shopped for the first week. Lunch today was delicious - but I was skeptical as I chopped and julienned a raw sweet potato. I will say this salad took me 45 minutes to chop everything for it, but as I ate, I was thankful for taking the time to do it! Recipe followed exactly, then added a sprinkle of Hemp Seeds on top before serving for some extra protein.

Sweet Potato, Celery & Apple Salad
serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 TB lemon juice
• 1 TB freshly grated ginger
• 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and finely julienned (2 cups)
• 1 tart apple (I used Granny Smith), cored and finely julienned
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3 radishes, finely julienned
• 3 TB toasted sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 TB hemp seeds

Directions:

1. In a small bowl whisk lemon juice, ginger, olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine sweet potato, apple, celery, green onions, radishes, sesame seeds and cilantro.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad and mix well. Divine onto 4 plates, sprinkle hemp seeds. Season with salt and pepper.