NOTHING SAYS SPRING LIKE A FRESH BOWL OF GREENS!
This recipe was brought to you by Nutrition Consultant and Eating Psychology Coach Sara Groton. If you’re interested in working with Sara, contact us at hello@wellspacesf.com or 415-632-1010.
Spring is approaching and the days are getting warmer, so salads are calling to me again! People are always shocked to hear that I, a nutritionist, don’t actually love spending hours in the kitchen. In fact, when it comes to choosing meals to make, they need to check these boxes: simple and efficient yet nourishing and delicious. This spring salad with a creamy lemon tahini dressing is a winner in every way! It’s hearty, flavorful, fresh, and easy to throw together. It’s full of plant-based protein from the quinoa and chickpeas, as well as healthy fat from the tahini (made from sesame seeds). If you can, stop by your local farmer’s market to pick up the lemon, fennel, and snow peas, which will be in season in the Bay Area in March and April. Feel free to stray from the recipe a little if you’d like. For example, prefer arugula or kale? Great! Want to make this salad vegan? Remove the feta! Need more protein? Add in some chicken or tofu. This salad makes about 4 servings, depending on how hungry you are, so it’s a great one to make on Sunday and use the leftovers for lunches throughout the week.
Ingredients:
Salad
4 cups (or a 6oz bag) spinach (and/or arugula, kale, mixed greens)
3/4 cup quinoa, dry
1-1.5 cups snow peas, chopped (or regular peas)
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1 15oz can chickpeas, drained
4oz crumbled feta cheese
Lemon tahini dressing
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup water
Juice from 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
Salt to taste
Instructions:
Prepare the quinoa according to the instructions on the bag.
While the quinoa is cooking, make the dressing by adding all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. If you don’t have a blender, give it a firm shake in a mason jar instead.
Assemble the salad ingredients and allow the quinoa to cool before adding it on top to prevent sogginess.
Enjoy!
