Recipe: Post Workout Salad and A Blueprint for Combinations

MY POST WORKOUT SALAD

"On those crazy days when time and energy are in short supply, it's way too easy for me to fall into old food habits. I've found that the way to ace a good food day when I'm insanely busy is to plan ahead for leftovers that can be quickly combined in an energizing meal that's as exciting and crave-worthy as any trashy convenience food. This salad is all about using what you have on hand - leftovers plus a few pantry and refrigerator mainstays, chopped up and tossed with olive oil and vinegar.

I started making these salads after my daily workout and realized there's a simple formula that boosts my energy, fills me up without weighing me down, offers tons of nutrients, and has enough flavor and texture to keep it interesting. This salad is endlessly adaptable, so use this recipe as a template to give you inspiration. If you switch it up with different greens, proteins, vegetables, and dressing you'll never get sick of this. Think about a couple simple things that you can keep on hand: White anchovies? Marinated artichokes? Oil-cured olives? Having your special something around will help pull you toward the salad."


1 cup chopped dandelion greens
1 cup shredded or cubed cooked chicken
1/4 cup cooked lentils
1 celery stalk chopped
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
1 small garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 avocado, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a salad bowl, combine the greens, chicken, lentils, celery, red onion, garlic, both seeds, parsley, avocado, vinegar, and olive oil. Add a couple pinches of salt and several grinds of pepper to taste. Toss well and dig in.

Makes 1 serving

MY POST-WORKOUT SALAD BLUEPRINT

1 LEAFY GREEN
dandelion greens, spinach, Tuscan kale, Swiss chard, arugula

1 ANIMAL-SOURCED PROTEIN
chicken, salmon, sardines, hard-boiled egg, white or brown anchovies

1 TENDER BEAN OR GRAIN
lentils, cannellini beans, quinoa, millet

CRUNCHY VEGETABLES
celery, carrots, red bell peppers, cucumbers

1 TO 2 ONIONS
red onions, scallions, shallots, garlic

A HANDFUL OF HERBS
flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, basil

SLICES OF AVOCADO

1 OR 2 TYPES OF SEEDS OR NUTS
pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, chopped walnuts

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL AND VINEGAR OR CITRUS
red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon juice

FINE SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Adapted from source: A Good Food Day: Reboot Your Health with Food That Tastes Great by Marco Canora