Sprout Salad
Sprout Salad (Adapted from Sprout Salad 2 from Ottolenghi’s PLENTY)
Servings 6
Calories per serving: 196
SALAD
150g Daikon Radish – sliced thinly
150g Radishes – sliced thinly
2 cups Raw Mung Bean Sprouts
2 cups grated/thinly sliced raw Carrots
2 cups Steamed Edemame (I like to use the organic frozen, shelled variety for ease!)
4 tbsp Sunflower Seeds
1 cup Alfalfa Sprouts
1 cup Cilantro- roughly chopped
DRESSING
2 tbsp Sesame Oil
Juice of 3 limes
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Brown Sugar (can also use coconut sugar, raw sugar, agave, honey or other sweetener- your choice!)
2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
To Make
Toss all veggies, cilantro and sunflower seeds together! Feel free to make substitutions based on what’s available.
* I’ve been having trouble finding Daikon so I often substitute regular radishes or kohlrabi for the Daikon.
Whisk the ingredients for the dressing together to incorporate the sugar. Pour over the salad and toss gently.
| Nutrition Facts | |
| Servings 6.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 196 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 10 g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat 1 g | 5% |
| Monounsaturated Fat 3 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 4 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium 373 mg | 16% |
| Potassium 368 mg | 11% |
| Total Carbohydrate 19 g | 6% |
| Dietary Fiber 6 g | 23% |
| Sugars 7 g | |
| Protein 10 g | 19% |
| Vitamin A | 108% |
| Vitamin C | 48% |
| Calcium | 10% |
| Iron | 19% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
This is my current favorite go-to salad – and not just because we share the same name! I love the bright fresh flavors: the tang of the radish combines with the fresh flavor of the cilantro and inherent sweetness of the carrot to create a gorgeous flavor profile. The addition of the edemame and sunflower seeds adds textural interest as well as a big punch of protein and heart healthy fats to make this a complete meal. So many salads fall flat of being a truly “healthy” choice because they are just carbs topped with dressing that is high in sugar and saturated fat. They stuff your stomach full of volume but leave you ravenous an hour later. The heart healthy Omega fats, 10g of protein and 6g of fiber in this sprout salad fill you up and keep you satisfied for hours! This salad works great along side of a healthy grilled protein but can easily stand alone as the entire meal since it has a blend of healthy fat, protein and complex carbs which are the foundations of a healthy/complete meal.
The concept of a “balanced” meal is an important one when you are thinking about eating for optimal health. A really good rule of thumb for all meals and snacks is making sure it includes: protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. Salads with fat free dressing are ALL carbohydrates. A piece of fruit is ALL carbohydrates. Yes- fruit and veggies are “healthy” but your body will still interpret them as sugar and cause changes in your blood sugar and insulin response when you eat these foods without a fat/protein component. So add in some protein/fat to your carbs! Let it take any form you want! For you plant based eaters this may mean a small handful of nuts or seeds (be careful on your serving size- a little goes a long way), for others it may mean adding in a hard boiled egg or a few slices of organic/nitrate free meat. Have fun finding new combinations and keep striving for balance!