The Educated Eater Canada

By: Jennifer Kavander, RHN, ROHP – Vancouver, BC

“This is more of a formula than an actual recipe.  There are endless possibilities for the specific ingredients, allowing you to adapt it based on personal tastes, seasonality, and ingredients on hand.  Just follow the basic measurements for each food group listed below, experimenting with colours, textures, and flavours.  It’s a fantastic way to use up leftovers, and it makes a great lunch that’s easy to pack in a school bag or briefcase!”

Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients:

• ½ – 1 cup cooked whole grains, legumes, or potatoes
• 1 – 1½ cup raw or steamed veggies
• 4 – 6 oz natural or organic protein
• 1 TBSP chopped nuts, seeds, or olives

Dressing:        

• 2 tsp healthy cold-pressed oil like flax, hemp, olive, avocado, or walnut
• 1 TBSP organic mustard
• ½ lemon or lime, juiced
• pepper and herbs to taste

Directions:

1. Combine first four ingredients in a bowl, tossing to combine.
2. Whish together dressing ingredients, pour over salad, toss and serve.

Seasonal Inspiration: 

In the spring try…

Complex Carbohydrate: new potatoes
Veggies: shredded kale, shredded red cabbage, diced tomatoes, diced peppers, steamed asparagus, and pea shoots
Protein:  Sockeye salmon
Seeds: hemp seeds
Dressing:  Honey mustard with flax oil, lemon juice and minced garlic scapes

In the summer try…

Complex Carbohydrate: Kamut kernels
Veggies: roasted eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, and onion, yellow beans, shredded spinach
Protein: Albacore tuna, or organic tofu for a vegetarian option
Seeds: pumpkin seeds
Dressing: Dijon mustard, with avocado oil, lemon juice and fresh basil

In the fall try…

Complex Carbohydrate: black beans and brown rice
Veggies: broccoli, corn, peas, shredded green cabbage, red onion, roasted beets
Protein: grassfed bison steak
Seeds: chia seeds
Dressing: Grainy mustard, with olive oil, lime juice, and fresh cilantro

In the winter try…

Complex Carbohydrate: red quinoa and navy beans
Veggies: roasted squash, roasted tomatoes, shredded chard, steamed cauliflower
Protein: grilled chicken
Olives: sundried black olives
Dressing: Stone-ground mustard, with hemp oil, lemon juice, and oregano