One of the simplest and most beautiful dishes you can make is a salad. There are endless combinations and all you need to learn is how to vary the ingredients and get creative with the dressings. This recipe focuses on ingredients that add brain power to improve memory and prevent degenerative and chronic disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease.
I swear I have been eating these buddha bowls every single day for lunch for the last three weeks and am STILL looking forward to it tomorrow. The base of a rainbow of vegetables remains the same. Maybe I swap yellow bell peppers for red bell peppers or add walnuts instead of hemp seeds. I also mix up the protein swapping eggs for Alaskan grilled salmon or open a can of Albacore tuna. Get experimental and try a new vegetable you never tried before.
Other ways to spruce up your buddha bowl is to add leftover grilled pumpkin or Brussels sprouts from last night’s dinner or experiment with a different salad dressing. When I am really lazy and don’t have time to mix up a batch of dressing I always fall back on apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and chili flakes. Simple, yet surprisingly good.
PRACTICE MINDFUL EATING LIKE THIS
I call this dish the Mindful Buddha Bowl, because I want you to practice mindfulness while prepping and eating it. You can set some mindful music in the background, but I really want you to pay attention to the carrots when you shred them. Look at the color and notice how bright orange the carotenoids are making them. Appreciate the work these antioxidants are going to do in your body to keep your cells safe and strong. Smell the cilantro as you chop it and give thanks for the anti-inflammatory compounds like kaempferol and quercetin that will bring down any inflammation in your body you may be experiencing.
As you shred your beets, watch out you don’t slice a finger! But also keep in mind that these lovely beets have created betaine just for you to improve the blood flow to your brain and will give you an abundance of energy for the rest of the day. Feel the texture of the walnuts as you add them to the bowl and say thank you for the vitamin E they provide to keep Alzheimer’s at bay. When you cut your avocado and pull back the peel, feel the squishiness of the avocado run through your fingers. Enjoy the sensation and lick your fingers tasting the creaminess that contains vitamin K, folate, vitamin B and vitamin C that not only keep your skin glowing, but also improve your memory and concentration.
Tossing your salad you will notice all the lovely colors spinning together and the green of the spinach stands out to remind you that the powerful detoxification properties may protect your brain from dementia. Take a spatula to scoop out all the vegetables and dressing into a deep dish and top your buddha bowl with a protein like wild caught salmon, organic turkey, baked tempeh or a perfectly poached egg that loves you so much they break down bethane, a happy hormone, for you. You see how easy it is to love food that loves you back?
INGREDIENTS
1 handful (40g) organic spinach
1/4 cup (40g) shredded raw beets
1/4 cup (40g) shredded carrots
1/4 cup (40g) shredded red cabbage
1/4 cup (40g) red bell pepper, chopped
1 handful (20g) fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
1/4 cup broccoli or alfalfa sprouts, washed
2 walnuts, chopped
1/4 (25g) avocado, chopped
1 teaspoon hemp seeds
2 tablespoons Anti-inflammaging Turmeric Salad Dressing
100g turkey cubes, poached eggs, tempeh or salmon
INSTRUCTIONS
Arrange ingredients in a bowl in compartments to serve and impress. Alternatively, just throw everything into a large mixing bowl and toss with dressing. Pour salad into a deep plate. Turn off all electronics, take a deep breath before your first bite and mindfully enjoy your buddha bowl.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
ANTI-INFLAMMAGING TURMERIC SALAD DRESSING
Blend all of these ingredients in a jar and shake well:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground or freshly grated turmeric
1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
1 serving = 1 tablespoon (15g)
