Herbed Heirloom Tomato Salad with Red Kraut

Grok's been out in the garden as of late.  Summer solstice brought forth a crop of fresh assorted tomatoes, beans, greens, and all sorts of colorful goodies (man I love gardening in old chicken runs! Great poop dirt :))  I love combining my homemade red sauerkraut with fresh produce, especially our various tomatoes.  This is quick, easy and an excellent side dish or snack with avocado (what isn't great with avocado though?!?).  Don't waste these beautiful days inside slaving over a hot oven and instead sweat outside in your garden!

1 large fresh red tomato (I used a better boy I think)
1 large yellow tomato (I used a yellow jubilee)
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1/4 c. homemade or raw unpasturized red sauerkraut
2 T. organic raw apple cider vinegar
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. dried (homegrown) oregano
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. stevia (optional)
sea salt and pepper, to taste 


Easy: Chop tomatoes into bite sized pieces, combine vinegar and olive oil with garlic and herbs and toss.  Spoon over red kraut and mix gently.  Chill and serve with fresh sliced avocado.

 

Fresh tomatoes are wonderfully hydrating and a great natural sugar pick me up on a dehydrating summer afternoon.  Since lycopene is concentrated in tomatoes cooked in oil, adding avocado and olive oil will help nutrient absorption.  The oregano adds a nice bite, especially if it is fresh.  I used some I dried from my garden a few weeks ago and it is quite pungent, medicinal even.  Oregano itself is a famous medicinal food (think Hypocrites' commandant) which is high in anxtioxidants, vitamin B6, folate, and assorted minerals like potassium and copper.  It is also nicely balanced in calcium,  magnesium, and iron.  These minerals which compete for absorption in the body but are balanced when found in nature for better bio-availability.  Since oregano is a good source of fat soluble vitamins A, E, and K be sure to consume it in dishes with healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil and avocado or guacamole.  Raw nuts and virgin coconut oil are also great fats, but try to avoid peanuts and cashews which are legumes, not nuts (at least if you're Paleo).  Oregano is also a highly antiinflammatory and a great antibacterial, antiparastic, and antibiotic herb.

The red sauerkraut is a fantastic Paleo/ low carb condiment which whacks a nutritional punch beyond its volume.  I make my own krauts and kimchis and prefer red kraut to regular green since it adds such color.  Red cabbage also provides a different array of nutrients and phytochemicals than the other varieties of cabbage.  WHFoods cites red cabbage as higher in anthocyanin polyphenols and vitamin C.  Mother was right: Color is the key to health!

As I've mentioned previously, raw lacto fermented foods like sauerkraut provide a concentrated source of probiotics with additional strains such as L. Plantarum which stick to intestinal walls and are not found in other fermented foods.  As a note, you must get raw and unpasteurized saurerkrauts, not the commercial bagged or canned sauerkrauts which are pasteurized.  The high temperatures of canned products kill all the bacteria, good and potentially bad. So spoon on the krauts swimming in friendly intestinal goodies and eat up!

Purslane, Plum and Avocado Salad [Vegan] [Low Carb]

Perhaps you've heard recent hype about an obscure green weed with amazing health benefits for depression, but the truth is that purslane is an old herbal remedy-food and long-time enemy of a tidy gardener. If you're not sure about the safety of harvesting it in the wild, stop off at your local farmer's market. Now we can add "Purslane, Not Prozac" to the book "Potatoes, Not Prozac," or my personal (contrived) favorite slogan "pushups, Not Prozac." Whether you are concerned about depression, the odds are you know someone close to you who is. While exercise to alleviate depression as demonstrated by these Duke University studies may not necessarily be your cup of tea, perhaps a nice bunch of purslane in your salad, stir fry, or soup might be. Heck, while you're at it, toss in some fresh avocado and seasonal fruit- peaches, plums, nectarines. You might even forget the ominous "healthy" stuff in your meal after you take a bite.

1-2 organic plums
~ 2 lb. fresh purslane
1 ripe organic avocado
5-6 roma tomatoes
slivers red onion
oregano, to taste

Dressing:
50-50 mix of organic extra virgin olive oil, crushed red pepper, red wine vinegar, sea salt, and pepper. Wash and pat dry the purslane and plums. Tear into bite sized pieces and put in a large bowl. Slice the red onion, plums, and avocado and add to the purslane. I cut my plums into thin wedges since I prefer them that way. Add the tomatoes and toss with dressing and oregano. That's it- fast, easy and delicious healthy greens and Omega 3's all in one tidy package.

If you are waiting to be impressed, check out the Nutritional profile of purslane. Purslane is high in magnesium and Vitamin C, so helps with:

• depression
• cardiac arrhthmia
• cold and flu
• gingivitis
  

It is also high in potassium, healthy omega 3 fats, Vitamin A, folate (a critical B vitamin), and calcium. Dr. Duke in his classic herbal reference The Green Pharmacy lists purslane as packing

"... up to a whopping 16 percent antidepressant compounds, figured on a dry-weight basis."

Well, with that resume why not try some purslane with your salad? As your salad? I'm sold, although this salad's a winner even without the purslane! I adore avocado, especially when combined with fresh organic peach or plum. It's an addiction akin to peach salsa. The seasonal local plums here add a nice juicy bite of Vitamins A, C, K, and a little fiber (eat the skin, always!) with a very low glycemic load of just a few points (under 55 glycemic index and under 10 glycemic load are "low"). Don't forget the humble avocado, harbor of healing monounsaturated good fat, a large amount of fiber (40% RDI of fiber: 13 carbs, 10 fiber per 150 g.), and a plethora of Vitamins C, K, E, folate, panthoethic acid (another B vitamin), and B6. Avocado also provides a good source of magnesuim, potassium, and other trace minerals necessary for health. Actually, I could (and may) write an entire post on the wonders of avocado and its use outside the parochial realm of guacamole dip or sliced topping. But for now, you can have your feel-good food without guilt (as if anything was stopping you).

Note: If purslane is hard to find in your area, watercress, spinach, dark leafy lettuce (not iceberg) are great alternatives.

Cashew Raisin Sprout Salad [Vegan]

4 c. organic lettuce (I used red leaf)
1/4 c. organic jumbo mixed raisins (no sulfur)
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 organic carrot, grated
large handful(s) fresh alfalfa sprouts
1/4-1/2 c. organic raw cashews (unsalted)

Dressing:
1 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
oregano
sea salt and fresh pepper
dried basil

Toss lettuce and sprouts in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the cashews, raisins, and onion slivers. Mix (I just pour it on, but you can shake it together) olive oil and vinegar and pour over the salad. We had this with our Balsamic and Molasses Grilled Salmon and some red cabbage, onion, and kale sauteed in virgin coconut oil- delicious and packed full of health for the new year!

Serves: 1-2

Honey Mustard Potato Salad

8 small red potatoes, cooked
1 T. homemade mayonnaise
~3 T. honey
~1/3 c. yellow mustard
1/3 red onion, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped

Seasonings:
sea salt and pepper
tarragon
rosemary
parsley
oregano

Wash, fork and saran-wrap potatoes. Microwave the wrapped potatoes until fork tender. We cooked ours in 2 batches of 4 where each batch took about 6 minutes. Let potatoes cool a bit, then chop them into sixths. Add potatoes to a large bowl and add mustard, honey, mayo, spices, and onions. Mix thoroughly and serve hot.

Cranberry Salmon Salad

1 can wild caught salmon, drained
1/2 c. frozen/fresh raw cranberries
1/3 red onion, chopped
1-2 slices white onion, chopped
fresh basil, chopped
1/2 c. torn fresh kale leaves

Seasonings:
sea salt and pepper
garlic powder
oregano
Italian seasoning
dried rosemary
parsley
dash salt free dill seasoning seasoning

Dressing:
1 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Drain the salmon and add it to a large bowl. Add the cranberries, kale and seasonings to a bowl and mash them together with the bones, skin and meat.

Carrot Coconut Salad

2 medium organic carrot, grated
3 T. shredded organic coconut
1 T. organic extra virgin olive oil
1 T. organic balsamic vinegar
sea salt

Grate the carrots with the Saladmaster or your food processor/grater. Add coconut, olive oil, balsamic, and sea salt. Mix thoroughly and serve cold.

Hemp and Sprout Green Salad [Vegan]

Ah ha! My first excuse to use my pepper mill :) This is the high point to my recent depressing discovery that I may have a mild almond allergy (if you have been reading this for any amount of time then you know how much I adore almonds... sigh). Looks like some more allergy testing is in store..ergh. Anyways, I fooled myself into thinking I had slivered almonds on my salad by using dehydrated chopped garlic instead; it really has a nice crunch, which is part of what I wanted.

2 c. organic lettuce (I used red leaf)
1/2 pint or a few large handfuls sprouts
2 T. organic hemp protein powder
1 T. dehydrated chopped garlic (optional)

Seasonings:
oregano
fresh pepper
dried basil

Dressing:
1 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Toss lettuce and sprouts in a large bowl. Sprinkle over hemp powder and then top with garlic and seasonings. Mix (I just pour it on, but you can shake it together) olive oil and vinegar and pour over the salad. I had this with my hemp-inspired lunch of Seaweed and Kale Soup.

Serves: 1-2

Chopped Veggie [Chicken] Salad

You can omit the chicken for a vegetarian/vegan option.

1 cooked chicken breast (or 2 chicken tenders), sliced

1/2 organic carrot, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
handful chopped fresh red cabbage
handful each: fresh chopped collards & green cabbage
1 slice onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, sliced
3 stalks organic celery, chopped

Seasonings:
sea salt and pepper
oregano
italian seasoning
cilantro

Dressing:
2 T Braggs liquid aminos
1 T. San-J Low Sodium Wheat Free Tamari

Wash and pat-dry fresh veggies. Slice and/or chop veggies with the saladmaster or by hand. Add everything to a large bowl and season with sea salt and pepper and spices. Slice chicken and add on top of salad if desired. Garnish with cilantro. Serve cold with or without dressing.

Black Bean Hummus and Vinaigrette Tuna Salad Tower

2 corn tortillas
black bean hummus or garlic hummus
large handful fresh collards or kale, chopped
2-3 slices onion
vinaigrette tuna salad
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Optional Sides:
salsa
lime wedge
cilantro (garnish)

Layer hummus on top of corn tortillas. Top with collards, onions, and tuna salad. Garnish with salsa and lime if desired. This is a great to-go lunch; I just add one extra corn tortilla on top before packing it as a lunch so nothing sticks to the container lid.

Vegan or Vegetarian Option:
Skip the tuna, add more beans or tofu. I just left off the tuna here and it is still delicious!

Vinaigrette Tuna Salad

2 cans tuna*
1 T. sunflower seeds
1 t. red wine vinegar**
1 T. extra virgin olive oil**

Seasonings:

sea salt and pepper

garlic powder
onion powder
chopped garlic
oregano

Garnish:

Cilantro

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Serve chilled. This goes excellent on top of Black Bean Hummus.

* Be sure not to overdo it on tuna if you're on a low carb diet; most canned tuna is high in salt and mercury. Look for low mercury varieties or choose chunk light tuna rather than solid white albacore if you can (my mom hates the chunk light). The solid white albacore tuna is from older fish which offer better quality meat, but have significantly higher levels of mercury. Try to limit your tuna consumption to 1 can per 50 lbs body weight per ~ week. There are no "rules," just don't eat 8 cans a week :)

**I use a red wine and olive oil vinaigrette instead of mayonnaise since conventional mayonnaise is made with soybean and/or canola oils, both of which we avoid. You can make your own healthy mayonnaise with extra virgin olive oil in the Vitamix or blender - look for our homemade mayonnaise soon.

Turkey Tacos and Spicy Turkey Salad

lb. 97% fat free ground turkey
1/2 medium onion, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
ginger, minced
fresh horseradish, minced
2 T. extra virgin olive oil

4 corn tortillas
2-3 slices fresh onion
1/2 avocado
a few spoonfuls of your favorite salsa
1 small fresh tomato, sliced (we used our first ripened garden tomato!)
sea salt and pepper
1/2 bag organic salad mix
1 organic carrot, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced or chunked

Seasonings:
garlic powder
cayenne pepper
chili powder
red pepper flakes
cumin
onion powder
oregano

Sides (Optional):
ear of fresh corn, cooked
1/2 fresh lime, sliced

Chop onions and add onions, garlic, ginger and horseradish to a large frying pan with olive oil. Saute for a few minutes (2-3 minutes) until onions are soft; add raw turkey meat, season well, and cook on medium until the meat is no longer pink at all.

While the turkey and spices are cooking, prep corn tortillas with an ear of corn (optional- black beans would be nice here instead of corn), salsa, tomato slices, red pepper, avocado, and carrots. If you desire a lower carb option, just omit the tortillas entirely and add everything on top of a bed of salad greens (see below). Once the meat is finished, top tortillas and salad with meat. Use kitchen shears to cut scallions over the meal. Sprinkle on some sea salt and add lime wedges- they are great squeezed over the avocado without going through the mess of making guacamole! Serve with extra salsa and hot sauce. Deliciouso!

Apple and Raisin Salad

1 medium organic apple, chopped
1/4 c. raisins
2 T. coconut flakes
1 c. raw red cabbage, sliced or chopped

Dressing (Optional):
2 T. organic peanut or almond butter
2 T. Balsamic vinegar

Chop all ingredients and add coconut flakes. Stir in peanut butter and vinegar and mix well. This is a great side dish or topper to hummus- the sweet and spicy flavors contrast well.

Grilled Chicken Salad

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and sliced*
1 c. mixed salad greens
1/2 cucumber, sliced into quarters
handful alfalfa sprouts
scallion, chopped
handful pumpkin seeds
handful sliced red onion

Seasonings:
oregano
fresh basil, chopped (optional)

Just toss it all in a bowl and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A great a quick lunch or side dish!

*I used leftover chicken from the Italian Skillet Chicken.

Mandarin Salad

This is my mom's old recipe which is one of my favorites since I love dishes with an Asian flair. It is simple and quick; if you don't feel like chopping and peeling fresh mandarin oranges or oranges, then canned mandarin oranges work fine (be sure to drain can).

fresh torn romaine lettuce
2 fresh mandarin oranges or regular oranges, peeled and chopped (or canned)
1/4 red onion, chopped
5-6 scallions, chopped
1 t. fresh ginger, minced (to taste)
1 large handful alfalfa sprouts
handful sweet and spicy almonds (topping)

Tear up lettuce leaves and add oranges, scallions, and sprouts and toss. Top with fresh ginger and almonds.

Serves: varies

Spicy Asian Peanut Coleslaw

2 medium carrots, grated
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 head green cabbage, shredded
1/4 c. raisins
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
1/4 c. organic peanut butter
2 T. San-J low sodium wheat free tamari
2 T. rice wine vinegar or organic apple cider vinegar
Optional: mango slices (garnish)
Optional: 1/4 c. sesame seeds

Mix carrots, cabbage, raisins, and seeds. Add peanut butter, tamari, and vinegar and mix well. Serve cold; it makes a great side to salmon stir fry (or any stir fry).

Serves: 6-8

This recipe is dairy free and gluten free.

General Salad & Variations

General salad:

Ingredients to taste:
Organic spring mix
handful sprouts
red onion
carrot slices

Dressing:
pepper
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
sea salt

Classic carrot and raisin salad, made easy with the Saladmaster

• Try the Spicy Asian Peanut Slaw as a twist on carrot and raisin salad

These recipes are dairy free and gluten free.