This is such a simple and easy salad to make. Not only is good for you, but it looks so pretty! The first time I served this up it was definitely met with some impressed looks. This is the kind of meal that you serve up when you want it to look like you went to a lot of effort, when really you couldn’t be bothered. That is generally how I feel about healthy eating. It always feels like too much effort when it doesn’t have to be.
Slowly, I am learning to add more vegetables to my diet. The Whole30 gave me a pretty good push, and while I don’t restrict foods from my diet anymore like what is required during that 30 days, the lesson of eating a larger variety of vegetables and protein for each meal rather than empty carbs like bread and pasta, is surprisingly staying with me. I’m pretty proud of this.
I cannot take the credit completely for this salad. It is copied from my favourite healthy lunch spot, Thr1ve which is conveniently located in Brisbane CBD right outside my office. This place is where I go roughly once a month when I didn’t bring my lunch to work but wish I did because I hate deciding what’s for lunch and I want something healthy. When I don’t bring my lunch and don’t wish I did, I have sushi. Anyway, right after I finished the Whole30 I was so excited to be able to buy my lunch again yet I didn’t want to undo all the work by eating a burger, so I went to Thr1ve. Their latest creation was so delicious that I just had to recreate it myself because I knew I could not afford to keep paying $12 a bowl for lunch!
Of course, I had to buy it just one more time to ensure I had all the ingredients noted. I was not only excited to make this for myself, but also to start using all of those extra attachments on my food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, for this recipe you can finely chop the cabbage and kale, and grate the carrot. The salad may be a bit chunkier and it will involve a little more effort in the prep time but it will still taste fine.
I wanted a food processor for years, and when I finally got one, it sat on my bench as I was too scared to use it. I have no idea why, but suddenly I forgot about all the food that I had wished to make if only I had a food processor! This year it has finally got some use. Homemade almond butter, mayo, chopping veggies, raw date and nut bars. This was why I had wanted one so much, they are awesome!
So back to the salad. We have all heard the superfood movement. I even use treatments for my hair that contain superfoods! They are everywhere and I resisted for a long time thinking that it was just pretentious to call a food super because you weren’t familiar with it. I think that the main reason for this is due to our diets being way too high in processed food and a lack of availability. Once there became a demand for these superfoods and I started seeing them in the supermarket I decided it was time to give them a go. I now include coconut oil, chia seeds, turmeric, and kale (and a few others I’m sure) as regular ingredients in my diet. Not because they are trendy, but because if something tastes good that is healthy for me, you betcha I am going to eat it!
I am not a nutritionist, so I am not going to pretend by listing all the health benefits of the ingredients in this salad. All I know is kale is high in fibre and full of vitamins (as are most dark leafy green veggies), red cabbage is pretty much the same, chicken packs the protein, and tahini is one of the best sources of calcium there is. What this means is that this salad is essentially a multivitamin, packed with all the essential nutrients that a person needs as part of a healthy balanced diet. That’s enough for me!
This salad will make enough to feed a crowd – or to have plenty of leftovers for lunch. The superfood salad will keep for a few days covered in the fridge, but if you don’t want all the leftovers, simply halve the salad ingredients and cook enough chicken for 1 small breast or ½ a large one per person. No more excuses not to have a healthy meal for dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 small red cabbage
- 1 bunch kale
- 2-3 medium sized carrots
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 4 chicken breasts
- 4 tablespoons tahini
- parsley , finely chopped
- dukkah*
- lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Using a food processor and the slicing blade, finely chop red cabbage and kale until fine. I put mine through twice.
- Using the grater attachment, finely chop the carrots and mix everything together in a large bowl. Set salad aside.
- Heat coconut oil in pan. Depending on the size of the chicken breast, you may want to slice them in half so that they cook quicker and more evenly. Pan fry chicken in the hot oil, turning until cooked through and golden on the outside.
- To assemble the salad, place a generous amount of salad on the plate (about 2 handfuls). Sprinkle over chopped parsley. Add a couple of chicken strips on top and drizzle with tahini. If the tahini is a bit stiff, place it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Finally, sprinkle over dukkah and serve with a wedge of lemon.
Notes
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
What’s your favourite superfood? Have you noticed that regular foods are now being referred to as super? Do you find convenience the biggest obstacle to healthy eating?
Save it for later:
Made this recipe? Leave a review!