This delicious warm roasted beet salad makes for a great appetizer, but is certainly hearty enough for a complete winter meal! If you are not familiar with « wheat berries », they are the kernel of the wheat and are full of flavour, fibre and have a lovely chewy texture.

Ingredients:
– 1 pound beets (4-5), peeled and chopped
– 1.5 cups wheat berries
– 2 cups arugula
– 1/3 cup walnuts
– 1/2 cup goat cheese
For Dressing:
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
– 1 garlic clove, minced
– 1 tsp honey
– dried oregano
– salt & pepper

Directions:
– Wrap beets in foil and roast at 375 for 45 minutes
– To prepare wheat berries, combine with 6 cups water, bring to boil and allow to simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes. Drain.
– Combine dressing ingredients
– Assemble salad on plate and dress. Serve with beets/ wheat berries slightly warm.

Enjoy!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2 cups cooked quinoa/brown rice (1 cup cooked)
• 1 bunch spinach or kale
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 2 beets, shredded
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1.5 cup cooked edamame
• 1 lime, juiced

Avocado Sauce:
– 2 avocados, sliced
– 2 limes, juiced
– 2 Tbsp olive oil
– 1 medium jalapeno, seeded
– 1 handful cilantro
– Salt, to taste

Directions: 

– Cook quinoa/ rice according to package directions. Set aside to cool.

– Combine spinach/ kale with lime juice, olive oil and salt. Toss.

– To make avocado sauce: combine all ingredients in food processor. Blend.

– Combine spinach with quinoa/ rice. Divide between 4 large bowls.

– Top with shredded carrot, beet, edamame, a big dollop of avocado sauce and sprinkle with feta and seeds.

Enjoy!

This lemon and mint infused salad is so refreshing on a hot summer day. The toasted pita adds a delicious crunch and by adding lentils for protein , this salad is a complete meal!

Ingredients:

– 2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped
– 1 bunch mint, chopped – ½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
– ½ cucumber, sliced
– 1 can palm hearts, drained and sliced (optional but delicious!)
– 3 small pita breads, toasted & crumbled
– 1 can lentils, drained & rinsed
– Juice of 1 lemon
– 3 Tbsp olive oil
– 1tsp sumac (optional)
– Salt & pepper, to taste.

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients while pita bread is toasting.
• Allow bread to cool slightly before crumbling into salad. Serve immediately or pita bread will get soggy!

I use frozen Gardein veggie chicken strips pan-fried with Mexican seasoning, but any lean protein choice would do. I add in all the veggies in my fridge, so feel free to substitute with what you have on hand! For added « crunch » I add some leftover whole-grain tortilla chips for garnish. Such satisfaction from using up your leftovers!

Ingredients:
– 1 zucchini, sliced
– 1 avocado, chopped
– 1 red pepper, diced
– 1 mango, diced
– 1/2 red onion, minced
– 1 bunch cilantro, minced
– veggie chicken strips, pan fried with Mexican seasoning (I used Gardein brand veggie chicken strips)
– whole-grain tortilla chips to garnish

Dressing:
– juice from 1 line
– 1.5 Tbsp olive oil
– Salt & pepper

Enjoy!

This is the type of perfectly balanced one-dish meal that is great to keep for some quick & healthy lunches during the week!

Ingredients: – 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
– 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
– 1/2 cucumber, diced
– 2 stalks celery, minced
– 2 carrots, chopped
– 2 tomatoes, diced
– 1/4 red onion, minced
For Dressing:
– 2 avocados, pitted
– 1/2 bunch cilantro
– 1 Tbsp olive oil
– 1 Tbsp maple syrup
– 1 garlic clove
– juice of 1 lime
– 1/2 tsp salt
– 1 tsp chipotle hot sauce (optional)

Directions:
– Cook quinoa in 2 cups vegetable broth until fluffy. Let sit to cool slightly.
– Combine quinoa with chopped vegetables
– Blend dressing ingredients in food processor
– Stir dressing into salad mixture.

Enjoy!