Recipes | Eating Fresh: Recipes for Healthy Living on the Go

By Lisa Bland –

Happy spring!

One of the best things about this time of year, other than the increased sunshine, greenery, and birds, are vibrant spring foods. After a winter of eating warming soups, root vegetables, fats, and protein—salad greens, berries, and garden veggies are a sight for sore eyes.

Springing into action in our lives just seems to be supported by the abundance of foods that appear this time of year. Although there are many philosophies around diet and food intake, I mostly trust how foods make me feel. Eating salads doesn’t appeal so much in the winter, but in spring and summer they are my main fare. In eating vitamin and mineral-rich garden greens and veggies, our bodies seem to know that keeping things light are what is required in spring.

 

In the spirit of simplicity and seasonal foods, here’s a sampling of a few of my favourite recipes. The only limitation isimagination when it comes to preparing salads and vitamin-rich juices and smoothies.

 

Mixed Greens Salad with Tangy Lemon Dressing

 

Ingredients

 

• 1/2 bag of greens (I like a mesclun mix with arugula, beet, and mustard greens)
• 1/2 cup of green sprouts–lots of varieties to choose from at the Growers Coop in Williams Lake.
• A handful of cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup of apple cut into chunks
• 1 sliced cucumber
• 1 cup grated beet
• 1/2 cup grated carrots
• 2 tablespoon hemp seeds, sprinkled
• 1 diced avocado
• 1 handful of pumpkin seeds, toasted

 

Tangy Lemon Dressing

 

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup real lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon miso
• 1 tablespoon rosemary
• Salt, to taste
• Water, as needed

 

Preparation

 

Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Blend dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Add water for preferred texture.

Serve salad with dressing drizzled on top.

Smoothies are a great way to get a lot of nutrients into your diet in a healthy way, including things you wouldn’t normally find appealing to eat. A lot of yummy berries and fruit can mask less palatable but good-for-you ingredients.

 

Delicious High Protein Smoothie

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 1/2 cups almond milk or other milk substitute, kefir or yogourt
• 2 tablespoons hemp hearts or almond butter
• 1 cup blueberries or wild huckleberries
• 1/2 cup strawberries or raspberries
• 1/2 banana
• 2 cups spinach or kale
• 1 teaspoon spirulina powder
• 1 teaspoon maca powder

 

Add ingredients to blender, adjust liquid for desired thickness, pour into a glass, and enjoy. 🙂

As much as I love smoothies, I love juicing fruits and veggies for quick energy and vitamins. While I try not to take in too much juice due to high sugars and lack of fibre, and don’t drink them on an empty stomach, I love a revitalizing juice midday. If under the weather or lethargic, wheatgrass juice is my go-to. If you live a busy life on the go, Smashin’ Smoothies or The Hobbit House are a couple of places in Williams Lake to find wheatgrass shots and a great selection of juices. A warning: I wouldn’t recommend following coffee with a wheatgrass shot; it can be unsettling to the stomach!

 

Green Juice

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 cup water or coconut water
• 2 celery stalks
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 pear
• 1/2 apple
• handful of strawberries
• 1-2 cups spinach or kale
• 1/4 cucumber
• 1-inch chunk of fresh turmeric (Higher Ground Health Food store in 100 Mile House often carries it).
• 1-inch chunk fresh ginger

 

Clean and prepare all ingredients, run through a juicer and into a glass, and head out the door.

Enjoy the season of renewal and nourish your inner self with beautiful vibrant foods!