When I think about an Earth Day meal, I think fresh, green and local! In an ideal world, this would describe how we eat every day. But even if you’re just getting into the swing of a natural-food approach to eating, why not make Earth Day your first day on the path to becoming the healthiest you yet?
Incorporating veggies into every meal doesn’t have to be as daunting as you might suspect. A handful of spinach blended into your morning protein smoothie, a side of steamed broccoli at lunch in place of greasy French fries or a perfectly ripe peach instead of an ice cream sundae for dessert are just a few ways of integrating the earth’s bounty into your balanced approach to eating.
One of my favorite dishes to make is what I call my Signature Salad. It changes based what’s available to me locally, what I can find that’s organic and what flavors I’m in the mood for. Try my version below, which is a salad I love to prepare in the spring, or play around with what’s available in your neck of the woods to make it most Earth-Day appropriate for you and your family.
Paleoista’s Signature Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients
Dressing
2 Tbsp. cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1 small Meyer lemon, juiced
Handful fresh basil, chopped
Dried herbs of choice: oregano, basil, parsley, etc.
Salad
4 cups wild baby arugula
1 ripe avocado
1 cup strawberries, hulled and chopped
1/2 cup marigolds or other edible flowers
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 large heirloom tomato
Directions
1. Mix together dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Add different dried herbs to experiment with the taste.
2. Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.
3. Serve with your favorite protein for a complete meal. Try grilled salmon!
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