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I’m so happy to say that the fitness goals I set out to accomplish back in January 2015 have been reached! One year.. yeah, I’m it took me a while!
It’s time to celebrate but the push is still on to build stronger abs, quads and hamstrings. I’m hoping to avoid long term issues with my knees by making my legs stronger than ever.
Even through Christmas I have managed to eat pretty healthy and have enjoyed the odd treat.. and a glass of wine with friends is still welcome. I’ve discovered that you don’t have to give everything up to reach your goals, just maintaining consistent healthy habits goes a long way.
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I’m always on the lookout for a new salad and this one is my new favourite. I made it along with coconut rice plus a large salmon filet for my kids last night. I had lots of leftovers for my food prep for the week.. awesome!
This recipe is adapted from The Mean Green Detox Salad, basically I used her Lemon Tahini Dressing and changed up the rest to suit my family. Next time I will plan to try her Vegan Parmesan.. but for now, this salad will be on rotation in my house.. I loved it, especially liked the crunchy addition of hemp and chia seeds!
I think this salad is so thick and chunky it’s almost better served as a “bowl”.. I think I’ll sprinkle pumpkin seeds over it next time.
- Salad:
- 1 large package mixed greens (spinach, arugula, kale, etc)
- 1/3 small package sliced carrots
- 3-4 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 1/8 purple cabbage, sliced
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- handful Hemp Seeds
- handful Chia Seeds
- Chickpeas:
- 1 large can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy or tamari sauce
- 4-5 dashes tabasco sauce
- Tahini Dressing:
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp soy or tamari sauce
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/2 lemon zest
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the chickpeas on the prepared pan. Sprinkle coconut over. Sprinkle over with sesame oil, soy sauce and dashes of tabasco. Use your hands to mix thoroughly and spread over the baking sheet evenly. Bake until the coconut is toasted brown. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Assemble the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl or plate. Sprinkle over with the cooled chickpeas and coconut.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the Tahini Dressing ingredients.
- Spoon over your salad and serve.
Congrats on reaching your goal for 2015!
I know you’ve been pushing yourself and doing all sorts of great changes for your body and soul… more power to you in 2016!
YOU ROCK!
and, by the way… loved the salad!
Congratulations Barbara, you look absolutely fabulous. A year is perfect in terms of developing habits that can be maintained for a long time, most people give up after a few months so I also applaud you for keeping with it. The results are amazing.
The salad looks so satisfying with all of the flavours and textures, and it’s pretty too. Does baking the chick peas make them crunchy too? I’ve never been able to get the crunch without the chalkiness (maybe it’s just me). I’ve been cooking my own chick peas from dried but recently I spied a tin with no salt added! I haven’t tried it yet but will soon. Congratulations on you fitness goals, you really rock! ❤️
They don’t get as crunchy with this recipe because then the coconut would be too browned. I think if you did separately with very little oil it would be better.. but still not much of a crunch:) Thanks for your kind words of encouragement, it’s been a very long 2015.. here’s to 2016!!! xxx
Good for you for achieving those goals, Barb. I feel happy to be the recipient of your wonderfully healthy recipes. It’s sometimes hard to find a new twist on a salad these days. The coconut is a flavorful addition. I like this!
You know, Barb, you didn’t have to write anything but the recipe for this post. Your opening photos “spoke” volumes. A salad could not possibly look more inviting. As for the chickpea topping, I could place it in a bowl by itself and I bet my guests would gobble it down while we sipped our wine.
Congratulations on reaching your goals, Barb. You are so right. Great things can be accomplished if we remain consistent. Little changes over time will yield big results every time.
Might those bright colors be a sign of yearning for spring already?
Congratulations Barb, that’s awesome! I’ve noticed as I’ve gotten older, working more on strength and being more fit has really helped me feel better overall. And if you have issues with your knees, making them stronger will help you in the long run too. But sounds like it’s going great!
Could this salad be any more gorgeous? I love the colours, it makes me think of spring! I’ve heard you guys have had a really great winter so far, at least for February… possibly even 12 degrees recently– if I heard correctly? We’ve been buried by snow of late here in Ontario, so I’m very much looking forward to spring haha! Thankfully March is just around the corner!
I will give this a try for a nice lunch or light supper soon. I can’t eat chickpeas (I’m avoiding legumes as I’m trying to follow the paleo diet) but I may add some chicken. Healthy and delicious, thanks so much for sharing.