It’s that time of year when eating well is on everyone’s mind. For many that means cutting things out of our diets: calories, fat, sugar, carbs. I not only find all of that deprivation depressing, but also ultimately leading to disappointment. Certainly cutting back on excessive calories and fat makes sense after a holiday season that is packed with both and that can be a great way to jump-start the year. But in the interest of sticking to your resolutions past February, I like to focus on what I should be eating MORE of, not less of. This means focusing on nutritionally dense food. So often we look at food as the bad guy, the temptation, the thing that makes us lose our willpower and self-respect at the same time. Yikes! That’s a lot of power to give to a fried potato. What about looking at food as a way of getting all the nutrition we need to be healthy and happy? Looking at various food items not only in terms of taste, but also in terms of all the good stuff they hold is a great step toward letting food back into your life as a friend, not an enemy.
In practical terms, this means looking at a scoop of peanut butter not only as a delicious snack but also as brain-food that’s full of protein. An orange is not only sweet and full of flavor but also supplies a decent portion of your daily dose of vitamin C. With this in mind, I’ve put together a salad that is chock full of protein, vitamins and nutrients…AND it tastes amazing! If you’re someone who thinks salads are boring, this is the salad for you! It’s tangy, spicy, crunchy and satisfying. It’s also full of protein and fiber from the black beans and peanuts, vitamin C from the bell pepper, folate from the cabbage, lycopene from the tomatoes – it’s a super-food power punch. Best of all, it’s easy to make and actually gets better as it sits in the fridge overnight. It will last up to 4-5 days in the fridge, but it never seems to last that long in my house. Maybe this salad will even make you forget about the French fry you “can’t” have.
We’ll be making a lot of this salad over the next few months as part of our cooking demonstrations with Vitality City. We’re also kicking off the new year with a series of Healthy Living Cooking Classes with Health Coach Eugenie Mason on topics that range from detoxing to gluten-free comfort foods to healthy food your kids will love.
Peanut & Black Bean Salad with Spicy Cilantro-Lime Dressing
serves 6 as a side dish
2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed very well and drained
1/2 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts
2 cups halved baby tomatoes
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
3 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 jalapeno
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
In a large bowl, toss together the beans, peanuts, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion and cabbage.
Cut the jalapeno in half and scrape out the seeds (OR leave them in if you like it spicy!). Cut the jalapeno into small pieces and place into a blender. Add the cilantro, lime juice, orange juice, a pinch of salt and the olive oil. Blend until smooth. Toss the salad with the dressing. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Enjoy immediately OR refrigerate for up to 5 days (it gets better as it sits!).
Yum – can’t wait to try this out. I love adding less standard proteins to salad – quinoa is my new favorite, edamame, legumes, almonds…this is right up my alley! Thanks ladies!
I hope you don’t mind I reposted it on my FB page (with a recommendation to check out Simply Gourmet). I’m hoping to take a few classes this year. Hope to see you and Taji soon!
Thanks, Janette! We love when people spread the word 🙂