When we think about healthy eating, consuming fruit is not one of the things that seems like a hardship to most people, and yet in the Global Burden of Disease Study that was done in 2010 (the largest analysis ever of risk factors for death and disease) not eating enough fruit was identified as the WORST aspect of the American diet, and diet was determined to be the leading cause of death and disability.
So in this episode of In My Plant-Based Kitchen we're talking fruit! We discuss:
- why eating a variety of fruit as a regular part of your daily diet is so important (phytonutrients and more)
- what fruit brings to the table in terms of health benefits
- how much fruit SHOULD you be eating to get optimal benefits?
- what about the sugar in fruit?
- ideas for getting more into your diet
- AND we make my go-to oil-free berry salad dressing, perfect for summer salads!
Now, let's get to the recipes!
Blue-Green Salad with Go-To Oil-Free Berry Dressing
In this week's video I share my go-to oil-free salad dressing -- it's SO simple and SO delicious. Easy to make and it goes with ANY summer salad. However, I also promised to share one of my favourite summer salads that goes WITH the dressing. Enjoy!
Blue-Green Salad
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
- 8 cups mixed greens
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 cup vegan blue cheese, cut into small bits or crumbled (I used Nuts for Cheese brand, available at Townsite Fruit & Veg)
- ½ cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
Dressing:
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp water
Directions:
Blend all dressing ingredients together until smooth. Assemble salad ingredients into individual bowls if possible, layering the mixed greens, then the blueberries, then pecans and finally the blue cheese bits. Serve with the dressing on the side.