Salad Fix

In my previous blog "Keep it Simple", I talked about using fresh ingredients and keeping them simple to let the natural flavors of the food shine through.
I am also conscious of the fact that because of today's busy schedules, meals have to be quick and satisfying.
One of the fastest and easiest ways to achieve this is by making salad.
Salads can pack quite a punch when it comes to satisfying ones hunger as well as being full of flavor and nutrient rich.
I am the Queen when it comes to salads.

Give me a bunch of fresh ingredients and I can find a way to make a salad with it.
Add different textures by adding nuts and dried fruits.
Try using fresh herbs to give your salads extra punch.
Pack in extra protein to your salads by including cooked beans or protein rich grains. 

In my opinion, salads should NEVER be boring because you have so many options.
I am also of the opinion that salads taste best when the dressing is made from scratch.
Besides, You can whip up a fresh batch of salad dressing in any blender in about 3 minutes.
So why settle for store bought?   
There is just something to be said about that perfect combination of herbs, oil and acid that can make a salad sing.
Freshly made dressings also have no preservatives (which changes the flavor of the ingredients) and you control the salt and sugar content.
An added benefit to salad is that many of the ingredients are negative calories.
All foods have calories or energy however they also require energy (calories) by the body to burn them.
If a food requires more body energy to burn than it produces, then it creates a negative caloric count.
Guess what?  Negative caloric counts lead to weight loss.  Bonus!!!!
This means you can eat it in abundance (mindful of other ingredients of course) without being overly worried about your waistline.
The following list contains some foods that create negative calories.
Apples, Apricots, Asparagus,  Beets, Blackberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cantaloupes, Carrots, Cranberries, Cauliflower, Celery, Chicory, Chili Peppers, Watercress, Cucumbers, Dandelion, Eggplant, Endive, Fennel, Garlic, Grapefruit, Green Beans, Guava, Lemons, Lettuce (all kinds), Mangoes, Onions, Oranges, Papayas, Peaches, Pineapples, Plums, Prunes, Radishes, Raspberries, Spinach, Strawberries, Tangerines, Tomatoes, Turnip, Watermelon, Zucchini
Eat these to your hearts content and watch the pounds melt away.
Following is a simple and delicious recipe for my Kale and Chickpea Salad.
This salad is nutrient rich with proteins, iron and antioxidants.

Try it and let me know how you liked it.  
Once again, Thanks for taking the ride to Whole Living with me.  Until next time.

Blessings, Love and Light,

Carla Veggie Chef Figáro

Kale and Chickpea Salad

1 lb cooked garbanzo beans

2 cups finely chopped kale

1 medium carrot grated

2 cloves garlic paste (adjust for your taste)

1 small red pepper diced

1 small yellow pepper diced

2 spring onions (green only) chopped

2 lemons (juiced)

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tsp agave (adjust for your taste)

sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Once prepped, place all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss until well blended.  Refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.

Be sure to re-toss before serving.