Spring Weekend Power Salad

Good morning! Friday is here, finally. I woke up with loads of energy this morning! It could be because I am excited for this fun, long weekend ahead 🙂 or because I ate fully raw yesterday! Meaning I ate no cooked foods. What??! Yes, no cooked foods. It’s nice to give your body whole foods in their pure, uncooked, unrefined state sometimes. Whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, nuts and seeds. I mentioned on instagram that I was trying #rawtill4 and I loved it so much that I continued it for the rest of the night. Your body recognizes the raw foods immediately, and it’s much easier on your digestive system. Am I going fully raw for good? Probably not, at least not yet.. but I love to incorporate the raw food lifestyle somedays, on occasion, when I feel my body needs it. Eating raw is a wonderful detox, you can eat beautiful foods found in nature and receive their nutritional benefits in full form, without being altered. It makes sense, right? Eating in harmony with nature, as nature intended for us. My vegan lifestyle does consist of many raw meals already, and I just love how they make me feel. My body soaks up all the vitamins and minerals right away, which leads to pure bliss on the inside and out. 

When we cook our foods, it damages/destroys their nutritional state, wiping them clean from their vitamins and minerals. Reading about the fully raw lifestyle is quite interesting, it is not for everyone but there is nothing wrong with being made aware of this other side of living! The fully raw lifestyle is as healthy as it gets! People really thrive eating this way, it has been known to cure all types of diseases and ailments. It would be the next step for a vegan trying to take their health to the next level, or for anyone wanting to feel their ultimate best, and rid their body of sickness. Remember you have to find what works for you. Personally, I don’t think I am ready to make the jump quite yet, I am still adjusting to the vegan lifestyle. Although, I do see it in my future. During the summer months, I will probably incorporate fully raw days in a few times a week. Keep in mind, this is a lifestyle, not a diet. Diets do not work. In order to maintain your caloric intake from raw foods, you need to eat a ton of fruits, veggies, leafy greens etc. Not eating enough is one of the main problems for raw foodies just starting out, and is one of the main reasons they do not stick with it. Want to learn more? Awesome! My favorite resource is Kristina from fullyraw.com. She has a FAQ page that will answer ANY questions/doubts you have. Also, the 80/10/10 book is a wonderful read and guide. 

And now on to my first salad recipe I am sharing on the blog! This Spring Weekend Power Salad would be perfect to bring to a holiday party this weekend, or any party this summer! It’s super nutritious and oh so presentable, due to the beautifully bright colors. With a deliciously creamy, tahini dressing, I was surprised at just how good this dressing tastes. A wonderful alternative to ranch. Without all the additives and nastiness. Yes, this salad can be fully raw too, without the chickpeas.

What is tahini? Tahini is a creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds, you can find it at most grocery stores, but watch out, some tahini sauces may use toasted sesame seeds, which would make this salad not fully raw. If you can’t find raw tahini, you can simply make your own by soaking sesame seeds and blending them up in a food processor. There are plenty of recipes on how to do this online. Or you can say screw it and buy whatever kind is at the store, haha.

Sesame seeds are very high in calcium and are full of fiber. This dressing goes perfectly with the crunchy veggies and greens to make it a savory salad that anyone can enjoy, guilt-free. 

Spring Weekend Power Salad with a Creamy, Tahini Dressing

• Prep Time: 25
• Total Time: 25

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Description

Raw & Vegan – makes 1 large bowl

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 cups kale, chopped
• 2 cups spring lettuce mix
• 2 cups purple cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 of a red pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 of a red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/3 cup hemp hearts
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds)
• 1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans

Dressing

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons raw avocado oil, hemp oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• fresh juice from 1/2 of a lemon
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin

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Instructions

1. Chop all the veggies/lettuce and place in large bowl.
2. Add hemp hearts, seeds and garbanzo beans. Mix.
3. To make the dressing, mix all ingredients well in a small mixing bowl and pour over salad or serve on the side. Tahini dressing needs to be refrigerated to stay fresh.

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Notes

• If you want this salad to be fully raw, make sure to omit the maple syrup!

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Are you a raw vegan? Would you be interested in the raw lifestyle? I would love to hear your thoughts! Have a wonderful holiday weekend 🙂