Recently I had the good fortune of hearing Dr. Ann Kulze speak at a conference about how nutrition impacts health. She was a keynote speaker, but also had a breakout (which I attended) that revolved around Brain Food. For those of us in the nutrition world, there are a handful of foods that you can eat to improve your brain health. I was pleased that her list was similar to the one that I use in my seminars (always helps when your research lines up with those of actual doctors!).
I began thinking more about her talk, and about my own brain health. Of course, when I came home that night I made myself a heaping salad with many of the foods she suggested - which leads me to this recipe.
I've never really been a big fan of canned fish - the smell of canned tuna makes me gag (although a fresh tuna salad sandwich always looks appetizing to me!). I thought I would try my luck at canned salmon - and wouldn't you know, I actually liked it! This may be my first step in trying canned tuna too.
This salad is a much heartier one than I normally eat - making it absolutely perfect for the cold weather months when you're craving a salad with bold flavors.
Brain Food Salad
serves 2-4 (I can seriously eat this whole bowl by myself!)
Salad:
1 bunch of kale, stems removed and sliced thin
drizzle of olive oil
1 can salmon, drained (you could easily use fresh fish or white beans instead)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced (or pressed if you're unsure of raw garlic)
1 avocado, pitted and cubed
1/4 c raw walnuts, crushed
Dressing:
1/4 c EVOO
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T champagne vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
In order to eat kale raw you really must massage it, as it's a thicker leafy green. Start by putting your sliced kale into a bowl, drizzle EVOO and use your hands to massage the greens. Work the EVOO into the kale for about a minute. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and toss with dressing.
Pretty much everything in this salad helps you maintain a healthy brain and body - so eat up and enjoy! If you are only cooking for one or two, this salad keeps nicely in the fridge for a couple days. I would suggest making the dressing separate and only dress what you plan to eat at that sitting. You can easily pack up more dressing and salad for a brown bag lunch, or dinner the next night.
XoXo,
Nicole