Market Medley Salad

Eat with your eyes, homie.

Let’s face it, I’m an artist first and a cook second. So it goes without saying, that I always eat with my eyes first. I’m constantly playing with color, texture and size to achieve aesthetically fun dishes. In fact, I think it’s safe to say, I approach food in a totally different manner than that of a classically trained chef. Insert: Ghetto Fabulousness here.

More than aesthetics though, color plays a large role in our overall health. If you look at the standard american diet (SAD), you’ll realize that most people aren’t eating enough variety – and/or colors! I mean check out any fast food meal and you’ll be overwhelmed with an array of beige and browns tones – Please note, I hate beige! However, when you cook with whole, fresh, or raw ingredients, your palette options are endless!

Moreover, eating a wide variety of color means we are supplying the body with an array of vitamin and minerals. For example, red fruits and vegetables are red because of the lycopene. If the food isn’t red, you’re not ingesting lycopene – and folks, the body doesn’t just make lycopene on it’s own!

Besides being a color-whore artist, I also am just  kind of lazy when it comes to food – ok, some are you are laughing and probably rolling your eyes at that last statement – but lazy in the sense, that I don’t like to document everything I’m eating in order to make sure I’m getting the correct nutrients. Nope, don’t wanna – don’t have time for that. So, for quick and easy reassurance, I just eat my weight in colorful foods! Easy peasy.

Now, it’s your turn – don’t over think it – head to the market and just buy produce using your eyes. Looks for reds, purples, greens, yellows, oranges, etc… Instead of red cherry tomatoes, buy the black cherry tomatoes. Or, instead of white cabbage, grab the purple – continually mixing it up every time. If you always buy green peppers, then this week, challenge yourself to buy to red (or yellow). Always buy romaine lettuce? Grab some curly endive instead. Red beets? Switch to golden beets. The list goes on and on and on… really, it does!

Market Medley Salad

• shredded purple cabbage
• julienned golden beets
• julienned red beets
• sweet corn (raw)
• fresh basil (chopped)
• black cherry tomatoes
• yellow cherry tomatoes
• red cherry tomatoes
• shaved radishes
• about 1 tsp minced pearl onion

Dressing

• olive oil
• white wine vinegar
• dijon mustard
• stevia
• sea salt
• ground black pepper

In a large bowl mix all ingredients. Whisk dressing and toss with salad (adjust according to taste) – Store in refrigerator. The longer the salad marinates, the more flavorful it will become! (will keep for about 2 or 3 days)

Enjoy!

Tagged as: color, easy, picnic, potluck, quick, Raw, salad, summer, vegan