Summer salads usually include a potato salad ladened starch and fat. Not good for the waistline. So what could you make instead and still enjoy a potato salad, of sorts?
Firstly, let’s swap out the white potatoes for sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a nutritious alternative. Just look at the awesome orange colour of the sweet potato. That colour is an indication of a natural whole food that is rich in beta carotene. Beta-carotene is actually a double molecule of vitamin A, part of a broader group of substances known as provitamin A. It can be converted to vitamin A in the upper intestine before absorption. As well, beta-carotene can be converted to vitamin A in your liver. However, sometimes due to ailments, your body may have a lower ability to convert from provitamin A to vitamin A. Assimilation of vitamin A and carotenes (yes, there are suspected to be as many as 50 that may qualify as provitamin A) is helped by the presence of bile salts and fatty acids in the intestines. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin which is an anti-inflammatory and an anti-oxidant. Both properties that are needed with today’s crazy lifestyle of go-go-go.
Secondly, let’s add nutrient density by including broccoli. Broccoli is rich in vitamins A, C and folic acid. With vitamins A and C, broccoli is a great addition to add antioxidants to scavenge free radicals produced by your busy lifestyle and its accompanying stress. In this recipe, I blanch or lightly steam the broccoli to remove any goitrogenic properties that might slow your thyroid’s metabolism.
Thirdly, let’s increasing healthy fats by using olive oil and eliminating the mayo. If you like, you could add some sliced black olives too.
Sweet Potato & Broccoli Summer Salad
Ingredients
- 4 c roasted or grilled sweet potato, about 2 lbs
- 2 c broccoli florets, blanched (about 1 lb)
- 1 c cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 c green onions, sliced diagonally
- 1 c parsley, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 c black olives, sliced (optional)
Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp brown or dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp horseradish prepared
- 1 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
Instructions
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Roast sweet potatoes in a 350F oven until tender. Or slice sweet potato into 1-inch wheels and grill on the BBQ until tender.
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Blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for one minute or less. The green colour will intensify and the goitrogenic properties minimized.
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Prepare the dressing by whisking together.
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Toss all of the ingredients in a large salad bowl.
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Serve either warm or chill until meal time.
Recipe Notes
Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate, 1 vegetable, 1 fat