Zesty Super Greens Salad

Who doesn’t love a good fresh salad? This zesty super greens salad is nutrient dense and includes anti-inflammatory ingredients. All around this is a great salad to add to your meals. The pumpkin seeds add some extra protein but if you want to toss in a bit more protein, like chicken or salmon, it can double as a main course.

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We’ve made this salad many times to take to potlucks and family gatherings. It is always a hit! My brother was quite surprised at how much he enjoyed it considering he was not much of a kale fan. The pumpkin seeds add a nice crunch. The arugula gives off a mild peppery flavor that pairs really well with the garlic and lemon dressing.

This salad is great year round but kale can be especially flavorful in the colder months of the year. After a frost, kale tends to have a sweeter taste to it!

A few of the Beneficial ingredients:

Kale: Classified as a ‘super green’, kale is full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Rich in vitamin K and beta-carotene, kale is great for skin, eye, and immune health. It is a natural detoxifier and a great source of minerals like magnesium and copper. This superfood is also a wonderful source of fiber for our gut-health. Along with spinach, this leafy green is a staple in my anti-inflammatory diet!

Spinach: This superfood is an excellent source of iron! Spinach also helps to reduce inflammation and support our immune health. It is loaded with vitamins, folate, calcium, and potassium. Spinach helps support detoxification and muscle recovery. It is also linked to supporting cognitive function. This antioxidant-rich super green, with it’s mildly sweet, earthy flavor, is a must in this zesty salad.

Pumpkin Seeds: These little seeds provide a nice amount of iron and protein. I love snacking on these! They are also a great source of magnesium and zinc. Pumpkin seeds provide us with a good amount of omega 3’s, a healthy fatty acid. The lignans in pumpkin seeds can help regulate hormones and may help reduce the risk of cancers, which is why many women use them in ‘seed cycling’.

Garlic: Garlic contains allicin which is antimicrobial and antiviral. This helps the immune system to fight infections. It is also full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

How to make this Zesty Super Greens Salad:

You will need:

2 bunches of Lacinato Kale (remove the stems and chop the leaves)

4 cups baby spinach

3 cups arugula

1/2 cup raw sprouted pumpkin seeds

4 cloves of garlic- finely chopped

zest of 1 lemon

4 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

salt and pepper to desired taste

2 cups artichoke hearts (grilled and chopped)

Instructions:

1. Place your chopped kale, spinach, and arugula in a large salad bowl. Mix until combined.

2. Add the pumpkin seeds, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt/pepper to the salad. Toss together until combined.

3. Using a stainless steel or cast iron skillet with a small drizzle of oil, grill the artichoke hearts over med-high heat, turning a few times. Remove from heat and cut into smaller pieces.

4. Add the artichoke hearts to the salad and toss together with the other ingredients.

Serve and enjoy!

Tips for making this Zesty Super Greens Salad:

When grilling the artichoke hearts, make sure to pre-heat your pan completely to prevent the artichoke hearts from sticking.

If available, try to get lacinato kale for this recipe. It is has a mild sweetness and is more tender than other varieties, which makes it great for using raw in salads.

Make sure to get an organic extra virgin (cold-pressed) olive oil. A cold pressed single source olive oil will not only taste better, but it is so beneficial to our health. Unfortunately, many olive oils on the market today are cut with other low quality and inflammatory oils. Read more here about choosing high quality anti-inflammatory oils.

I always opt for organic produce, to avoid the added pesticides and chemicals that come on non-organic options.

If you can tolerate dairy, Parmesan cheese would be a delicious addition to this salad.

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5 from 2 votes

Zesty Super Greens Salad

This is a delicious, fresh, year round salad full of benefits. This zesty super greens salad is nutrient dense and includes anti-inflammatory ingredients. The pumpkin seeds add protein and iron, as well as a nice crunch! The arugula gives off a mild peppery flavor that pairs really well with the garlic and lemon.

Ingredients

• 2 bunches of Lacinato Kale remove the stems and chop the leaves
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 3 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup raw sprouted pumpkin seeds
• 4 cloves of garlic- finely chopped
• zest of 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• salt and pepper to desired taste
• 2 cups artichoke hearts grilled and chopped

Instructions

• Place your chopped kale, spinach, and arugula in a large salad bowl. Mix until combined.
• Add the pumpkin seeds, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt/pepper to the salad. Toss together until combined.
• Using a stainless steel or cast iron skillet with a small drizzle of oil, grill the artichoke hearts over med-high heat, turning a few times. Remove from heat and cut into smaller pieces.
• Add the artichoke hearts to the salad and toss together with the other ingredients.
• Serve and enjoy!

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