I eat a pretty healthy diet in general, but lately I’ve been trying to clean up my diet even more. As a vegetarian, I eat a ton of nutrient-rich veggies and fiber-filled grains. On the other side of the coin, I also eat too many starchy carbs like beans and lentils. Don’t get me wrong, these foods have a ton of health benefits, but considering they make up a huge part of my diet and with all the talk about how we should be eating fewer carbs, I wanted to replace the starch with a few more leafy salads. The problem is, 9 times out of 10, I am left unsatisfied and bored after eating a salad and find myself hungry and reaching for salty, carb-filled snacks not long after. After a little bit of trial and error, I realized the key elements of a satiating salad: protein, fiber, fat and a variety of textures. This delicious salad is packed full or protein-rich tofu, calcium-filled feta, fibrous asparagus and a plethora of flavours and textures. It’s also super quick to prepare and can be made in large batches, making it an awesome option for Sunday meal prep. It’s low-carb as well, so it’s perfect for those on the keto diet. Say goodbye to dullsville piles of leaves and hello to flavour and healthy fats and plant-based protein.

INGREDIENTS

Salad

1/2 Block Of Extra Firm Tofu

1 Cup Of Mixed Greens (I like a mix of kale, spinach and arugula.)

1-2 Tbsp Of Crumbled Feta Cheese

1/2 Cubed Avocado

1 Cup Chopped Asparagus

1 Handful Of Chopped Cilantro

Dressing

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Lime Or Lemon Juice
• 1 Tsp Minced Ginger
• 1 Tsp Sea Salt
• Herbs To Taste (I like oregano and rosemary.)

DIRECTIONS

1 // Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Celsius.

2 // Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl with a whisk. Set aside.

3 // Chop the vegetables (apart from the asparagus) and toss in a bowl.

4 // Drain the liquid from the tofu package and chop the tofu into bite sized pieces. Sauté with olive oil, salt and pepper until golden brown (approximately five minutes).

5 // Cut the bottom end off of all of the asparagus and place on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until tender.

6 // Once cool, add the asparagus and tofu to the rest of the salad and toss while slowly adding the dressing.

7 // Garnish with extra cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Serve and enjoy!

Enjoy your healthy and delicious salad! I promise you won’t be hungry in half an hour. Try it and let me know what you think!

xoxo,

Alicia