I love salads, especially ones that are full of color and texture. The more layers, the more I like it. I used to include lots of things that are no longer in my diet, like meats and cheeses. But now that I have been focusing on a plant-based diet I have found ingredients that easily replace my much-loved staples.
Kale leaves topped with couscous, black beans, and roasted veggies with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
I have a set of very large pasta bowls that I just love. They are nice and wide, which gives me a lot of space to spread around my toppings, ensuring that I can get a little bit of everything in each bite.
I originally intended to use quinoa, but discovered I was out! But a quick scan of the cabinet and I found couscous to replace it. The day before I had roasted some sweet potato and delicata squash chunks with olive oil and spices, so I tossed them in along with some black beans.
I ran out of avocado, so I swapped in my home-grown lemon brined olives which gave the dish a nice salty pop. Dried cranberries added a bit of sweetness that went really well with the balsamic vinegar. Crumbled some plant feta on top and then a drizzle of basil-infused olive oil with a crack of salt and pepper and I was ready to eat!
This combo was really tasty, and also packed a bunch of great nutritional elements, so what’s not to love! Of course, if you want to try your hand at this dish, feel free to use what you have in the cupboard or fridge. Chances on you’ll make something tasty too.
Cheers!
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