This delicious Blue Zone-inspired chopped salad will fuel all your fiber goals, while packing a plant-based protein punch!
There are 5 Blue Zone's on the planet. They are: Loma Linda, California. Sardinia, Italy. Okinawa, Japan. Peninsula, Costa Rica. And, Ikaria, Greece.
A Blue Zone is defined by a specific region's health status. Based on their longevity, but also the quality of life fo the participants who live there. They live long and healthy lives. Blue zone's can be home to centenarians!
People who live in Blue Zone's eat some of the healthiest diets. They differ, culturally from region to region, but the main component's of the diet are the same. Mainly whole, plant-based foods, minimal added sugar, fresh herbs, and 90% base of plant-based food. These diet factors mixed with their ideal active and social lifestyle, creates some of the healthiest people on the globe.
Adding legumes, like these black-eyed peas to a salad or replacing a meat dish with them is a great way to increase the fiber content of foods, while staying full. People in Blue Zone's eat 4x as many beans as the standard American.
To find more Blue Zone recipes, read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Zones-Kitchen-Recipes-Live/dp/1426220138/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&&linkCode=sl1&tag=blue0b02-20&linkId=c0618e50362724ddda8c3f05e6113ced&language=en_US
Ingredients for Seared Tofu:
1/2 block of extra-firm tofu
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of sriracha
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons of corn starch
liberal olive oil
Ingredients for Salad:
1 can of black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 cucumber, diced
1 cup of diced/chopped kale
3 green onions, diced
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 shallot, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 large stalks of celery, diced
1 cup of fresh mint leaves, diced
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Steps:
Press the tofu with a paper towel to release excess water. Set 1/2 block aside, and cut the other half into small cubes.
Place the tofu cubes in a dish. Add the seasonings, and shake or toss until all the cubes are coated. Place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Heat a skillet to medium-high heat, and place a few tablespoons of olive oil in the pan until heated. Add the tofu and sear on each side, flipping every few minutes until there is a nice char on the outside. Cook for 7-9 minutes, and set aside when done.
Prepare all vegetables, and the key to this salad is chopping everything very small.
Rinse and drain the black-eyed peas if using canned. Mix the red wine vinegar and olive oil in a separate container.
Place all the chopped and diced vegetables into a large salad bowl. Add the black-eyed peas, and pour over the oil and vinegar dressing. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper. Toss everything together and serve immediately with tofu on top, or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, then enjoy. Feel light and healthy after this amazing meal!
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