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Photo: Jason Donnelly
If you are anything like me, you take a glance at the refrigerator once a week and realize you have tons of veggies to use. And while I sometimes struggle to find ways to use up fresh produce, this salad combines all my kitchen staples to create a delicious lunch. I like to call it my “Kitchen-Clean-Out-Salad”—and lately, I’ve been making it nonstop.
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Here’s how I make my version. First, I start with a bowl of kale (which isalwaysin my fridge). Since the salad recipe is pretty simple, I like to add other anti-inflammatory ingredients I have on hand. Sometimes I’ll toss in cabbage or broccoli to supplement the kale base, and I also include chopped bell peppers because they’re my favorite veggie. Corn, carrot strips, red onion and peas are ingredients I often cook, so if I have some leftovers, I’ll throw them in too. As for the dressing, I use the same ingredients as the recipe: olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic.
After mixing the dressing in with the veggies, I like adding complex carbs and protein to ensure I stay satisfied all afternoon. Generally, I add a half-cup of cooked whole-grain pasta to my serving to make it more of a pasta salad. If you’re not a pasta fan,cooked quinoa, brown rice or farro would work just as well.Chickenorshrimpwould be perfect with this recipe if you want to add some extra protein.
Once my salad is assembled, I sprinkle a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese and pine nuts on top. I also like to add a fewcrispy chickpeassince I make a huge batch at the beginning of every week.
Inflammation is a culprit in many chronic diseases—including heart disease, diabetes, cancer and arthritis—so it’s always a good idea to include anti-inflammatory foods in your diet. This salad can be a delicious way to do that—whether you know you have inflammation or not. The nice thing about this salad is you can make it your own and can even adjust it to include morebudget-friendly anti-inflammatory foods.
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