Breakfast Power Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Salad for breakfast? That sounds odd, but why? Greens are the most nutritious food, so why not start your day with them?
When my husband and I went to Saint Lucia for our honeymoon, our resort had its own organic garden. Every morning for breakfast I ordered the “detox” salad with a small green juice, and I was in heaven! Their salad was a mix of greens, fruit, and nuts, so I designed my recipe after theirs, using whatever I had on hand.
The pitons of St. Lucia
The view from our room. Ah, take me back there!
This is a sunset.
My salad has lots of ingredients in it, but you really can use whatever you have. Don’t have fresh berries and mango? Just cut up an apple! Only have sunflower seeds? Use those instead of walnuts or pumpkin seeds. To keep from wasting fruit, I bought a mixed fruit and berry cup from Whole Foods. And since I don’t like breakfast to take too long to prepare, I made a quick dressing that you can whisk together in a measuring cup or small bowl (because nobody wants to dirty the blender early in the morning).
This breakfast power salad is fresh, wholesome, and beautiful. I call it a power salad because of its variety of seeds, which are nutrient power houses. Additionally, berries are “superfoods” with their high levels of antioxidants and phytonutrients. Tahini, the creamy ingredient in the dressing, is made of ground sesame seeds — an excellent source of calcium. And finally, I topped my salad off with walnuts and chia seeds, giving myself a healthy dose of DHA (healthful fats) to fight inflammation and improve the quality of my breast milk, among other benefits.
This salad is easy to make, and would be perfect for taking to a potluck brunch. Just be sure to leave off the dressing until right before serving, or the greens will wilt. You can toss the salad in the dressing or drizzle the dressing on top — whichever you prefer.
Breakfast Power Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Ingredients:
Lemon Tahini Dressing:
- 1 T. tahini
- 1 t. maple syrup
- 1 T. lemon juice (plus more, if desired)
- 1/4 t. minced ginger (I keep a jar of pre-minced ginger in the fridge, which makes it much easier. It lasts a long time, so I feel my laziness is justified.)
- Pinch sea salt
- 2-3 t. water, or more to thin dressing to desired consistency
Salad:
- 2 large handfuls of mixed greens, chopped
- Assortment of fruit, chopped (I used 5 strawberries, 2 large chunks of pineapple, 2 slices of mango, and a handful of blueberries.)
- ~2 T. walnut pieces
- ~2 T. raw pumpkin seeds
- Optional: 3-5 fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 2 t. chia seeds
Directions:
- Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a cup or small bowl. Add water/lemon juice to thin the dressing to desired consistency.
- Toss all salad ingredients except the chia seeds together in a large bowl. Toss dressing into salad before plating, or divide salad into two bowls or plates and drizzle dressing on top. Sprinkle salad with chia seeds, and enjoy!
What a great way to start your day!
Can you store the second serving of salad and dressing (separately) in the fridge for the next day?
Yes! I actually had enough dressing to last 3 days (I made more salad). It thickens though, so be sure to add more lemon juice or water each day if you want it thinner.