Detox Salad with Tahini Lemon Dressing

Contributed by Recipe Developer Juli Novotny of BasilHealth – a new consumer digital health company dedicated to helping people take back control of their health.

This salad is so clean and crisp but crunchy and rich as well. I call it the detox salad because it doesn’t have any gluten, dairy, nuts, sugar and is somewhat low in fat. There is no cooking involved, even the tofu is raw.

Plus, it’s full of nutrient-dense superfoods, like avocado for a healthy dose of fat and pumpkin seeds, which are one of the best sources of magnesium. You just feel healthier the minute you finish it.

If you are not a fan of tofu simply replace with extra nuts or seeds. I just love tahini – for dipping, spreading, dressing–and it’s thick and creamy but the base is seeds as opposed to heavy cheese. And even better, it’s packed with essential vitamins and minerals like calcium, potassium and iron (to name a few).

If you haven’t yet gotten into the whole tahini thing, this salad is a perfect starter. The recipe I’m sharing makes extra dressing so feel free to store it in the refrigerator and use it as a dip for veggies.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 cups baby romaine or arugula or any other soft leafy green
• ⅓ cup toasted baby pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas)
• ½ – 1 whole avocado, skin removed and sliced
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 3 oz super firm tofu, cut into small cubes
• Tahini Dressing (recipe to follow)
• salt + pepper, to taste

Method:

1. In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients, except for the tahini dressing and the salt and pepper.
2. Add 1 Tbsp of tahini dressing to each bowl of salad.
3. Salt and pepper your salad, to taste, if it needs it.

Dressing Ingredients:

• ¼ cup roasted or raw tahini
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 Tbsp umeboshi plum vinegar {you can sub for rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar}

Method:

1. In a high speed blender, combine all of the above ingredients.
2. Blend away on high until everything is very thoroughly mixed and a creamy white color.

Store in airtight container in the refrigerator. Should last almost 2 weeks.