The Best Salad! Greens Tossed With Roasted Carrots, Mandarin Oranges, Avocados And Pumpkin Seeds. Vegan &Amp; Gluten-Free

There are salads and then there are salads. This is the latter. Big hearty salads bursting with fresh produce and a bright, flavorful dressing. Whenever I talk to my clients about incorporating more salads into their meals, I get the obligatory eye-roll. But I’m not talking about boring salads of lettuce, croutons, shredded carrots and fat free dressing.
Uck. I wouldn’t want that either.

Big bountiful salads filled with raw or roasted vegetables, bright, flavorful dressings, lean protein & creamy avocado (a must for me). These are the salads dreams are made of.

Next time you’re craving a salad, try this one or follow my below guide:

1. Pick a base: any lettuce will do
2. Add extra green vegetables: green peppers, sprouts, broccoli, whatever
3. Add a pop of color: red bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, you get the idea
4. Crunch! My favorite part- nuts, seeds, toasty things are best
5. Mix in extras: My go-to’s- chickpeas, baked tofu, cooked quinoa, rice or millet
6. Top it with a flavorful dressing! Save this mix-and match guide for healthy, delicious choices

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!

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Pepita Salad with Avocado & Orange

Servings: servings

Ingredients

Balsamic Chipotle Dressing:1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano
pinch sea salt
Pepita Salad:1/3 cup pepita seeds, hulled pumpkin seeds
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 avocado, chopped
4 cups spring mix
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 oranges, peeled, membrane removed and sliced into segments

Instructions

Make the Dressing:In a small blender combine the olive oil, chipotle, balsamic vinegar, and dried oregano. Blend until combined. If you don’t have a blender, whisk the ingredients together.
Make the Salad:Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the carrot slices with olive oil and pinch salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes until crispy and cooked through.
Place the pepitas on a baking sheet and place in the oven the last 3 minutes the carrots are roasting. They should be toasted, not burned. If they need longer, roast them for another minute being careful not to burn.
In a large bowl, combine the spring mix, orange segments, toasted pepita seeds, roasted carrots, cilantro and avocado.
Toss with dressing.

Course: dinner, healthy, lunch, Salad

Author: Alexandra Caspero