Welcome to Kat’s Kitchen. This new series gives you an intimate look into the fridge of our founder, Kat Burki herself. A skin nutritionist, she understands the impact different ingredients have on the health of our complexion.
As we go, we’ll be sharing her favorite recipes, breaking down why each ingredient is included, highlighting the benefits they bring to the table. Up first: Kat’s Life Long Antioxidant Salad & Dressing, meant to eliminate free-radicals for better health.
Base Ingredients:
Kale:A superfood high in antioxidants like Vitamin C and E. It also provides plant-based Calcium and Vitamin K, and is good for bone health. It also has fiber for a balanced gut.
Black & Pinto Beans:A great source of plant-based protein and fiber. Like kale, they contain antioxidants and Folate, a B vitamin that’s an essential nutrient.
Pecans & Walnuts: Both tree nuts are filled with antioxidant Vitamin E, and these healthy fats provide Omega-3, another essential.
Plums & Mangos: Plums contain insoluble fiber for digestive regularity, plus antioxidant Vitamin C. Mangos boast the same benefits, as well as Vitamin A.
Dried Sweet Cherries & Cranberries: While both dried fruits offer a dose of Vitamin C, sweet cherries also contain Vitamin A.
Dressing Ingredients: coconut oil, fresh ginger, orange and lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Directions:
Blend all dressing ingredients together in a blender.
Combine all base ingredients together in a large bowl.
Toss with dressing if feeding a crowd, or portion servings with dressing on the side throughout the week. Shake and mix dressing in when ready to enjoy.
Notes From Kat:
Feel free to tweak things here and there to suit your dietary needs. Sunflower seeds are a great crunchy topper for this salad, and add that nutty taste if allergic to tree nuts.
If you are monitoring your sugar intake, remember that while dried fruits have a higher concentration of antioxidants with the water removed, they also tend to have elevated sugar contents. Stick to just fresh fruit if this is a concern.
Top antioxidant-containing fruits include: cranberries, cherries, grapes, berries, figs, oranges, mangos, papayas, and tomatoes. Swap out any fruits you don’t prefer with one from this list to keep all the same benefits.
A rule of thumb with food is that the darker and richer the color, the higher the antioxidants. The ingredients of this salad all rank for highest levels of antioxidants, while also being plant-based and high in protein.
Adjust to your liking and enjoy this healthy, and delicious, antioxidant salad!
See you next time in the kitchen.
x KB
