A harvest slaw with all the brain foods

Brussels sprouts and walnuts and za'atar-seasoned salmon!

Hi, how are you? We’re on fall break this week and didn’t make big plans for it, other than playdates, a trip to the children’s museum, and a visit to the Desert Botanical Gardens to enjoy some much cooler weather. It has been a busy week of time spent with cousins and friends and we’ve all enjoyed sleeping in, so overall, I’m calling it a success. 🍁

---

I’m talking all about salads in today’s newsletter, including my formula for building great salads, plus a delicious harvest slaw that’s packed with all the best brain food!

Baby kale, shaved Brussels sprouts, sweet Honeycrisp apple, za’atar seasoned wild salmon, walnuts, and feta. Top it with a maple-Dijon vinaigrette that achieves that perfect sweet-acid-fat flavor combination.

If you’re a paid subscriber, you’ll be able to access the recipe at the bottom of the page, including the nutritional calculation and the printable PDF.

And… I never love mentioning it, but…

Interested in becoming a paid subscriber? You will receive a quick and easy dinner recipe every Thursday (always low carb, grain/gluten-free, and low glycemic!), plus any holiday menus, meal plans and bonus recipes. You’ll also be able to access the recipe archive and subscriber chat.

An annual subscription costs less than a latte per month ($4.16) and supports this newsletter and the hours of work that go into it every week.

Thank you for considering a paid subscription! Either way, I’m glad to have you here. ♥️

---

How to build a really great salad

I used to make salads that were really not great.

A bagged salad, or salad kit, or a bunch of iceberg lettuce and a few other vegetables for good measure, dumped in *insert any store-bought dressing.* These were my go-to salads.

I don’t mean to offend anyone/any salad (there is always a time and place for a good iceberg salad with ranch and bagged salads have come a long way!). But I’ve learned that a really good salad — as in, good for you and your taste buds— requires a certain formula.

I call it a formula, but you can follow it somewhat loosely. There will always be some exception to this, but I hope it can serve as a simple guide to up your salad game.

I’ve noticed that every salad I really love have most or all of these elements, whether it’s a restaurant salad or homemade.

As you scroll the list, it might seem there’s a lot, but keep in mind that there’s some overlap for some of these elements and many of them fit into several categories.

• Fresh greens. Leafy greens or crisp greens or sturdy greens. I usually opt for dark leafy greens or cruciferous vegetables that are nutrient-dense, like kale, Brussels sprouts, shredded cabbage, spinach, or a mix.

• Vegetables. This one is sort of a no-brainer, but I want to point out that when it comes to veggies in your salad, they don’t always have to be raw. Roasted or pickled vegetables are always a nice change, and add an extra element of flavor. Roasted squash, roasted carrots or cauliflower, pickled onion, pepperoncinis… the list goes on.

• A protein. For me, 95% of the time, this is a must. I love a salad even more when it’s topped with grilled chicken, steak or salmon. It adds heartiness and creates a filling plate. For a meatless option, roasted tofu or tempeh, lupini rice, or chopped boiled egg can do the trick.

• A fat. Fat can take on many forms. It can be the olive oil in a dressing, the fat in your protein, nuts, olives, or cheese. Fat will also keep you satiated and carries lots of flavor.

• Homemade dressing. A good dressing is always crucial to a good salad, and fortunately, a really good homemade dressing is so easy to make. When you make your own, you also have full control over what goes in it. A really good dressing doesn’t require a lot. A balanced vinaigrette needs a fat (like olive oil or avocado oil), an acid (vinegar or citrus juice), some salt/pepper, and extras like fresh or dried herbs, or a drizzle of honey. I usually create a large batch of dressing for the week (I’m sharing a few of my go-tos below) so they’re ready to go for quick lunch and dinner salad prep.

• Flavor add-ins. Fresh herbs, cheese, nuts, spices, a squeeze of lemon juice, grain-free granola, chopped dates, etc. If you feel like your salad needs a bit of something extra, you can usually jazz it up with one of these! Sometimes, all it takes is a dash of salt (usually in the dressing).

And here are a couple of bonus tips I like to keep in mind when building a great salad:

• Contrasting flavors. Savory and sweet is the easiest way to go— think juicy strawberries with a sharp blue cheese or sweet apple with a shallot dressing.

• Contrasting textures. Crunchy with creamy. Creamy avocado with crunchy walnuts or soft goat cheese with crisp snap peas.

Really great salads to give a try

Since we’re talking about salads, here are a few that I hope you love!

• An epic summery salad (you can swap in the peaches for apple, strawberries, or another sweet, fruit addition!)

• Keto steak salad with Dijon balsamic dressing

• Fall kale salad with pumpkin maple vinaigrette

• Grilled steak Caesar salad

• Roasted broccoli tahini salad with spicy cashews

---

Harvest slaw with za’atar salmon and dijon-maple vinaigrette

This simple slaw/salad situation is quick to make and follows the formula above!

Leafy greens: a mix of chopped Lacinato kale or baby kale + shredded Brussels sprouts

Vegetable/fruit: red onion and Honeycrisp apple

Protein: wild-caught salmon seasoned with za’atar, salt, and garlic powder

Fat and flavor add-ins: olive oil in the dressing, crumbled feta, toasted walnuts

Homemade dressing: a deliciously simple Dijon-maple vinaigrette

The contrast of sweet apples and sweet maple flavor goes so well with the savory shallot in the dressing and the earthy za’atar-seasoned salmon.

If you don’t want to take the time to shred the Brussels sprouts, you can easily swap it out for a different kind of leafy green or even thin-sliced green cabbage.

It would also be great with roasted vegetable additions (roasted delicata or butternut squash, roasted broccolini, roasted sweet potato, etc.) and the apple can be swapped for other fruits like sliced pear or pomegranate arils.