I consume a lot of salad during the week and I am always looking for ways to up my salad game by creating a new combo.
I spotted these leeks at the farmers market and although I wasn’t really sure what I could do with them, I thought it would be fun to give it a whirl! I also bought some fresh okra.
The end of the bulb is what you’ll be using for this salad, so wash the leek first. Rinse the leek under cold water by separating the leaves, but leave the leaves still attached to the bulb.
Leeks are basically part of the onion family, but much less strong, more like a cross between scallion and an onion. They can be eaten raw or cooked. They’re also very nutritious. Here’s some fun facts:
- A touted “cancer fighter” with vitamin rich properties like vitamin A & K; together nourishing your eyes, blood cell development, circulation and bone health.
- Leeks are also filled with vitamin C, folate, iron and magnesium.
- One bulb has just 54 calories, 1.5 grams of protein, plus fiber to keep you full.
Can you see why it might be a good idea to leak more leeks into your diet?! Continuing on with the recipe now…
After washing the leek, I then chopped up the bulb into thin slices. (You won’t use the leaves/stalks for this, but they are worth saving to flavor soups later on. Just freeze them.) Then chop up the rest of your ingredients and place in a bowl.
Ingredients:
1 leek chopped
1.5 cups of fresh okra chopped
2 carrots peeled into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
*Set chopped veggies aside, grab a small bowl to mix the oil free dressing.
Oil-Free Vinaigrette Dressing:
3/4c apple cider vinegar
4T of nutritional yeast
1tsp. grade B maple syrup
3T tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
1tsp. dijon mustard.
In a bowl, drizzle the vinaigrette dressing over chopped veggies and toss together. Put the bowl in the fridge and let it all marinate for about an hour. The veggies will become soft and the flavor will really enhance the longer it sits.
After the mixture softens up, take 3/4c of it and put it on a bed of greens (arugula and spinach here) and sprinkle a tablespoon of hemp seeds over the top for some added protein and crunch.
Voila! A new, easy, flavorful salad made with leeks. Who knew?! Leeks!
*I had plenty left over too. Be sure to check out my post on Avocado & Leek Toast and Marinated Veggie Burrito for some additional ideas!
