Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life

pepper
     

     

Crunchy Cinnamon Plantain and Macadamia Nut Salad
     
    Suggested dressing: Mango Lime Dressing (p. 254)
     
    High in trace minerals, the plantain and the dulse in this salad help replenish the body’s electrolytes after higher-than-usual levels of sweat loss—great for after a long workout or Bikram’s yoga class, or even just on a warm summer evening. Because of their healthy fats, protein, and fiber, the macadamia nuts give this salad staying power and a good dose of potassium, a prime electrolyte lost in sweat.
    4 cups mixed greens
1 cup sunflower seed sprouts
1/2 cup chopped sugar snap peas
1/2 cup bite-size pieces of Crunchy Cinnamon Plantain Strips (p. 242)
1/4 cup chopped dulse
2 tbsp chopped macadamia nuts
     

Cucumber Dill Salad
     
    Suggested dressing: Cucumber Dill Dressing (p. 256)
     
    The Curry Lentil Crackers in this salad provide sustenance, while the sunflower seeds supply a good dose of selenium and vitamin E, both powerful antioxidants. The coolness of the dill nicely complements the curry’s warming effect.
     
    1/2 cucumber, grated
4 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup bite-size pieces of Curry Lentil Crackers (p. 259)
1/4 cup chopped dulse
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
     

     

Popped Amaranth Hemp Seed Salad
     
    Suggested dressing: Cayenne Dill Tahini Dressing (p. 253)
     
    Hemp seeds combined with amaranth give this salad an exceptional protein profile.
     
    1 sheet nori, chopped
4 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup Popped Amaranth (p. 209)
1/2 cup chopped snow peas
2 tbsp hemp seeds
     

     

Lemon Crisp Beet Salad
     
    Suggested dressing: Orange Pumpkin Seed Dressing (p. 255)
     
    Iron-rich kale and pumpkin seeds combine with the vitamin C in the lemon crisps (and the Orange Pumpkin Seed Dressing, if used) in this salad to keep the blood healthy by helping build red blood cells.
    1 leaf dinosaur kale
2 dulse strips (about 1/4 cup, tightly packed)
3 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup grated beet
1/2 cup bite-size pieces of Lemon Sesame Crisps (p. 260)
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
     

     

Creamy Carrot Salad
     
    Suggested dressing: Macadamia Dill Dressing (p. 255)
     
    Calcium-rich dinosaur kale and the sesame seeds in the Nutritional Yeast and Sesame Seed Topping make this salad especially calcium rich and therefore alkaline-forming. If bone health is a concern, this salad is a practical dietary solution. Also plentiful in B vitamins from the nutritional yeast and sprouts, this salad helps the body burn carbohydrate more efficiently.
    1 leaf dinosaur kale
1/2 cup grated carrot
3 cups mixed greens
1 cup sunflower seed sprouts
3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast and Sesame Seed Topping (p. 211)
     

     

Zucchini Chip Almond Salad
     
    Suggested dressing: Pomegranate Poppy Seed Dressing (p. 257)
     
    Because of the soaked almonds and red pepper, this salad is particularly high in antioxidants. The Zucchini Chips provide a good source of electrolytes, making this a good salad to replenish and repair the body.
    1/2 cucumber, grated
4 cups mixed greens
1/2½ cup sliced red peppers
1/2 cup bite-size pieces of Zucchini Chips (p. 260)
2 tbsp soaked and chopped almonds
     

     

Cucumber Pesto Salad
     
    Suggested dressing: Tomato Basil Dressing (p. 256)
     
    In part because of the garlic, this salad is a good immune booster. If you eat this salad at the first sign of a cold, you may find that the cold never materializes. The high vitamin K content in the pine nuts helps prevent blood clots.
     
    1/2 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cucumber, grated
4 cups mixed greens
3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast and Sesame Seed Topping (p. 211)
2 tbsp pine nuts
     

Arame Seaweed Salad
     
    Suggested dressing: Any of the dressing recipes in this book can be used instead of the hemp oil and lemon juice listed below.
     
    Arame seaweed is a good introduction to sea vegetables for those who are unaccustomed to them. It has a mild flavor that does not have as strong a taste of the sea as some other sea vegetables do. As with most sea vegetables, arame is a rich source of iodine and calcium, and it is alkaline-forming.
     
    2 cups arame seaweed
2 tbsp unhulled sesame seeds (or hemp seeds)
1 tbsp hemp oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
     
     
    Soak arame in water for about 20 minutes; 15 minutes is enough if you prefer a slightly crunchy texture. Mix all ingredients together.
     
    Variation: Add 2 tsp agave nectar and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper for a sweet, hot flavor.
     

salad dressings
     
    Green salads are among the healthiest of foods. Why,