During these hot summer months, I am a salad nut! To most, the idea of eating salad daily makes their stomach grumble with thoughts of deprivation. I am here to convert all you anti-salad protestors.

Salad recipes are nearly limitless with the abundance of delicious, fresh ingredients in the produce aisle. A mixture of different flavors, salty and sweet, and textures, soft and crunchy, is key. I usually pile mine high with fiber-filled lentils, garbanzo beans, onion, satisfying avocado, firm tofu, sweet English peas or beets, crunchy nuts and seeds or any other veggies in my fridge.

 

I found this great Roasted Sweet Potato Salad recipe on WomensHealthMag.com and gave it a personal twist with some of my favorite ingredients.

 

 

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1″ chunks

2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1″ pieces

2 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar

1 pound spinach or arugula, torn into bite-size pieces

1 cup English peas

1 avocado

¼ cup shelled sunflower seeds

 

 

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2.In a large roasting pan, combine the oil, salt, and black pepper. Add the sweet potatoes and bell peppers and toss to coat well. Roast, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the oven and stir in the vinegar.

3.Mix all other ingredients in a large serving bowl. Add the potato mixture and toss with dressing to coat well. Serve immediately.

-Emily Freeman