I live on the beach in Panama where wellness is on everyone’s mind. But even when I didn’t, January always marked the start of “Get In Shape for Bathing Suit Season.” This is hard when you’re a wine-loving foodie, so I’ve had to adapt. Like most of you, I refuse to give up wine because it’s the best part of life. Keeping wine means I have to adapt in other areas…or buyer bigger clothes.
Luckily, my husband and I love vegetables. We’ve come up with a Beach Body Salad Recipe that we eat several times a week. Sometimes we eat it as a light lunch, and other times as a snack between meals. But it’s so flavorful and full of doctor-approved fats, that you almost forget its healthy.
The best part is that it’s really easy to make. Dice a few veggies, toss in some leftover brown rice or quinoa, and garnish with nuts or seeds. Voila. A meal that tastes great, has a satisfying crunch, and will keep you full for hours.
When it comes to the garnish, use whatever nuts or seeds you have on hand. I always keep toasted pine nuts because they are my favorite, but you could just as easily use sunflower seeds, slivered almonds or chopped pecans.
I typically pair this with a light to medium-bodied white wine with high acidity, such as a Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Grigio or a Vinho Verde from Portugal. (With all the Portuguese being spoken in my house, I can never forget about Portuguese wine!)
You can throw in some fresh herbs if you like. I like to add some diced mint or parsley if I have it, but I don’t make a special trip to the grocery store if I don’t have the herbs I want.
Beach Body Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber seeds removed & diced
- 1 apple cored & diced
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 1 cup quinoa cold
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. nuts or seeds
- 2 tsp. mint minced
- 2 tsp. parsley minced
- 1 cup fresh mango diced (optional)
- 1/2 lemon juice only
Instructions
- Combine minced herbs with olive oil and lemon juice.
- Mix dressing over salad. Serve immediately.
Beach Body Salad Recipe
1 apple, cored and diced
1/2 avocado, diced
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup Brown Rice or Quinoa (cold)
1 Tbsp. Good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Nuts or seeds
1-2 tsp. mint, parsley or basil (optional)Wash the produce well as you will be eating it raw. You can peel the cucumber but I prefer it with the skin on. Dice the vegetables, removing the seeds, and put in a mixing bowl. Add olive oil and brown rice. Toss until well mixed. Serve into bowls and garnish with nuts or seeds and more fresh herbs if you like. Makes 2 lunch-size servings or 4 servings if you’re serving as a side dish.WINE PAIRING: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Vinho Verde
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