Description
Give your body a nutrition boost with this healthy power bowl salad filled with rainbow superfoods from sweet potatoes and beets to avocado, leafy greens, purple cabbage and wild salmon. Paired with calcium-rich Asian sesame dressing and nori seaweed topping. Gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free and great for a filling lunch. This recipe is for 2 servings so simply halve the ingredients for one or make the second portion for another day.
Ingredients
Cooked vegetables
1 medium sweet potato (350 g), peeled and diced
1 large beetroot, peeled and sliced into wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
Raw vegetables
3 cups leafy greens
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
4 radishes, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 large red sweet pepper (capsicum), sliced into strips
180 g / 6 oz canned wild salmon (about 90 g / 3 oz per serving)
1 small avocado, halved and sliced
A handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves or other fresh herbs
1 tablespoon sliced nori seaweed or another seaweed sprinkle
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Asian sesame dressing (for 2 serves)
3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
2tablespoons rice vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos
2 teaspoons maple syrup or 1 teaspoon stevia sugar alternative
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Extra: lemon juice drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F. Line a flat baking tray with parchment paper.
- Toss diced sweet potatoes and beets in a little olive oil and spread on the baking tray. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and golden brown. Season with salt and set aside. This can be done ahead of time (weekend or the night before).
- Precut other vegetables while these are roasting and make the salad dressing.
- Heat up a small frying pan and toast the sesame seeds until golden, 2-3 minutes. Stir them around quite a few times and keep an eye on them as they are easily burnt.
- Transfer to a mortar and pestle and grind into almost powder. You can also add them to a food processor/blender with other ingredients. Combine ground up sesame seeds with other salad ingredients and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- Build your salad bowls or mix all together in one large container. Top with the dressing, extra sesame seeds and a few seaweed slices or similar topping. See above pics for how I built my power bowl.
Notes
Sesame dressing: You can make this ahead of time and a larger batch too; it will keep for up to a week in the fridge. Feel free to make a different dressing or use a healthy store-bought brand like this Primal Kitchen ginger sesame dressing or something like this (just read the label).
Seaweed topping: you can use a pre-made furikake mix or another dried seaweed salad sprinkle; you can find a few on the market today. Or, like me, you can slice up a humble sushi nori sheet into strips.
Protein options: I love oily fish for omega-3 fatty acids but you could use grilled chicken, turkey slices or other deli meats, leftover beef, meatballs, pulled pork, prawns, or plant-based options like tofu, chickpeas, quinoa, brown rice, peas, edamame, tempeh etc.