salad – Page 4 – GUTSy Performance Nutrition

Kale Chopped Salad with Roots, Millet and Chickpeas

April 6, 2014September 27, 2014by RebeccaLeave a Comment

7:35 am. End-of-March morning. We were up, out, and running.

From the Inn, we ran a block over to Beacon Hill Park, along the bark trail up Cook Street, past the daffodils waving their morning hellos, to Dallas Road and the Sea Wall.

The sun was shining brilliantly over the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the water smooth and clear. Nature’s morning show stopped and held us multiple times. We shared an experience of taking it in, the view, the moment, our connection to the place—before beginning again.

Will waved hello and called out good morning as is his usual, making an instant connection with strangers. I smiled my greeting and couldn’t help but let my thoughts and gaze glide out towards the sea. “Welcome to this new place,” the sun beamed. My feelings in those miles reflected the spectacular light around us.

“You are not separate from the whole. You are one with the sun, the earth, the air. You don’t have a life. You are life.” – Eckhart Tolle

Often, despite nearly-contant connectivity, I feel disconnected. Not up on what the rest of the world is doing, feeling as if something out there is not getting experienced, feeling left behind. In this mindset, I prompt myself out the door to experience life outside, where I draw my energy from running.

This last week was no exception. We semi-spontaneously took a few days to travel to Victoria, British Columbia, a place we have longed to visit. Pots of tea, delicious food, and reading by the fire were all in order, but first, those mornings spent out on the Sea Wall.

There is a certain energy about the early morning hours, and to me, it is best experienced over a few miles by foot. The locals are slowly coming about their daily business and the world is unspoiled. Out on the trails, I share a connection to this place, these people, and all the daily concerns and uncertainties fade.

Victoria, we found, is a city of runners. We spent the inbetweens of the days walking the better part of the downtown neighborhoods and no matter the time of day, there were runners about. Friendly. Hardcore. Peaceful. University girls talking sorority topics. Ladies clearly out for a run-chat. With their pooches. Visitors from our section of the world. Displaying their I-Conquered-That-Race shirts. They were all out and about, running the city.

When I venture off to other places, I am reminded we are all visitors in this space we inhabit. We wander about all our lives, knocking into each other, waving cheerfully, yelling obsenitites, and feeling alone.

We are not alone. Over the miles, I am reminded of our connection. We live different experiences and we wake each day viewing a unique piece of the world. There are scars that we accumulate and monumental joys that we have to live through to understand. In the moments when we feel the most separate, we can draw together, smile in greeting to a stranger, and have faith that we are all in this life together. Whether it is through running, cooking, eating, or wherever your passion lies, know that ours is a life meant for celebrating our kinship with the whole of each other.

Kale Chopped Salad with Roots, Millet & Chickpeas, serves 3

Not only did we run in Victoria, but we ate. Amazing food. This salad was inspired by one I ate at Irish Times Pub in Bastion Square. Live music, a cozy nook, Bulmers Cider, and this salad were all I could ask of a good evening. Quinoa was in the pub salad, and can easily be subbed in for the millet. Among all the other ingredients, the flavor and texture comes out quite similar either way.

1 large bunch kale, destemmed and chopped

6 small beets, cooked, peeled and diced

3 large carrots, shredded

1 1/2 cups cooked millet or quinoa, warm

3/4 cup chickpeas, cooked and warm

3/4 cup edamame, gently steamed and warm

1 Tbs. dijon mustard

1 1/2 Tbs. honey

6 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbs. white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, toss chopped kale, diced beets and shredded carrots.
If not already, warm the grains and beans. Then toss them on top of the vegetables.
In a small bowl, stir in mustard, honey, oil and vinegar. Whisk together, and then add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour dressing on top of the mixture, and stir together. Enjoy!

Running, Summertime

Savory-Sweet Summer Squash Salad

July 22, 2013August 28, 2021by RebeccaLeave a Comment

I stop suddenly on the trail, leering to the left, then swinging right. Taking it all in. This is one of my favorite places in the world. The place where W proposed, where we walked and ran together that last summer here. Where visiting friends and family were brought. Where I escaped Biology 212 and pondered life instead.

Serenity. Belonging. Ownership. These feelings wash over me.

Breath in. Release. And running again.

I opt for an out and back and take it all in again from the opposite direction, this time reveling in the change of light and the minty-summery-grassy aroma. Watch the sheep far off in the back pasture.

“Life goes on, day after day, but it also has the ability to reinvent itself, to start over.”

Farmers markets. Checking out my “must read” books from the library. Lazing away a post-5k afternoon, curled up with W. Somehow getting my body up and out the door to run 11 miles on a Sunday morning and then getting myself to church. Experiences I didn’t let myself enjoy this past year. Until now.

After months of unease and indecisiveness, starting over. Back to the place that feels like home. The college town that’s been in my dreams. I’ve longed for a sense of community, for fitting in where my values lie. For meeting new and catching up with old friends. I’m anxious to begin. Already beginning. W’s advice “don’t push it; let it happen,” as I restlessly wait for him to join me permanently in the fall. I’d like for everything to come into place all at once, but we’re easing back in to the thick of things.

“This is what the seasons show us. We all have marveled at the apple tree’s ability to rest through a dark, cold winter, then to grow new leaves in the spring, to blossom again, to bear fruit.” We’ve been waiting through the long winter these last couple years. We’re ready to let our flowers bloom. Grow those apples, I say.

Later, a moment’s jaunt from our new abode, W and I walk through the forest of ferns and Oregon grape, oak and Douglas fir. We contemplate this transition. Our journey has many unknowns. As one of us is uncertain, the other has been given divine wisdom to trust the process. It is a back and forth sort of thing, and we have always worked this way, it seems. Through the major decisions, this leaning on each other. Today, I encourage W to settle in to the journey, to welcome the ups and downs. Both are progress. We are moving forward again. To new beginnings.

Quotes are taken from The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life by Amby Burfoot.

This salad was inspired by a recent trip to Whole Foods Market. I wandered around and around the prepared foods counter until I finally settled on the salad with raisins. It was a solid choice, and I knew I needed to recreate the recipe. I changed the ingredients up a bit, by using millet and adding the summer squash, which in a greedy moment, I snatched more than was needed from my mom’s garden. If you do not have millet, feel free to substitute quinoa or couscous. Don’t skip the raisins, they add the perfect counter balance to the Middle Eastern-inspired spices.

Savory-Sweet Summer Squash Salad, serves 3-4 as a side dish
The vegetables in this can easily be interchanged. Sautéing diced eggplant instead of bell pepper is a great addition for the Middle Eastern flavors.

Recipe Updated: 8/25/21
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
pinch of black pepper
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup millet, uncooked
1 1/2 cups water
Juice of 1/2 a medium lemon
2 Tbs. olive oil plus more for sautéing
1/2 Tbs. raw honey
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium yellow summer squash, diced
fresh basil or cilantro, optional

To begin, bring water, spices, salt, and raisins to boil in a heavy saucepan. When boiling, gently stir in millet and cover with a lid. Lower heat to simmer and cook for 25 minutes. When done, set aside.
While grain is cooking, stir together the lemon juice, honey, and olive oil. Set aside.
Dice onion, bell pepper, and summer squashes into a medium dice. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high. Pour in enough olive oil to lightly coat bottom of pan. When hot, add the onion, and sauté for 15-20 minutes, until slightly caramelized. After about 15 minutes, stir in the bell pepper. Add a dash of water as needed to help caramelize.
When onions are sweet and golden, stir in the zucchini and summer squash. Sauté for 5-10 more minutes until squash is slightly soft. Stir in the cooked millet and the dressing. Adjust seasoning and sprinkle with finely minced fresh basil or cilantro, about 1 tablespoon per serving.

Winter

Honey Balsamic, Kale & Sirloin Salad

January 20, 2013by RebeccaLeave a Comment

We decorated her hair with kale and magnolia blossoms outside Shari’s restaurant on a lovely spring day, a group of barely teenage 4-H girls, excited to be traveling, and poking fun at a friend with the restaurant’s “plate decor.” That moment, in the late 90’s, I learned about kale.

Fast forward a dozen or so years, and the sounds of elementary kids in a school cafeteria during summer camp overtakes me. I walk in the breezy doors and set down my supplies. My co-workers are already mid-spiel, whipping up banana, almond milk, blueberry, and kale smoothies. “Hulk smoothies”, all the young minds call them, and they have never been so excited to eat their greens. “We love Hulk smoothies,” they clamor.

My husband, W, asking me, what is that big green stuff? “Kale”, I say, “all the kids love it.” Skeptical, but open to what he now knows is more likely tasty than not, he tries it. “If restaurants would make these sort of salads,” he says, “more people would eat them.” I couldn’t agree more.

In the past year and a half, we’ve gone from just knowing about kale– that there was some hype in that area of the vegetable world– to eating it all the time. Growing it on the patio, even. Growing it at school, where even the high school students like the idea of crunchy spinach, as they have nicknamed it.

While we love kale in pasta, this salad, with honey and balsamic vinegar, raisins, and grilled sirloin, is perfect for this January season, when after the holidays we crave both fresh and clean, comforting and filling. Even more so if tossed in with a bit of caramelized onion, this salad accomplishes both.

Honey Balsamic Kale & Sirloin Salad, adapted from Bon Appetit

1 Tbs. raisins

4 Tbs. white or dark balsamic vinegar, divided

1 Tbs. rice vinegar

1 Tbs. raw honey

1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1 bunch Kale, preferable Tuscan, center ribs removed, and leaves diced

8-12 ounces sirloin steak

caramelized onions, if desired

Place raisins in a small bowl; drizzle 2 Tbs. balsamic over them and let them soak while you’re prepping the kale.
Whisk remaining 2 Tbs. balsamic, rice vinegar, honey, oil and salt in a large serving bowl.
Add kale and raisin mixture to bowl. Toss to coat, and let marinate for 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as needed.
Season steak with salt and pepper, and grill until cooked to desired doneness. Let settle for a few minutes, and then slice into long strips.
Dish kale onto plates, and add steak to the top. Toss with caramelized onions, if using and serve.