Gut Health Salad
Gut Love Salad (NO51)
For long-term health, I’ve been practicing having salads for one to two meals a day. This particular salad is a creation using ingredients I had at home that my gut loves. Historically, hemp seeds have been known for their benefits to gut health and were even used in traditional Korean medicine. The dressing, based on hemp seeds, gets its sweetness from pineapple instead of sugar. Carbohydrates are kept minimal with sweet potato, and protein comes from shrimp. This salad is packed with nutrition and health for a satisfying meal. ^^
Main Ingredients- 30g peeled shrimp
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (cheongju)
- 1/2 medium sweet potato
- 1 cucumber
- 1/3 carrot
- 5 pitted olives
- 10 pine nuts
- 1/2 avocado
Dressing Ingredients- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 150g pineapple (fresh or canned)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 5 pink peppercorns
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp MCT oil
- 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (adjust to taste)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 150g pineapple (fresh or canned)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 5 pink peppercorns
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp MCT oil
- 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (adjust to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Rinse the prepared shrimp thoroughly.
Step 2
In a small pot, combine 3 Tbsp water and 1 Tbsp cooking wine (cheongju). Add the shrimp and cook for about 2-3 minutes until opaque.
Step 3
Drain the cooked shrimp well using a sieve.
Step 4
Wash the cucumber and carrot. Slice them thinly and finely into julienne strips. If using a regular knife, aim for the thinnest possible slices.
Step 5
Peel the avocado, remove the pit, and dice it into bite-sized cubes.
Step 6
For the lemon, either carefully remove the flesh from the segments or squeeze the juice. Be sure to remove any seeds. ^^
Step 7
In a blender, combine the pineapple, hemp seeds, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, coarsely ground black pepper, olive oil, and MCT oil. Blend until smooth and well combined.
Step 8
Check to ensure the dressing has been blended to a smooth consistency. ^^
Step 9
Adjust the sweetness by adding 1-2 Tbsp of maple syrup to your preference. Mix well and pour into a dressing server. (We’ve used natural sweetness from pineapple, but you can adjust the maple syrup or add a small amount of alternative sweetener if you desire more sweetness.) – Optional
Step 10
Lightly sauté the julienned carrots in a pan with a tiny drizzle of olive oil. This process helps to increase the absorption of carotene from the carrots, maximizing their nutritional benefits.
Step 11
Place the diced sweet potato in a pot with just a small amount of water (about 2-3 Tbsp). Cover and steam or gently cook until slightly tender, being careful not to make it too mushy.
Step 12
Arrange the ingredients beautifully on a serving plate, layering the carrot, cucumber, avocado, olives, and pine nuts for a visually appealing presentation.
Step 13
Finally, garnish with pink peppercorns for a pop of color and flavor. (Optional)
Step 14
Serve the salad with the prepared dressing on the side.
Step 15
Here’s another presentation variation! This one includes thinly sliced onions added to the mix. Feel free to get creative with your ingredients. ^^
