We know that leaning toward or switching completely to a plant based diet is the single most important way to help the environment. The production of beef and other animal protein consumes huge amounts of water, fossil fuels, topsoil, and destroys our forests, while polluting our water and air. And don't even get me started about the worst perils of meat production...Meat production causes more greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide to spew into the atmosphere than either transportation or industry!
So if you're like me, you're constantly looking for high protein plant based foods! The good news is, these foods are out there in abundance.
I was thrilled to find a product called Sprouted Mung Beans, by TruRoots, and even more happy to discover that each serving has 10 grams of protein.
This past Valentine's Day I made brunch for a friend, and I had a vision of combining the mung beans with quinoa to pack in even more protein awesomeness.
After a trip to the market it was clear what was in season and I shopped accordingly to add some magic to the overall vision of protein combining.
The result is the Plant Based Love Salad! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Ingredients: 1 Bunch Baby Asparagus 1/4 Jicama 1 Purple carrot 1 Celery Stalk 4 Radicchio Leaves Arugula ½ Red Onion 1 Cup TruRoots Sprouted Mung Beans ½ Cup Quinoa (preferably TruRoots Sprouted) Real Salt Extra Virgin Olive Oil Nutiva Refined Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil or Nutiva Sunflower and Red Palm Oil (don't worry, it is harmless to orangutans!) Tessa Mae’s Lemon Garlic Dressing Lemon (optional)
To prep the baby asparagus, find the "natural breaking point" on each asparagus spear’s end, separating the tender flesh toward the tip from the woody end, wash, and prepare a shallow baking pan.
Place the clean asparagus in pan and coat with Nutiva Refined Coconut Oil or Nutiva Sunflower and Red Palm Oil and bake at 375 for 20 minutes, stirring 2-3 times in the process. At 15 minutes in, salt the asparagus generously.
While that is cooking, dice and combine the following vegetables in a large mixing bowl:
1 Purple Carrot ¼ Jicama 1 Celery Stalk 1/2 Red Onion (sautéed first in oil until translucent) 4 Radicchio Leaves, julienned
And…
Cook the quinoa according to package directions Cook the mung beans according to package directions and strain
Once the asparagus is done, chop the roasted spears into 1/3 inch lengths and mix into the other veggies.
Toss the cooked quinoa and strained mung beans into the bowl and add a splash of olive oil and salt to taste.
Combine the veggies with the quinoa and mung bean mixture and do a final salting to taste along with a tablespoon of lemon garlic dressing. You can also squeeze fresh lemon on to taste.
Serve on top of a clean fresh bed of Arugula and enjoy!
Makes 4 - 5 servings.
I would love to hear how yours turns out and if you made any yummy variations!