This post has been rolling around in my head for a long time now. I’ve been on the Nutritarian journey for very close to 2 years now (Anniversary: June 28th!) and I’ve been making this salad weekly for much of the time.
So I’ve had a little practice. ;)
The best part about this salad is that if you have lots of Nutritarian basics on hand, you can make this salad whenever you want, with whatever ingredients you have. It’s very flexible. Also, if you prepare it the way I explain in the video (lots of tips and tricks I’ve learned over the past 2 years), it will be simple, and it can keep for 5-7 days in the fridge!
If you make enough, you’ll have food for a whole week! Make it Sunday and just take some with you to work and you’re all set!
I am aware that Kitchen Sink Salad isn’t the greatest name for it, but it’s what I always call it. And it helps to explain that it can be made with an infinite amount of Nutritarian combinations. No two salads have ever been the same for me!
Kitchen Sink Salad Recipe Video
So let’s call this more of a template than a recipe. But if you’re armed with how to throw it together, you’ll never be without a super nutritious salad. Planning ahead is the most important part to staying on track.
The Template for the Weight Loss Salad
GREENS
Start by adding any type of green that you like to your salad, and mix and match it up! Use any combination of: romaine, chard, kale, green or red leaf lettuce, butter or bibb, radicchio, green or red cabbage, dandelion greens, spinach, bok choy, etc! Experiment and challenge yourself to try out a new type of green every week. Your salad can have just one, or many at at time. I love the variety of having several in one salad. Chop it into smaller pieces to make more room in the bowl.
VEGETABLES
Add any type of vegetable to the top of the salad. Add them in manageable form like shredded or diced. Try to use fresh or frozen/defrosted whenever possible. And if you must use canned varieties (I do sometimes), make sure to use the no salt version. Steer away from starchy vegetables like potatoes or corn when possible, or just use those for accent (I often do, but limited quantities). Try to use more cruciferous veggies as a first choice (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc). I limit those however, because I like how the salad tastes with less, but I still try to use them whenever possible.
BEANS AND LEGUMES
Make sure to add beans and legumes to your salad. It will give it the substance that you really need to get through your day and remain full. Lots of fiber! Again, if using canned as opposed to homemade, use the no salt variety. Try varieties like cannelini, garbanzo, navy bean, black bean, lentils, kidney, adzuki or any others! Aim for 1 cup per day of beans and you’ll never go hungry!
NUTS AND SEEDS
In sparing quantities, add nuts and seeds to your salad as well. Always choose the unroasted, no salt versions. You can find them in any grocery store, sometimes in the bulk section, often near produce. Aim for a handful of nuts and seeds every day for some great nutrition, fiber and healthy fats.
FRUITS
Add any type of fruit that you like if you want a pop of sweet flavor. Blueberries or chopped apples are my favorites, but get creative! If you are using dried fruits, use those sparingly as they add lots of dense calories and sugars with less water.
What About Dressing??
This is an important question. Having this salad is fine if you don’t add many additional calories. But since it’s such a large salad, if you’re using a regular “American style” dressing, you’re going to run into trouble, because you’ll want to use a lot.
Your best bet is to use something with lots of flavor but little calories, since the salad already has loads of flavor. My favorite choices are:
- Any Nutritarian dressing “google: “nutritarian salad dressing recipe” and you’ll find many!
- Balsamic vinegar, plain: I LOVE the flavored versions you can get in those fancy oil and vinegar stores
- 1/2 an avocado + lime juice: mix it all together really well to coat the salad
- Just some lemon or lime juice
- Eat it plain! Get used to the flavors of salad, and over time you will find that eating plain salad isn’t the end of the world!
***
The Bowl I Use To Chop It All
And I have to say, if I have a smoothie for breakfast, and a massive helping of this salad mid-afternoon, I am good for the whole entire day — no cravings or hunger whatsoever. It’s a great introduction to the Nutritarian lifestyle…and weight loss to boot!
Here’s the version I made just today, with notes above about how you can substitute for literally any other Nutritarian ingredients you have in your house.
- GREENS:
- 2 hearts of romaine lettuce, washed, dried, torn into pieces
- 1 cup dandelion greens, washed, dried, torn into pieces
- 1 cup baby kale mix, washed, dried, torn into pieces
- 7 large leaves green leaf lettuce, washed, dried, torn into pieces
- BEANS AND LEGUMES:
- ¾ cup edamame, shelled and steamed
- 1 cup sprouted mung beans
- ¾ cup green peas, frozen and thawed, or no salt variety if using canned
- NUTS AND SEEDS:
- 3 tablespoons hemp seeds, raw, unsalted
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds, raw, unsalted
- VEGETABLES:
- ¾ cup corn, frozen and thawed, or no salt variety if using canned
- ½ cup beets, steamed
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- ¾ cup green peppers, chopped
- ¾ cup clover sprouts
- FRUITS:
- ¾ cup blueberries, fresh
- Add all greens ingredients to the OXO salad bowl. Chop until ½ the original volume. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, except for the blueberries, on top of the chopped salad. Chop a few more times until desired size.
- Personally, I like for the pieces to be very small so I can eat more at a time. The more you eat, the healthier you are and the more weight you lose!
Cheri,
Thank You for sharing your recipes! I need to loose LBS of about 20 and cannot wait to make you salad! : )
Oh Paula I am so glad to hear that! Let me know how it goes for you…I will have much more helpful content coming up! Including possibly a meal planner!
Cheri, is nutritional yeast sold in bulk at the health food store considered unrefined? They hadn’t had someone ask for Unrefined! before.Thank you :0)
Hi Kristie! The concern for me is usually the fortified thing…whether or not they’ve fortified it with vitamins and minerals, which we don’t want. The one in bulk bins is generally fortified, so I don’t buy those. I’ve really only found one type that’s not fortified, and that’s the Sari brand one. Here is my Amazon affiliate link for the one I buy: http://amzn.to/2iQcY3r and I really love it. One YouTube subscriber actually said she liked the taste of this one much more than the fortified kind, too. :) Hope that helps! xo
Saw my cardiologist having problems with my heart feeling heavy like anxiety and Dr said I need to lose 25 lbs in three months. I eat very pourly which also makes my sugar levels uncontrollable I am diabetic and I have chf.. I can’t seem to eatmy 3meals and snacks. I eat twice a day but I overdue it and its not helping me.. I weighed 190 and now I weigh 264 and I feel very ugly I’m very uncomfortable.. I’m going to follow your recipes and eat better.. I hope I can do this I really want to live longer.. Thank you Cheri very much for sharing..
Sylvia, thank you very much for sharing your story with me. I would love to see you make an improvement as well! If you’d like, I offer free 30 minute discovery consultations for my health coaching if you’d like to take advantage of that. I can give you some specific recommendations for free, as well as a free 7 day meal plan. It’s no obligation either, but if you want to look into coaching, I have some great options. Best to you, my friend. http://www.nourishyourlifestyle.com/nutritarian-coaching
Can you give us a link where we can purchase the salad bowl and cutter? Thank you so much
Hello, Cheri
I’m so glad that I stumbled across your YouTube site. I am looking forward try the nutarian lifestyle. I’ve been fighting against this weight every since I can remember. So badly want to get and stay healthy.
Oh Shelia, I’m so happy you reached out. If you need any help with it, let me know! I’m a coach as a day-job :) but you can get so much free info on my YouTube channel as well. <3
Absolutely, Nancy, thanks for asking. This is the bowl I have. http://amzn.to/2F1yqz4 I will add this to the recipe as well!
Oh Girl…I could not sleep and was browsing and found YOU. What a GOD-send. I have been having a hard time of it for the past 10 weeks. Fell and broke my left arm. Than my Asthma really kicked in and am having trouble breathing and coughing a lot. Re-visited Dr. Furhman’s broadcast on PBS and decided after his talk to get on board and try to get my health back on track.
I will be turning 80 in September and have so much more to live for. Have beautiful family and two grandchildren. I need to keep movin on. I feel you are going to be my inspiration and my God sent help. Need to loose weight.
Just wrote you back, Maria, thanks SO much for writing!! I’m so glad you like my content and yes I hope it keeps you motivated to stick with us!! I hope your arm is getting better, sounds like you’re having some challenges! Don’t worry, these too shall pass. Sending healthy hugs! cheri
Hi Cheri
I have been on plant based since February, have lost 25 lbs . I feel so much better, my cholesterol was 221 and now as of last month 176 . TRG from 158 to 99. I now weigh 135 lbs , down from 160 lbs . Still have tummy flab, I do walk my dog twice a day . Still feel like I am not yet my healthy weight. Guess maybe I need to do exercises for the core. I have been eating potato and salad for breakfast. Want to start Dr. Furhman diet, to get even healthier. I have read his book Eat to Live, and have his cookbook. Just need encouragement. Thanks Patricia
HI Patricia!! Wow you have made excellent progress! Well done. Yes, I truly believe that this diet will help with the most ailments of any other eating style. Especially weight loss, if we use the correct amounts of the foods. You might find some help with this video I made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmz981hsSJk
Hello Cheri,
Thank you very much for the cheat sheets. I’ve watch
some of your videos and you are very knowledgeable about
the nutritarian way of eating. I would like to have you as my coach. I saw your video with the interview with your brother. It was
very inspirational, motivating and make you want to go for it. Please send me a way
I can reach you as soon as possible.
Thanks Amy! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m going to email you separately to discuss the current options :)