A summer salad that’s great for the winter

Although this is a recipe for a summer salad, it’s really great in the Winter as well. From Ami Chokshi, the Center’s Fertility Health Coach in honor of Healthy Weight Week.

Are you getting 7-9 servings of veggies in a day to support your fertility? If not, the summer is a great season to get started because of the many fresh veggies available at the store, at farmers markets, and in your garden.

Not only are vegetables chock full of vitamins and minerals to ensure you are getting optimal daily nutrients for your fertility, but the fiber also supports healthy digestion and a steady energy level, which is vital when you are trying to conceive.

I chose these ingredients for this salad because they are in season, rich in fertility supporting nutrients, diverse and colorful, and support healthy digestion and elimination.

Consider doubling or tripling the ingredients and make a few salads for the week and store in the fridge. “Make once, eat twice” saves us time and energy.

Here are some benefits of the ingredients I chose –

• Choose organic lettuce to reduce pesticides in our body. Green lettuce is rich in folate, an important B vitamin for fertility. Also, during colder months, wash lettuce under warm water to take the chill of the salad.
• Beets and lemon juice support liver health and detoxification.
• Carrots are rich in beta carotene. They support healthy blood pressure and steady nerves,
• Avocado offers healthy and satiating fats, which have numerous benefits both to your health and fertility.
• Cucumbers are hydrating and alkalinizing
• Pumpkin seeds are rich in both zinc and magnesium.
• Raw Honey is an antiviral food and is rich in amino acids, minerals, and enzymes.
• Apple cider vinegar supports digestive health and hydrochloric acid production in the stomach.
• I added additional protein (did you know veggies contain protein?) with the organic chicken. Protein plus the fiber of the salad support healthy blood sugar and energy levels. If you are a vegetarian and would like additional protein, try 1/4 cup of black beans or chickpeas.

A Fruitful Body Salad

Salad

2-3 cups of Organic Spring Mix

1/4 cup of Beets, roasted & cubed

1/4 cup Carrots, shredded or sliced

1/2 Avocado, sliced

1/4 cup Cucumbers

1 tsp of Pumpkin seeds

3 oz of Organic Chicken

**Add ingredients into a large bowl

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

2 T Fresh lemon juice

1/4 C ACV

1/3 C Olive

oil

1 Tablespoon raw honey

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T dijon mustard

1/4 tsp sea salt

Pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

**Combine in a mason jar and shake it up well.

**Mix 2-3 tablespoons in with your salad

**Store the rest in the refrigerator.

Positive Fertility Magazine, Summer 2018

Photography by Dean Batchelder