Salads make a great meal. But a plain old garden salad is lacking in the pizzazz department if you ask me. Besides, if a salad is going to be my main meal, its gotta be substantial or I’ll be hungry 2 hours later. I don’t know about you, but that’s not my idea of a good time! So I created this Cobb salad recipe with balsamic vinaigrette that you can really sink your teeth into. Also, its loaded with fiber to keep you full longer and help keep your blood sugar in check.
Maintaining steady blood sugar levels is key to keeping you on track and keep your cravings to a minimum. For more on how to cub cravings, head on over to take a look at my Crave Cure program!
Friendly Fiber
Everyone knows we need fiber. But why do we need it? Are there different types of fiber? How do I decide what type of fiber to eat? The questions seem endless. So let’s start at the beginning.
Dietary fiber comes from plants. The human body cannot break it down and use it so it passes through our gut and cleanses our colon along the way. You require fiber to bulk up your poops and help excrete metabolic waste by-products. In addition, fiber helps remove excess waste products such as fat, cholesterol, and estrogen.
Soluble vs. Insoluble
There are different types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber attracts water and forms a gel-like substance within your intestines. By doing this, it slows down the rate food leaves the stomach and helps to keep you fuller longer. Where can you find soluble fiber? Look for it in nuts, flax seeds, carrots, raspberries,black berries and other fruits.
Insoluble fiber adds bulk to stool and keeps things moving along in your gut. Therefore its safe to assume you can find insoluble fiber is found in most vegetables. Another reason you should fill at least half of your plate with them at every meal (yep, even breakfast). Look for it in most vegetables like lettuces, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, green beans and zucchini.
Include both of these in your daily menu as it will keep you feeling full, decreasing cravings and keep you regular! So by simply eating a whole foods based diet with lots of variety that should be easy to do. Therefore, if you want a recipe that includes a tonne from a variety of sources check out my Cobb salad recipe with balsamic vinaigrette. You can be sure you’re covering all your bases.
Cobb Salad Recipe with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Cobb Salad
A quick meal to throw together in a pinch. You can even take one to work for lunch!
Ingredients
- 2 cups of leafy green
- 1/2 cup sprouts
- 1/2 carrot, sliced
- 3 “ english cucumber, slice and cut in half
- 1/2 red pepper, sliced length wise
- 1/2 cup cube cooked chicken
- 6 pecans, chopped
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the leafy greens at the centre of the plate and layer all other vegetables.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add a 2 tbsp. of dressing of choice. In this case I chose Balsamic mustard dressing.
- Enjoy!
Balsamic Mustard Vinaigrette
A quick and easy dressing to top your Cobb salad or any other salad that may strike your fancy.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup of organic balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp grainy dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey or 3 drops stevia (glycerine free)
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp grounded black pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a mason jar and shake for 1 minutes.
- Enjoy!
- You can keep in the fridge for up to 2 months