Avocados have long been a SoCal favorite, and the secret is finally out. Over the past ten years or so, the rest of the country has embraced the healthy, versatile, fitness-friendly fruit. 

Whether sliced on toast, mashed up as a dip, cubed into a salad, or eaten straight from the tree, these fatty fruits are all they’re smashed up to be.

“They’re packed with good fats and fiber, which means they help you stay full longer,” says Charlotte Roberts, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with Cedars-Sinai. “They’re also a great source of vitamins.”

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of butter lettuce*
• 1/2 Florida avocado
• 1 cup cooked black beans**
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 3 tbsp parmesan shredded cheese
• Two strawberries, try to cut them into four slices each
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp dried ginger
•  Dressing:
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Glaze

Preparation:

As this salad is very colorful, I picked a white plate and salad bowl.

1. Place the butter lettuce to make a bed in the plate
2. Cut the lettuce small
3. Place the half avocado on top of the lettuce
4. Add the cup of black beans on top of the half avocado
5. Sparkle the parsley on top of the black beans
6. Sparkle the parmesan cheese around the avocado and on top of the lettuce
7. Place the strawberry slices around the avocado
8. Sparkle the dried ginger on top of the parsley
9. Add the olive oil around the lettuce
10. Decorate the salad with the balsamic glaze
11. Salad ready to enjoy!

 Let me know your comments after tasting this delicious dish.

Tomatoes are loaded with a substance called lycopene. It gives them their bright red color and helps protect them from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. In much the same way, it can help protect your cells from damage. Tomatoes also have potassium, vitamins B and E, and other nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of butter lettuce*
• Two slices of Beefsteak tomatoes
• Two slices of mozzarella cheese
• 8 portobello mushrooms
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dries cranberries
• Dressing:
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Glaze

Preparation:

As this salad is very colorful, I picked a white plate and salad bowl.

1. Place the butter lettuce to make a bed on the plate
2. Cut the lettuce small
3. Place the tomatoes on top of the lettuce
4. Place the mozzarella on top of the tomatoes
5. Put the portobello mushroom around the tomatoes making a nice decoration
6. Sparkle basil
7. Sparkle cranberries
8. Add the olive oil around the lettuce
9. Decorate the salad with the balsamic glaze
10. Salad ready to enjoy!

 Let me know your comments after tasting this delicious dish.

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are part of the legume family. While they have become more popular recently, chickpeas have been grown in Middle Eastern countries for thousands of years.

Their nutty taste and grainy texture pair well with several other foods and ingredients; as a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, chickpeas may offer various health benefits, such as improving digestion, aiding weight management, and reducing weight the risk of several diseases.

Additionally, chickpeas are high in protein and make an excellent replacement for meat in vegetarian and vegan diets.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cooked Kale*
• 3 slides of mozzarella cheese
• 2 strawberries
• ½ cup of cooked chickpeas**
• 1 Zucchini***
• ½ carrot
• 2 tbsp of shredded parsley
• ½ tbsp dried ginger
• 1 cup of cooked shrimp****
• Dressing:
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Glaze

Preparation:

As this salad is very colorful, I picked a white plate and salad bowl.

1. Place the Kale to form a bed where all your ingredients will rest comfortably.
2. Put the middle the mozzarella cheese
3. As you can see in the salads pictures, the strawberries are cut in slices, so do that first and put them around the cheese to create a base crown.
4. Place the cooked shrimp gently; I’m explaining in a separate article how I cook the shrimp.
5. Sparkle around the strawberries the cooked chickpeas.
6. Now is the zucchini’s turn to be part of the show, so make little rolls and place them on top of the cheese and surrounding the shrimp, as shown in the pictures.
7. Sparkle carrots and parsley on top of the shrimp and; also add olive oil around and balsamic glaze to make it look nice.
8. Salad ready to enjoy!

 Let me know your comments after tasting this delicious dish.

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are part of the legume family. While they have become more popular recently, chickpeas have been grown in Middle Eastern countries for thousands of years.

Their nutty taste and grainy texture pair well with several other foods and ingredients; as a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, chickpeas may offer various health benefits, such as improving digestion, aiding weight management, and reducing weight the risk of several diseases.

Additionally, chickpeas are high in protein and make an excellent replacement for meat in vegetarian and vegan diets.

Ingredients:

• One cup of cooked kale*
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
• One tangerine
• Six zucchini rolls
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried ginger
• Dressing:
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Glaze

Preparation:

As this salad is very colorful, I picked a white plate and salad bowl.

1. Place the kale to make a bed on the plate
2. Cut the kale small
3. Place the chickpeas on top of the kale
4. Sparkle the parmesan cheese on top of the chickpeas
5. Place the tangerine slides around the chickpeas in a way that look like a circle
6. Place the zucchini rolls on top of the chickpeas; refer to below pictures
7. Sparkle the basil on top of the parmesan cheese
8. Sparkle the ginger on top of the basil
9. Add the olive oil around the lettuce
10. Decorate the salad with the balsamic glaze
11. Salad ready to enjoy!

 Let me know your comments after tasting this delicious dish.

Corn is rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps protect your cells from damage and wards off diseases like cancer and heart disease. Yellow corn is a good source of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are good for eye health and help prevent the lens damage that leads to cataracts. -> Source: Corn Health Benefits

Ingredients:

• One butterhead lettuce
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 corn
• 1 slide Mozzarella
• 1 sliced strawberry
• 1 sliced portobello mushroom
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries
• 1 pinch parsley
• Dressing:
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Glaze

Preparation:

I picked a white plate and salad bowl as this salad is very colorful.

1. Place butterhead lettuce on the plate
2. Cut it small
3. Place the coconut on top of the lettuce in a round form
4. Place the mozzarella cheese on top of the coconut
5. Decorate the corn around the cheese
6. Place the strawberry within the spaces between the corn
7. Place the portobello within the spaces between the strawberries
8. Decorate the top with the Italian Parsley
9. Add the olive oil around the lettuce or as your preference
10. Decorate the salad with the balsamic glaze
11. Salad ready to enjoy!

 Let me know your comments after tasting this delicious dish.

Corn is rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps protect your cells from damage and wards off diseases like cancer and heart disease. Yellow corn is a good source of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are good for eye health and help prevent the lens damage that leads to cataracts. -> Source: Corn Health Benefits

Ingredients:

• One butterhead lettuce
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 salmon filet*
• 1 tangerine
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries
• 1 sliced portobello mushroom
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries
• 1 walnut
• 1 pinch parsley
• Dressing:
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Glaze

Preparation:

I picked a white plate and salad bowl as this salad is very colorful.

1. Place butterhead lettuce on the plate
2. Cut it small
3. Place the coconut on top of the lettuce in a round form
4. Place the mozzarella cheese on top of the coconut
5. Decorate the corn around the cheese
6. Place the strawberry within the spaces between the corn
7. Place the portobello within the spaces between the strawberries
8. Decorate the top with the Italian Parsley
9. Add the olive oil around the lettuce or as your preference
10. Decorate the salad with the balsamic glaze
11. Salad ready to enjoy!

 Let me know your comments after tasting this delicious dish.

Just one sweet potato gives you 400% of the vitamin A you need each day. This helps keep your eyes healthy as well as your immune system, your body’s defense against germs. It’s also good for your reproductive systems and organs like your heart and kidneys.

Ingredients:

• One butterhead lettuce
• 1 cooked sweet potato*
• 3 slices of mozzarella cheese
• 3 spoons of cut green avocado
• 3 spoons of fresh parsley
• Dressing:
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Glaze

Preparation:

As this salad is very colorful, I picked a white plate and salad bowl.

1. Place butterhead lettuce on the plate
2. Cut it small
3. Place the three mozzarella slices in the middle on top of the lettuce, see pictures
4. Cut the cooked sweet potato in circles as shown in the picture
5. Place the sweet potato around the cheese
6. Nicely place the cut avocado within the spaces between the sweet potato
7. Drop the three spoons of parsley on top of the mozzarella cheese
8. Add the olive oil around the lettuce
9. Decorate the salad with the balsamic glaze
10. Salad ready to enjoy!

 Let me know your comments after tasting this delicious dish.

The purpose of all my salads is to provide all nutrients you need to overcome the day ahead of you with the best of energies possible. I always want them to be a whole meal, not just a companion on your plate; they are the main dish.

One of my favorites, Kale Shrimp Carrots. I love chickpeas and love shrimps, so why don’t put them together.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cooked Kale*
• 3 slides of mozzarella cheese
• 2 strawberries
• ½ cup of cooked chickpeas**
• 1 Zucchini***
• ½ carrot
• 2 tbsp of shredded parsley
• ½ tbsp dried ginger
• 1 cup of cooked shrimp****
• Dressing:
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Glaze

Preparation:

As this salad is very colorful, I picked a white plate and salad bowl.

1. Place the Kale to form a bed where all your ingredients will rest comfortably.
2. Put the middle the mozzarella cheese
3. As you can see in the salads pictures, the strawberries are cut in slices, so do that first and put them around the cheese to create a base crown.
4. Place the cooked shrimp gently; I’m explaining in a separate article how I cook the shrimp.
5. Sparkle around the strawberries the cooked chickpeas.
6. Now is the zucchini’s turn to be part of the show, so make little rolls and place them on top of the cheese and surrounding the shrimp, as shown in the pictures.
7. Sparkle carrots and parsley on top of the shrimp and; also add olive oil around and balsamic glaze to make it look nice.
8. Salad ready to enjoy!

 Let me know your comments after tasting this delicious dish.