Need A Simple & Delicious Lunch Idea? Try This 5-Ingredient Salad
A nice fresh salad is a perfect option for lunch on even the busiest days—but sometimes making a salad means an array of ingredients, with lots of fresh produce. They also often involve plenty of prep (those veggies aren't going to chop themselves, after all).
But this five-ingredient recipe (plus the homemade dressing) flips that salad debacle on its head, using healthy canned ingredients and just three fresh vegetables. A base of spinach leaves ensures the dish has plenty of vitamins, and the white beans offer a dose of plant-based protein.
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"This salad is a double whammy of marinated artichokes," writes Sam Turnbull in Fast Easy Cheap Vegan. "You get the artichokes themselves, but the dressing is made with the leftover liquid from the jar of artichokes." What's more, those artichokes are high in prebiotic fiber—which can help support gut health.
Whether you serve it as a main or side dish, your stomach (and schedule) are sure to be pleased.
ASAP Artichoke Salad
Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side
Ingredients
- 6 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1 19-oz. can white beans such as kidney or lima, drained and rinsed (about 2 cups)
- 1 6-oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped (use leftover liquid in Artichoke Dressing)
- 1 large tomato, cut into wedges
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 batch Artichoke dressing (below)
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Method
- Place the spinach, white beans, artichoke hearts, tomato wedges, and red onions in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the top to taste, and lightly toss to coat.
Artichoke Dressing
Makes about ¾ cup
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Ingredients
- ½ cup marinated artichoke liquid (if there isn't enough, add olive oil to make ½ cup liquid)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Method
- Add all the ingredients to a sealable jar, and shake well to combine. The dressing will keep fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
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Eliza Sullivan is an SEO Editor at mindbodygreen, where she writes about food, recipes, and nutrition—among other things. She received a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in english literature with honors from Boston University, and she has previously written for Boston Magazine, TheTaste.ie, and SUITCASE magazine.