Name: Fingerling + Fennel Fling
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: Group 1; Bed of romaine shredded; 1 cup Basil + thyme; 1 cup diced celery diced; 1 cup roma tomato diced; 1 cup fingerling potato roasted and diced; 1.5 cups fennel slices sautéed; 1 cup green pepper slices sauteed; ¾ cup purple onion diced; ⅓ cup 40g green olives diced; 6 oz barramundi (halibut or favorite fish); 1 tbsp nutritional yeast; 1 tbsp hemp seeds; Fennel seeds; Group 2; 7 oz roasted red bell 1 extra large); 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp algae or olive oil; 1 tbsp minced garlic; 2 cherry tomatoes; 1 tbsp shallot; Dash of Sea salt; Pinches of paprika

This salad truly leaves you feeling fantastic in so many ways! After feeling crummy from the weather change, sitting in meetings all day and nothing planned for dinner…I went to town in the kitchen, using my functional nutrition creativity to reverse my cold, excrete out any/all toxins, and cheer me up! Let’s take a dive into the “who, what, why”!

FENNEL – fennel is a root vegetable and closely related to the celery and parsnip family of veggies. It’s exceptionally high in fiber and potassium, important for keeping everything running smoothly, for keeping your electrolyte levels balanced and the good bacteria in your belly fed! It has a strong flavor at first, but pairs deliciously with the other additions in this meal!

FINGERLING – fingerling potatoes are one of my favorite root vegetables. They’re full of vitamin B, potassium, manganese, and antioxidants that fight inflammation! The carbohydrate content in theses potatoes is superb as is low on the GI Index and contains fiber to keep steady blood sugar levels. This is a great source of carbohydrates to aid in the release of serotonin in your brain; making you feel like a superstar! Plus they are super simple to cook and throw on top of salads or bowls. I like to roast them in the oven at 375 for 10 – 12 minutes and viola!

VEGGIES – this salad bring you a wide variety of vegetables full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals for the ultimate take of “feel good food”

ASPARAGUS – Are a great source of folic acid and contain unique chemical properties that allow them to act as a natural diuretic; meaning they promote the production of urine; increasing the excretion of water and ridding the body of excess fluid and/or toxins. Asparagus contains significant amounts of inulin, a fiber which does not break down in our digestive. Instead, it passes undigested to our large intestines, where it becomes a food source for good and healthy bacteria. Good bacteria are responsible for better nutrient absorption.

Celery – Celery has to be one of my favorite “superfoods” it’s known for is anti -inflammatory properties and is also a nutrient packed water reducer. It acts as a natural diuretic, cleansing the liver and bloodstream and riding any toxins, bacteria or “icky’s” you may have came across.

I’ve added some peppers, onions and tomatoes to fill the rest of my plate and add an abundance of vitamins and minerals.

The dressing is made from a combination of:

ALGAE OIL – serving as a healthy fat for heart health (feel free to swap this with an extra virgin olive oil – comparable in nutrients)

LEMONS – which even though are an acidic food, act alkaline in the body, as well as, a natural dietetic to help beat any bloat and reduce that fluid fullness feeling.

GARLIC – a nutritional powerhouse packed full of nutrients that prevent hypertension, and heart disease, amongst many others.

BASIL – for flavor and to fight bacteria and viruses via its essential oil + photochemical content.

ROASTED RED PEPPER – this gives you a thick dressing type of sauce, yet is totally optional…the ingredients above leave it tasting wonderful alone!

The dressing is simply made by blending all the above in a blender, nothing too fancy, and is great to double recipe, saving some for having on hand to dip veggies in or eat on other salads throughout the week.

I’m all about killing 2 birds with one stone and pre-making large batches of these type of things, saves me so much time, as well as prevents buying packaged dressings, that are more than likely filled with sugar and poor quality oils that leave you feeling less than your best.