Recipe: Spring Salad

Recipe: ‘Friends’ Spring Salad

You may recognize this salad making its way around social media, made popular by a “Friends” co-star. If you’re looking for the taste of Spring, a salad packed with plant protein, and easy meal prep for the week, this salad “will be there for you!”

Ingredients:

• 1 can/2 cups garbanzo beans
• 1 small red onion chopped (soak in cool water for 10 minutes to take away some of the bite)
• 1/2 cup Feta
• 1/2 cup chopped mint
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
• 2 cups arugula (can also use chopped or baby kale)
• 3 cups cooked farro (bulgur or quinoa work well too!)
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 3 garlic cloves

Instructions:

1. Whisk together olive oil and lemon. Smash garlic cloves and allow to steep while combining other ingredients.
2. Soak onions in cold water for 10 minutes.
3. Assemble other ingredients in a large bowl. Remove garlic from dressing and pour over salad ingredients.
4. Eat until satisfied.

Nutrient highlights:

Arugula contains the phytochemicals called glucosinolates, which have been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth in lab studies. Arugula also has a high level of nitrates, a precursor to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is able to make blood vessels bigger, and a growing body of evidence suggests that it may play a pivotal role in keeping the cardiovascular system healthy.

Chickpeas, pistachios, and whole grains offer a great source of plant based protein!

Recipe provided by Cancer Center Nutrition Services.