So, I’ve been dealing with severe anemia for the past two months and I’m doing my best to pack some extra iron into my diet wherever I can. I do take supplements when needed and have just picked up a new iron supplement, that said, I really believe in whole food nutrition. Eating the right foods in the right combinations can make minerals and vitamins readily available and easy for the body to assimilate. Many supplements and vitamins go straight through your system without actually being absorbed, iron in particular is difficult t
o absorb on it’s own.
As I was preparing dinner I was thinking of ways I could get even more iron into the meal and threw together this tasty side salad. Not only deliciously satisfying, this salad also provides a healthy dose of iron with plenty of Vitamin C which assists in iron absorption.
If you’re curious here’s a little info on the star players:
Arugula is a rich source of antioxidants and is also a great source of folic acid and Vitamins A, C and K. Arugula also carries an array of minerals with high levels of Iron and Copper.
Blueberries and strawberries are also very high in antioxidants, and pack tons of Vitamin C which helps the body to absorb iron more easily.
Chia seeds too, carry an impressive amount of iron (2.7 times more then raw spinach) and are higher in antioxidants then blueberries!
With all the antioxidants going on here, perhaps I should call this the “Salad of Eternal Youth”, though that doesn’t sound quite as tasty!
Ingredients
Salad:
A few handfuls of Organic Baby Arugula leaves
A Handful of fresh organic strawberries, sliced
A Handful of fresh organic blueberries
A sliver of red onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp slivered almonds
1/2 Tbsp white chia seeds
Salad Dressing:
2 Parts Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Part White Balsamic vinegar
1 Part Organic Pure Maple Syrup
Dash of white pepper
Pinch of Celtic sea salt
Combine the salad ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and serve on the side.
Arugula Berry Salad
Tristakite.com
A flavorful, 30-minute arugula salad with strawberries, brown sugar pecans, hemp seeds and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette!