I don’t know about you, but in winter, I find myself eating a lot less salads. I think it’s because I crave something warm and hearty, and a lot of my salad go-to’s are neither of those. But a few trips to healthy lunch spots around the city that make amazing salads and grain bowls did wonders for inspiring this healthy winter salad that’s satisfying and also packs in protein (special thank you to Sweet Green, Roast Kitchen and Fresh & Co. for the inspo. LOL).

I’ve piled this bowl with a mix of greens, roasted vegetables, robust raw vegetables and herbs, warm lentils, quinoa, and creamy avocado. SO YUM. It’s been a great one for Rich with meal prepping, too, because he can put everything but the avocado in a container, and then add the avo in when he’s ready to eat lunch at work.

Hope you enjoy, and if you try it, let me know!

HEALTHY WINTER SALAD

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• arugula
• spinach
• 1/4 cup quinoa, cooked according to packaging
• 1/4 cup lentils, cooked according to packaging, then salted
• 1/2 an avocado
• roasted broccoli (drizzle with olive oil and roast at 400 for 15-20 minutes)
• 1/2 a raw beet, peeled and thinly sliced 
• small handful shredded cabbage
• small handful shredded carrots
• 3-4 basil leaves, torn 
• balsamic vinaigrette, to taste
• salt & black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Toss together the arugula and spinach in the bowl you’ll eat the salad out of to mix them up. In different areas, spoon on the quinoa and lentils, and using your hands, place in the avocado, the sliced beets, the shredded cabbage, and the shredded carrots onto the greens. Sprinkle the torn basil leaves on top. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette (store-bought or homemade) and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.