Un-Bore your Salad!

I always get asked:  How do you eat salads everyday? Don’t you get sick of eating salads day in and day out? Well, my honest answer, is that I don’t!

 

Yes, I am a creature of habit, which helps, but I also don’t see salads as a diet food,  it’s essential food. Salads are a great way to add as many delicious veggies into one meal as possible. Because salads contain lots of raw veggies, they are packed with enzymes which aid in digestion, as well as vitamins. Water soluble Vitamin C, for example, is lost when foods are heated, but when eaten in a raw foods format is very available to the body.

 

The key to not get bored is to keep things interesting! Anyone, even I, would get sick of having a simple lettuce, tomato a cucumber salad with the same dressing every day – boring! Start to think of your salad as a complete meal, which should include carbohydrates, fats, and protein. This will allow you to stay satiated and regulate blood sugar.

 

So how will you keep your salads interesting? Use as many ingredients as possible, without making your life too difficult, and plan ahead of time.

 

Here’s how to un-bore your salad and boost it’s nutrition content:

 

Begin with a couple of handfuls of organic greens of your choice (lettuce, baby greens, arugula, baby spinach or a mix), and then start to have some fun with your other ingredients:

 

  • VEGETABLES THAT ADD CRUNCH:

Celery, cucumber, radishes, not only add a great crunch but are also high in water content, so they help keep you hydrated and are a great source of fiber. And as you know, water and fiber are great for digestion.

 

  • HEALTHY FATS:

Avocados & olives, add great flavor and are packed with healthy fats. If your body can handle them, you can also sprinkle with some  goats cheese, or nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, cashews or sunflower seeds.

 

  • ROOT VEGGIES:

Carrots! Grate several carrots that you can store in a glass container and use for the week. Alternatively, you can but already chopped raw carrots. Carrots are underrated veggies. They help to regulate blood sugar and help to detox the body from excess estrogen.

Raw or roasted beets. Grate raw carrots into your salad, or simply peel, chop and roast with a bit of coconut oil for about 40 min. Beets are high in vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, they also have a unique source of betaine, which helps to fight off inflammation.

 

 

  • SPROUTED VEGGIES:

You can buy a pack of these at most health food stores, but sprouting your own is really easy too. Broccoli sprouts, sunflower sprouts, pea sprouts, bean sprouts, add a nice crunch and adds some serious nutrition. Did you know that sprouting a seed or grain increases its nutritional content, such as vitamins and protein, and also makes it more digestible!

 

  • SAUTEED OR GRILLED VEGGIES: 

Don’t throw our leftover dinner veggies! sSautéed veggies such as onions, mushrooms and peppers, grilled asparagus and green beans, make a great addition to your next day’s lunch salad.

 

  • SUNDRIED & MARINATED VEGGIES:

Sundried tomatoes, marinated mushroom, eggplant, artichokes, hearts of palm are amazing in salads. Just make sure that you buy them packed in olive oil, not canola oil or another vegetable oil.

 

  • VEGGIES WITH PROBIOTIC POWER:

Fermented foods, such as kimchi and sauerkraut. Naturally fermented in a salt brine is best for the gut and will help keep you regular.

IMG_8426

  • FRUITS:

Sliced fruit such as a tart apple, pear, strawberries, orange or green mango slices, add a little sweetness to your salad and blend really well with most vegetables.

 

  • CRUCIFEROUS VEGGIES:

Vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and cauliflower are great veggies to add raw to your salad. But, listen to your body, as many people have a hard time digesting these raw. Personally, I like to enjoy these sautéed or steamed, but I know many people that eat these raw without any issues.

 

  • PROTEIN:

Don’t forget the protein! A salad without protein is missing an important component that will fill you up and keep you full until your next meal.

Sliced chicken, sliced beef, grilled or canned wild fish, hard boiled eggs, grilled tempeh, can all be planned and prepped ahead of time, so you are set for the week ahead.

 

  • DRESSING:

So this is where I’m a creature of habit and generally go with olive oil, lemon and sea salt, but you can get really creative with your dressings.  Here are a few great dressing recipes you can make on Sunday night and enjoy the rest of the week.

 

CILANTRO LIME VINAIGRETTE

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 4 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp grated lime zest
  • 1 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

Place all ingredients in a mason jar shake well.

 

HOUSE DRESSING

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/4 cup filtered water
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3/4 tsp organic tamari soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp mustard powder or mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 cup olive oil

 

Place all ingredients in a mason jar shake well.

 

 

I hope that this post inspires  you to pack a nutritious salad for work daily, or at least most days.

 

Try the following:

 

Schedule in 10 min on Friday during your lunch hour or before you go to bed and write down your favorite salad ingredients, or the ingredients of a few salads that you want to try. Saturday morning head to a local market or supermarket and start checking off that list. Sunday afternoon or before dinner, cook a few extra portions of your Sunday dinner protein. Then before hitting the sack lay out a few containers and start stacking the ingredients in. Presto, you are ready for a few days of healthy meals!

 

~Daniela

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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KARSTEN DICKIE

Hey BBBC family! My name is Karsten Dickie and I am a coach at King West Best Body Bootcamp.

Growing up I was very involved in sports. I played competitive volleyball, basketball and hockey. I was always fascinated with how the body works, nutrition, strength training and anything that involved athletics. Applying my knowledge I noticed improvement of my health, energy and body transformation which then had me hooked on weight training. That’s when I knew I wanted to help impact people’s lives and share my knowledge about exercise, mobility and nutrition to help achieve their goals.

I received my diploma from Algonquin College for Fitness & Health Promotion and I have been doing group training for six years now. Additionally, I’ve trained hockey teams, volleyball teams, large event groups, and one-on-one training.

I’m passionate about enhancing the health, fitness and overall well-being of clients. With my skills and knowledge, I help clients achieve their goals in and out of the gym.

Outside of training I like to do yoga, read, play team sports, and spend time with my friends and family.

CERTIFICATIONS/ACHIEVEMENTS:

Algonquin College Fitness & Health Promotion
CanFitPro PTS
Lucas Parker Barbell Cycling
CPR/AED2

ANDY RANDHAWA

Hey there!
I’m Andy Randhawa, the newest addition to the Best Body Bootcamp family.

You can’t hear my accent while reading this but I’m Australian.
I grew up playing a lot of sports like tennis, basketball, boxing and footy (Aussie rules football) and competed professionally in tennis.

I have transformed bodies for over 12 years and also helped them show it off on stage.

I have an extensive knowledge about training and nutrition which I can apply to my clients to bring them closer their goals.

When I’m not making people sore or make them complain while training I spend my time doing filmmaking, videography and hanging out with friends (I need new ones in Canada).

Look forward to making you get your dream body.

CERTIFICATIONS/ACHIEVEMENTS:

Diploma of Fitness
Bachelors of Exercise Science
BoxFit Level 1&2

DANIELA NAHAS

My journey in fitness and health began about 15 years ago. Before that, like many of you I struggled with yo-yo dieting, and doing countless hours of cardio just to stay looking slim. Boy I wish I could talk some sense into my past self! But health is a journey and I am so grateful for all of my experiences, which have shaped what I have to offer our members today.
Over the years I have experienced first hand the life changing benefits of incorporating the right kind of exercise into my life. That motivated me to become a personal trainer 15 years ago, and it still continues to motivate me today. I want everyone to be able to to experience what exercise can do for their well being, self confidence and physique.
I used to struggle with my nutrition in a big way, so I completely empathize with you, if this is the hardest part for you when it comes to seeing long term change. I once struggled with eating disorders, followed by any years of a very negative relationship to food, even during my initial years as a personal trainer.

It occurred to me one day that I could not help my clients make changes and make better choices, without first focusing on myself. It was through completing my Holistic Lifestyle Coach Certification that I was able to change my relationship to food and be able to genuinely help clients get closer to their goals.

My increasing passion for nutrition and health led me to become certified as a Health Coach. As a health coach, I am able to help my clients delve deeper into your relationship with food and their health. What lies beneath our patterns and habits is fascinating and when you can tap into that it can have an incredibly powerful impact on our lives, and bring about real change!

These days I leave most of the bootcamp training to our awesome trainers, but I continue to share my passion for nutrition and fitness in our private member facebook group and work on our ever evolving member offerings.

My other passion? I am the luckiest mom to a 9-year-old boy. He keeps me on my toes and I must admit has helped me grow in ways I never thought possible. Together with hubby Roger Nahas, we like to spend plenty of time outdoors, along with the latest family hobby – board games.

When I get me time, I like to do yoga, read, cook, and spend time in nature.

I look forward to having you join us!

CERTIFICATIONS/ACHIEVEMENTS:

Health Coach Certification – Health Coach Institute
C.H.E.K Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 2
C.H.E.K Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1
Scientific Core Training , C.H.E.K Institute
Program Design, C.H.E.K Institute
Human Kinetics Exercise Anatomy
SPI Advanced Training for General Fitness
SPI Technical Aspects of Strength Training
SPI Nutrition for Sport and Performance
Emergency First Aid & CPR

ROGER NAHAS

My journey in fitness and nutrition is a little different than most. You see, I’m a former fat kid! The kid who was a total introvert! I was always the guy who was too embarrassed to take his shirt off at the beach! But I remember the day everything changed for me – I looked in the mirror and wasn’t happy with what I saw. I made the decision to change my body and my life. It was 1999 and I took a before pic and measurements and body fat and I entered the Body for Life Challenge. Over the next 90 days, I completely changed my eating habits, and worked out regularly. I actually was awarded the Canadian Grand Champion for my age category!

I was no longer the fat kid. I looked forward to getting to a beach so I could take my shirt off and I became more outgoing and fun! After seeing the difference it made in my life I decided that I wanted to dedicate my life to helping people realize the amazing benefits of optimal health and fitness.

I started out as most trainers do in your typical gym. After years of working in a gym setting, I was getting disillusioned with how Big Box Gyms operated. I wanted to train people functionally and to make their bodies strong in the movements they used in the real word. I wanted to make working with a highly trained instructor more affordable, and I wanted to make fitness fun because let’s face it; if you are having a blast, it makes it that much easier to stick to it. The result was the launching of Best Body . I have to tell you that although I looked great in the after pic above, the food and exercise plans I followed to get that after pic, hurt me in the long run. It made me look good from the outside but my body was breaking down on the inside. The way I was working out and what I thought was healthy eating was in fact hurting me in the long run. I was over training, taking longer to recover from my workouts, I tore my rotator cuff and had gut issues. Nothing I could do was helping and then I was introduced to a C.H.E.K Holistic Lifestyle Coach who helped me. Turns out I was stressing my body beyond repair and then giving it food that wasn’t helping but was actually stressing my body even more. He made me look at my body and the food I put into it in a totally different way.

That lead me to complete my certification as a C.H.E.K Holistic Lifestyle Coach and we pass that knowledge on and encourage holistic nutrition to our members.

In addition to running the day-to-day operations of Best Body Bootcamp, I also work with individual clients doing fitness training as well as holistic nutrition and lifestyle coaching.

When I’ve got a bit of free time, I spend as much of it as possible with my wife and son, I bike year round, play hockey, practice Tai Chi daily, read & take courses.

I hope to see you soon so we can transform your body and life!

CERTIFICATIONS/ACHIEVEMENTS:

C.H.E.K Golf Performance Specialist
C.H.E.K Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 2
C.H.E.K Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1
Scientific Core Training , C.H.E.K Institute
C.H.E.K Golf Performance Specialist
C.H.E.K Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 2
C.H.E.K Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1
Program Design, C.H.E.K Institute
Program Design, C.H.E.K Institute
Scientific Core Training , C.H.E.K Institute

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It took about two months for me to notice an incredible difference in my body. I toned my arms, butt and legs and I feel strong and fit. Every workout at Best Body Bootcamp challenges me to do better.

Dayna Gourley