Hello Holistic | Metabolism + Weight Loss Coaching

I eat this salad all year round. I will be the first to admit that I don’t love salads. It could be my dosha type- I prefer warm comfort foods as opposed to raw, but sometimes a girl needs some greens and the body actually loves it when you eat for the seasons. Raw foods, like salad, are cooling to the body and perfect as the weather transitions to warmer.

The best thing about this salad is that it is a combo of cooked and raw foods, and it’s a combo of 2 flavours because I can never decide. It’s a mix of hot cajun spice with sweet berries and honey. I usually buy my cajun spice, but you can make your own with a blend of paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, pepper and oregano. Here is how to make the salad!

Ingredients

This recipe serves 2

• 2 chicken breasts
• Cajun spice (aprox 3-4 Tbsp)
• 1/2 C olive oil, divided
• 2 C baby spinach, washed and dried
• 3/4 C pecan halves
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 lemon wedges
• 4 strawberries
• A pinch of sea salt
• 4 Tbsp goat cheese (optional)

Equipment

• Baking sheet or glass baking dish
• Parchment paper
• Safe, non-stick frying pan
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Stainless mixing bowl

Method

For the chicken: Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out the chicken breasts. Drizzle with 1/4 C olive oil and enough cajun spice to cover both sides. Bake for 30mins and set aside to cool before slicing. Serving the salad with the chicken still slightly warm is lovely!

For the pecans: Heat a frying pan on low to medium heat and melt butter. Add in pecans, stir in maple syrup for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

For the dressing: In a glass measuring cup, measure out 1/4 C olive oil, add in the balsamic, mustard, honey, and sea salt to taste. Stir well and set aside.

For the greens: Add spinach and sliced strawberries to a stainless mixing bowl. Pour salad dressing over greens and toss well. Divide and transfer to 2 dinner plates.

Putting it all together: Once chicken has cooled, slice each breast into thin strips and place over the dressed spinach and strawberries on each plate. Slice avocado into thin slices, divide into 2 portions and place on the side of the salad, along with a lemon wedge. Top each salad with maple pecans and, if you’re feeling extra, a little bit of crumbled goat cheese.

Be sure to let me know in the comments or on Instagram if you tried this recipe! Watch me make it here.