A Perfect Breakfast Salad
Filled with fiber and nutrition, there is no other better start to a day!
Working at Pondicheri has its perks and the amazing array of food around in almost any good restaurant setting is many a person’s envy but also a big fat temptation. Those crispy potato cakes that sit at the edge of the fryer? Those awesome desi fries that are always staring at me with their sweet spicy dust? Or the new Everything croissant that glistens on the rack at the Bake Lab? I can steadfastly avoid all these when I have had a good start…
There is nothing that I enjoy more in the morning than a good salad. Salad for breakfast? Yes, it may sound a little strange but biting into crunchy arugula, cubes of roasted beets, chunks of mango, sautéed mushrooms is my idea of heaven. The salad gives me vigor, satisfaction and more importantly, I start my day with something nourishing and nutritious. And it’s so tasty! It kind of sets the tone of the day. I tend to eat better on days with a good start.
Let me back up a little. I was in India with my family this past July and we stayed at a lovely hotel in Delhi I have been staying at for the past few years. While I mostly turn my nose up at buffets, this one has an astonishing array of fresh produce, cooked goodies along with pastries for breakfast. They always have a large table set with bowls of lettuces, grilled zucchini, roasted peppers, grilled tomatoes, cubed cucumber, mango, papaya, pineapple and more with a variety of toppings like pumpkin seeds, nuts and granola. A squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil! Every morning, I would make a large plate of the salad and devour it with multiple cups of chai. I would smile at no one in particular just knowing my body was consuming this delicious goodness.
I got so into this salad that within a day or two of returning, I tried to do something similar at home. After eating it for six days straight, I was still craving it. At home, this salad is a little complicated to pull off but I have gotten into a routine now. Being organized will get you there. My home cooking is limited to what I can find at the market so that narrows my choices but I revel in the satisfaction of knowing that I’m truly eating local food every day. And with a breakfast like this, which you can have for lunch also, it keeps you satisfied all the way to dinner…
Here are some of the building blocks of this salad, they will all keep for 5 to 6 days separately in the refrigerator. Lots of lemon juice is the trick.
Roasted or boiled beets, peeled and cubed, tossed with a bit of tahini and salt or with an olive oil pop of mustard seeds. Lemon juice to top it off.
Carrots, also boiled or roasted and then marinated with lemon juice, honey and a pop of cumin seeds in olive oil. If you don’t know what popping is, check this video…
Sprouted peas or any other beans - this one is not for everyone. I have been sprouting different kind of beans the whole month of August but when I served sprouted peas in a salad to some friends a couple of weekends ago, some left it on their plate. They probably through I forgot to cook them but I eat them raw on purpose! So much fiber and nutrition. Lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt. Yum.
Some vegetable like mushrooms, zucchini, or peppers to sauté fresh each morning. Olive oil, salt and pepper.
Some kind of greens, arugula, melon or other micro-greens or just plain old lettuce.
Toasted nuts or seeds to top it off. I usually crush the nuts in my mortar and pestle. Then the final flourish is a squeeze of lime or lemon juice and olive oil if needed.
I hope you have all had a good summer. As you read this, I will be in London on a personal culinary tour. I’ll share insights next time. The weather there is cooler for sure! Houston has not had its red hot heat this year, for which I am utterly grateful. I walk early in the mornings at Memorial Park almost daily and there is not one day this summer where I felt the heat and wanted to turn around. To more summers like this! Do, do give this salad a try…or make a mini version. I hope you fall in love with the the way I did!
Until next time!
Warmly, Anita