Good morning and happy Monday!

One of the best things about summer is the food! The abundance of fresh greens and vegetables available in the farmer’s market inspire my creativity in the kitchen. There’s nothing nicer than a beautiful salad made with local ingredients on a hot summer’s day and boy, has it been hot!

In today’s Motivational Monday I am going to share one of my new favorites: Middle Eastern Salad. Not only is it light, colorful, nutritious and delicious, it also provides a hefty dose of protein from chick peas that stabilizes my blood sugar while providing energy to sustain me throughout the afternoon.

This salad is perfect for vegans as an entree or if you eat meat, you can have it as a side dish. You can also have a little bit of it as an afternoon snack. Give it a try and see what you think.

After you’ve watched the video, I want to hear from you! What’s YOUR favorite summer salad? Please share it with me, along with the recipe because if I try it and love it, you may see it in the future as a Motivational Monday!

Thanks as always for tuning in! I hope you have an excellent week!
xo
B

Middle Eastern Salad Recipe

Salad Ingredients

• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium cucumber, diced
• 1/2 orange pepper, diced
• 1/2 can chick peas rinsed and drained
• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

Combine ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Set aside and make dressing.

Dressing Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tahini
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic minced
• 2 tbsp each of minced parsley and cilantro
• Himalayan salt and cayenne pepper to taste
• Water, if needed to thin out dressing

Place ingredients in a blender and blend well. Pour over salad and toss. Adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Refrigerate for about an hour to allow flavors to blend and serve. Enjoy!