Liven up your salad this week with this sensational Spring Veggies ‘n’ Greens Bowl With Strawberry Pecan Dressing! With a rainbow of colors from nutrient-dense vegetables and fruits and leafy greens, this salad is packed with benefits. Lifeway Oat is the star of the dressing for this dish since it offers you 25-30 billion units of probiotics in each serving and has an amazing flavor. It will soothe your gut, please your tastebuds, and makes an unforgettable salad dressing with its creamy texture. Grab your forks and dig in!
Not Just Oat Milk: Cultured Oat Milk Benefits to Know
With increasing research linking the correlation between probiotics, gut health, and immunity, it’s no secret that the integrity of our gut is vital to our health. Although additional factors such as stress, antibiotic usage, and individual health conditions can contribute to the condition of our gut, a focus on healthy food choices is one of the easiest ways to support the microbiome.
Several studies have shown a strong association between the gut-brain-microbiota. Probiotics introduced to the gut have been found to support immunity, improve allergies, and improve digestion. Studies have also shown that reduced diversity of healthy gut bacteria during early years is associated with an increase in food allergies during school-age years. In addition, a combination of fiber and probiotics is even more beneficial for the gut, immune system, and for brain health due to the way this combination strengthens the microbiome, the powerhouse system of your entire health. This is where Lifeway Oat is so beneficial since it is an organic, cultured oat milk beyond just another standard oat milk. Lifeway Oat contains both fiber and probiotics to help support a healthier body and brain, which means an overall healthier you.
Prebiotics + Probiotics = A Healthier You
Prebiotics are non-living, non-digestible carbohydrates naturally found in a variety of fiber-rich plant foods. Your body actually can’t digest prebiotics, so they’re what probiotics feed off of to remain actively working in your digestive system. They help the digestive system by promoting the growth of good bacteria. Prebiotics and probiotics work together in balance to make sure our digestive system stays on track and regular. Research has found that consuming a variety of prebiotic and probiotic food sources may improve your body’s natural functions, including both your immune and digestive systems.
Ingredients
- Veggies:
- 1/2 cup each of fresh beets and carrots (*all washed and chopped into 1-inch pieces)
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- pinch of sea salt or pink salt
- juice of 1 lemon
- Greens:
- 2 cups fresh arugula
- 2 cups romaine, washed and chopped
- Dressing:
- 1 cup
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- freshly cracked black pepper
- Toppings:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- 4 tbsp. raw pecans (or 2 tbsp. raw pecans and 2 tbsp. raw walnuts (or seeds of choice- sunflower or pumpkin seeds)
- more pepper or salt if desired
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet or roasting pan with parchment paper.
- Add all the washed and chopped veggies into a large bowl and toss with olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt.
- Spread the mixture onto the prepared pan and roast for 20-25 minutes in the oven until the tops of the veggies are caramelized and you can insert a fork in them easily.
- While your veggies are cooking, prepare the greens by washing and drying them. Divide amongst 2 bowls and set aside. Then mix up all the dressing ingredients in a blender. Reserve and set aside.
- Once the veggies are done roasting, remove from the oven, and divide them amongst the bowls of greens. Then add 1/2 of the roasted mixed veggies on top of each bowl and top with the dressing. Add 1/2 cup strawberries on top of each bowl and suggested nuts/seeds of choice.