The disease fighting, beauty enhancing superfood salad topper I can't get enough of lately
superfood salad topper
I love discovering new superfoods. But lately, I’m barely remembering to eat the superfood staples that I keep on hand in my own pantry.
I don’t know whether it’s laziness, lack of time or that I’m simply being forgetful. What I do know is that I miss the way I feel when I consistently include nutrient dense superfoods in my meals.
So I decided to do something about it. In fact, I found a way to re-integrate some of my favorite superfoods into my diet all at once.
I call it ‘The Superfood Salad Topper’.
Well, I call it that, but in reality, I’ve been using it on all of my favorite meals and snacks lately. Because it’s that good. The nutritional yeast and seed variety give the blend a cheesy flavor and nutty texture, which makes it the perfect addition to all different types of pastas and salads, as well as some of my favorite snacks like popcorn and avocado toast.
The flavor is definitely the best part, but I also love that it takes just five minutes to make. And that’s not all. This blend is insanely good for you. Check out just some of the health and beauty benefits of these ingredients:
Sunflower seeds - high in vitamin E and selenium, which function as antioxidants to protect your body’s cells against the free radical damage that plays a role in several chronic diseases.
Hemp seeds - exceptionally rich in two essential fatty acids - omegas 3 and 6 - both of which may help to reduce the risk of heart disease and improve skin conditions associated with various auto-immune diseases. Great protein source; more than 25% of their total calories are from high-quality protein.
Chia seeds - loaded with fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and various micronutrients. Chia seeds are also well known for their high antioxidant content, which helps fight the production of free radicals that damage cell molecules and contribute to aging and diseases like cancer.
Nutritional yeast - many studies suggest that it may help protect against oxidative damage, lower cholesterol and boost immunity. Great way to add extra protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to meals.
Ground flax seeds - high in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which, in various animal studies, have been shown to inhibit tumor incidence and growth. Also, very high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps detoxify and improve digestion and colon health.
Ground turmeric -many scientifically-proven health benefits, including the potential to prevent heart disease, Alzheimer's and cancer. Also been found to improve symptoms of arthritis due to its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Check out the full recipe below. And don’t worry If your pantry is missing an ingredient or two - the recipe is really flexible. As long as you have nutritional yeast and a nut or thick-seed base (like sunflower seeds), the flavor and consistency will hold. In fact, the recipe handles substitutions really well. For example, I use sunflower seeds and walnuts interchangeably and the flavor remains pretty much the same.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy this blend as much as I do. And as always, I love to hear from you, so don’t forget to share how you’re using this recipe in the comments section below!
Superfood Salad Topper
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Yields: 1 cup
Ingredients:
4 tbsp sunflower seeds
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
3 tbsp hemp seeds
3 tbsp chia seeds
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp celtic salt
1/4 tsp ground turmeric powder
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the ingredients are well blended into a fine, powder-like consistency.
Note: this recipe can be stored in the fridge, in an air tight container, for several weeks or in the freezer for several months.
