Balsamic-Dressed Alfalfa Sprouts Salad (Easy Light Lunch)

I often add beans (like chickpeas or edamames) or a cooked grain (like buckwheat or quinoa) to my salads to make them more filling, or you can put this into a wrap or a pita, or have some toast and peanut/almond butter on the side.

This salad would travel pretty well to work, though it would be best if you could refrigerate it and keep the dressing separate until you eat it.

You can make all kinds of substitutions to the basics I listed here – swap sprouts for lettuce or kale, swap the veggies for others, swap the seeds for beans, add a chopped apple, change the flavors in the dressing…

Really, what I wanted to show you here is how easy it can be to throw together an easy and healthy lunch.

Ingredients

• 1 cup alfalfa or red clover sprouts
• 1 small green onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/4 cup cucumber, chopped
• 1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 Tbsp nori strips (optional)
• 2 tbsp balsamic dressing (recipe below)

Dressing Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp tahini (or another nut/seed butter)
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp water (more or less)
• 1/2 clove garlic (or 1 very small clove), pressed
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped (or 2 tsp dried)

Dressing Directions

1. Whisk together the tahini and balsamic until it thickens, then add enough water to thin it out. (Alternatively you can put all 3 into a small blender and puree.)
2. Stir in the garlic and basil, drizzle some of the dressing onto your salad and save the rest for later. I make this in a big batch to last through the week, though the measurements here are a smaller batch.

Salad Directions

1. Lay the sprouts out on a plate and top with the veggies, seeds and raisins. Drizzle with dressing and enjoy.

What do you like to put in your salads to make them more filling? Let me know below!