Sara Tercero, knowns as @betterfoodguru, is a 48-year-old mother of three and a chef turned food blogger and author. She and her Mexican husband had their kids in their late 30s and early 40s. When their third child was on the way, she felt tired of working for someone else so she decided to figure out a way to make a living on social media, and guess what? She made it happen! Known as the Salad Queen, her social media is full of easy healthy food recipes that taste wicked good.
Find here some yummy suggestions perfect for sunny days:
MEDITERRANEAN FARRO SALAD
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Serves: 5
Ingredients for salad:
* 500g farro, cooked according to instructions
* 1 can organic chickpeas
* 2 cups mixed grilled vegetables, roughly chopped: eggplant, zucchini, asparagus, squash
* 2 peaches, chopped
* 1 cup mixed pitted calamata and green olives, roughly chopped
* 2 Persian cucumbers, roughly chopped
* 1 cup garden fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
* 1 small scallion diced, both green and white parts
Ingredients for dressing:
* 2 large lemons, juiced
* 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* ½ tsp pure maple syrup or sweetener of choice
* 1 tsp dry Italian seasoning
* ¼ tsp salt
* 3-5 grinds of black pepper according to taste
Preparation:
Cook farro according to package and let cool.
Mix dressing ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Chop all vegetables and fruit and add to the bowl and toss well.
Add chickpeas and farro and toss well.
Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
Sprinkle a bit of extra Italian season and black pepper on top to serve.
RAINBOW CHOPPED SALAD WITH ORANGE TAHINI DRESSING
Prep: 15 min
Serves: 4
Ingredients for salad:
2 bell peppers, chopped
3 small watermelon radishes, chopped
3 Persian cucumbers, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
6 cups mixed salad greens
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 avocados, chopped
½ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup slivered almonds
Preparation:
Start with the base of greens and build upward, layering the colourful vegetables.
Top with avocado when serving to prevent browning.
Garnish with parsley, seeds, and nuts.
Ingredients for dressing:
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup orange juice
½ squeezed lemon
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Put all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk with a fork.
Taste for seasoning and adjust. If you like it sweeter, add a couple drops of pure maple syrup. Since tahini brands differ, you may need to add a little more water to make the dressing more pourable.
Drizzle or dip.
RAINBOW RAW AND ROASTED SALAD
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
500g asparagus
7 sweet baby bell peppers
5 cups greens of choice
1 cup cherry tomatoes
4 Persian cucumbers
½ bunch fresh dill
2 sliced avocado
½ cup pumpkin seeds
2 lemons, juiced
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Place asparagus and whole baby peppers with a couple of drops of oil on a sheet pan and roast for
15-20 mins at 200 C. Once cooked, season with the juice of half a lemon and a sprinkle of salt.
Wash and chop greens and red cabbage for the base of the salad.
Chop tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs to top the greens.
De-stem the roasted peppers and chop.
Cut asparagus in thirds and add to salad.
Add ripe avocado and seeds.
A squeeze of lemon juice on top, fresh ground pepper and a drizzle of olive oil or your favourite dressing.