Super BOMB Salad

I’m not what I would call a fad dieter. I do, however, have quite an interest in nutrition. Last year I jumped on the documentary train with everyone else and became interested in a plant based diet. I discovered that the vegans were intense, the plant based people hated oil and all fats, and that sometimes not eating animal fat can give you your first cavity. I don’t have the answer as to the “best diet” in the world, but I’m fairly certain that eating more fruits and vegetables is always a good idea.

There are many theories of nutrition based on plants, but one that I found during this period was the concept of GBOMBS.  These are supposed to be superfoods that promote optimum health. It sands for greens, beans, onion, mushrooms, berries, and seeds, and I definitely try to incorporate these foods! This GBOMB salad is based on that principle, but missing a few items, so I’m calling it my Super BOMB Salad.

Mason jar salads are so 2016, but they do make a lovely visual. It’s nice to be able to throw these together and know you have salads for several days. I personally put thick gloopy very unhealthy ranch dressing on mine, but this salad is generic enough to work with whatever you desire! The parmesan crisps take it out of the vegan category, and if you’re avoiding animal foods you could leave them out! Definitely save them for right before serving however, they tend to get a little soggy in the refrigerator.

Assembling this salad is simple! You’ll chop the romaine hearts, and place in jars. Next come the mushrooms. I like mine very finely sliced, so I buy whole mushrooms, cut off the stem, and use the 2mm slicer on my food processor. You could buy them pre-sliced. I’m not going to lie, my Cuisinart 14 cup food processor is my most loved small kitchen appliance. It’s been worth its weight in gold and I would replace it in a heartbeat if it broke!

After the romaine and mushrooms we’re going to add the black beans. I use canned beans, drain and rinse very well. Then I dry them off and add them to the salad. I use about half a can per salad.

Time to add even more cruciferous greenery! I used shaved Brussel sprouts, but sometimes I like to change it up and use a premade salad product called power slaw. It’s a combination of kale, Brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, carrot slivers, and some other things depending on the brand. Either way we want to make sure and add some fibrous green veggies here!

What’s a salad without some crunch? Croutons are a no go for a gluten free diet. First we’ll use some shelled hemp seeds. These nutty, crunchy bits are a true super food, as a good source of healthy fats, plant based protein, and provide loads of health benefits.

Now that we’ve covered the healthy crunch, lets add the indulgent crunch. I didn’t even realize parmesan crisps were an option until I got them on a Panera salad one day. Shortly after I found them at the store, and now I can buy a huge bag at Costco. You could leave these off and you would have a perfectly vegan or plant based option.

All that’s left now is to eat this beauty! Did you try this salad? What did you think? Did you add anything?