Do you also have some specific food products that you constantly see in a shop but never buy, because you don’t know how to use them? Well, for a long time for me such a food product was fennel. While living in Latvia, I basically never used it. But since in Italy it’s quite popular, I was somehow pushed to include it in my daily menu. And that’s one of the reasons why I created this healthy fennel protein salad recipe!
Protein probably is one of the most popular things that non-vegans are concerned about. Yes, yes, I didn’t make a mistake – I really meant non-vegans, not vegans. Why? Because vegans know very well that you can get protein from plants without big effort. And this healthy fennel protein salad is a great example of it. But not just of that! With this salad you can fill your body also with other valuable nutrients.
Nutritional value of healthy fennel protein salad
First and foremost, I want to point out fennel’s contribution into keeping our digestive system healthy. It helps eliminate excess gas and it regulates our intestinal health in case of some unwanted situations, like, diarrhea or constipation. Apart from that fennel, just like lemon juice, contains a lot of vitamin C, which makes it valuable for our immune system. And it contains also a tiny bit of protein. Quite big amount of protein can be found in red beans and walnuts, which also are the ingredients of this salad. Besides that, walnuts contain good amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins B1, B6, C and E, and minerals – manganese, copper, magnesium and phosphorus. Leeks instead have antibacterial and antifungal features. They contain several vitamins like A, C and K, and minerals like iron, manganese, copper and zinc.
Another valuable ingredient of this healthy fennel protein salad is carrot. Carrots are very rich in vitamin A and fiber, which means that they’re good for our eyesight, skin and our digestive system. Radishes instead contain good amount of vitamin C, while blueberries are rich in vitamin K and they contain good amount of manganese. Besides that, blueberries are considered to contain the biggest amount of antioxidants compared to other fruits and berries. And then there’s also parsley – the king of vitamin K! So, with this salad your body gets not only protein, but also a bunch of many other valuable nutrients.
How to make healthy fennel protein salad
Since the preparation process of this recipe includes mostly just cutting the ingredients, probably the most difficult thing for you could be finding the fennel, in case it’s not very popular where you live. But I really suggest you to try a little bit harder to find it, because it gives a very specific flavor to this salad. What regards the preparation process itself, you simply need to cut and mix all the ingredients together, pour over them the oil and lemon juice mixture, and your healthy vegan salad is ready!
Specky in general loves almost all the ingredients of this recipe. But parsley and blueberries are definitely his favorites. That is why during the photoshoot he couldn’t decide what exactly to eat, because it was all so delicious for him! And not just for him – this healthy fennel protein salad is really a filling, refreshing and delicious dish for everyone! Not only for vegans.
If you realize that you like the flavor of fennel, be aware that you can eat it also cooked. In case you need some ideas, try my caramelized oven-roasted vegetable recipe! But before that, definitely try this fennel salad that is:
-
vegan
- healthy
- easy to make
- full of protein
- nutritious
- filling
- refreshing
- juicy
- low-fat
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
| Prep Time | 10 min |
| Servings |
|
- 300 g of fennel (only the white part)
- 120 g of blueberries
- 50 g of walnuts (without the shell)
- 85 g of leek
- 250 g of cooked or canned red beans
- 160 g of carrots (1 big or 2 small)
- 125 g of radishes
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 5 g of parsley
- pinch of salt and pepper
Ingredients
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|
- place blueberries, red beans and walnuts in a big bowl;
- cut fennel in tiny cubes and add them in the bowl;
- cut carrots, radishes and leek in thin slices. By using your hands, separate the layers of leek slices, then add everything in the bowl;
- chop parsley in tiny pieces, place it in a small container (like a glass), add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix it all together;
- pour the obtained dressing over the salad ingredients and mix everything well together.
