Superfood Spirulina Salad

Everyone needs some favorite go-to salad recipes. This one is extra refreshing, colorful, and even a little sweet thanks to watermelon radishes, avocado, and orange slices. The dressing is made with spirulina, a blue-green algae rich in antioxidants and particularly helpful for reducing heavy metal toxicity. It’s also rich in vitamins E, C, and B6 to support healthy blood cells, immunity, and energy production.

Roasted chickpeas offer some extra protein, fiber, and a satisfying crunch to complement all of the refreshing veggies in this salad.

Wishing you health and happiness,
Mark Hyman, MD

Ingredients

Roasted Chickpeas

• 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Spirulina Vinaigrette

• 1 large shallot, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper 2 teaspoons spirulina ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons spirulina
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Salad

• 4 small heads little gem lettuce, cored, leaves left whole
• 3 large radishes, very thinly sliced
• 1 large watermelon radish, very thinly sliced
• 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
• 2 blood oranges, cut into segments (See step 5)

Method

1. Start with making the chickpeas. Drain beans into a strainer and rinse with cold water. Shake and tap the strainer making sure to get rid of excess water. Evenly spread onto a clean kitchen towel or paper towel and rub dry. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, the longer the better (you can even dry them overnight).

2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place chickpeas beans into a small mixing bowl with avocado oil, salt, and garlic powder. Evenly spread onto a cookie sheet. Transfer cookie sheet into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, shaking halfway through. After 40 minutes, remove from the oven and set aside while making the dressing.

3. While chickpeas are cooking, make dressing by combining the shallot with apple cider vinegar for 5 minutes to pickle. Then add the rest of the ingredients (except sesame seeds) and stir well until emulsified.

4. Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl and top with sesame seeds.

5. For the blood oranges, segment by cutting off the top and bottom of the orange, just until the pulp is exposed. Stand the orange on one of the ends and cut away the peel and pith following the curve of the fruit. Slice out each orange segment by cutting in towards the center of the fruit along the connective membranes. The segment should fall out on its own.

6. To assemble, add orange segments to salad, pour dressing over top, and top with roasted chickpeas. 

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