This salad is full of health-packed ingredients such as organic strawberries, organic kalamata olives (with the natural fermentation in the process of making kalamata olives, it contains some levels of probiotics!), diced acocado, sautéed broccoli (I totally use bacon grease to season our veggies with fresh sea salt and garlic powder), grilled ribeye steak my husband made this past weekend and uncured turkey bacon all on top of fresh bibb lettuce that we purchased at Central Market in Fort Worth, Texas for our weekly grocery trip. All of these ingredients make for a tasty AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) salad. My LEAST favorite ingredient on my plate is the lettuce. Why? Well anyone with an inflammatory bowel disorder such as Crohn’s, colitis, or even irritable bowel can relate. The raw salad for whatever reason can cause anyone with a less “happy” gut to become extremely angry. Tons of bloating, gas, severe abdominal cramping, and just overal discomfort.
But, wait. Isn’t salad suppose to be good for you? Sure. If you are someone with a proper working colon, I suppose. :) I’ll never forget one of my first journeys on eating healthier when I had the brilliant idea of eating salads predominately. Man oh man. Did my intestines yell at me. Over the years I have learned that certain types of salad lettuce I can tolerate easier than others, but still try to eat salads when I can. I have a friend named Michelle that is a yoga instructor and is married to an acupuncturist. (Seriously. If you ever need a good acupuncturist, her man is the one to see at Meridian Harmonics in Bedford, Texas.) Michelle has been through a lot of her own health battles and conquered them with a warrior attitude. She said that she was able to eat salads easier by adding a warm vegetable or meat on top of her lettuce so that is cooks it just a bit to help break it down. Brilliant, right! So that’s why you see steamed broccoli on my salad. I warmed that up with the steak and it helped wilt the lettuce a tad. Listen, I don’t prefer soggy lettuce either, but this is how I found to make salads a win-win for my health and my gut.
What is an “odd” topping you love to put on your salad? Anything new you tried and loved?