Happy Sunday guys!

This salad has a tasty blend of sweet and savoury. And it’s loaded with superfoods like sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds and goat cheese. And I have to tell you, I felt so good after eating it.

Sweet Potatoes, a great source of natural sugars

Sweet potatoes notably do not cause blood sugar spikes. This is because they have natural sugars that are released gradually into the bloodstream, providing a regular source of energy without the spike and crash of processed sugars. They are also an excellent source of vitamin C, which protects our bodies against toxins, assists with healing, digestion, and helps fight aging. And they contribute to a strong immune system.

Sunflower seeds, why they’re good for you

Sunflower seeds are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, that are otherwise sometimes hard to find in our diet. They're also an excellent source of fiber, healthy fats and amino acids.

Goat cheese, the clean dairy product

Goat cheese is reported to have more vitamins and minerals than cow’s cheese, with less calories. And goats farms are said to be commonly more humane than cow farms, with smaller farms and more ethical practices.

The reality

Unfortunately today we can't go to the local store and pick up some flour or sugar and trust that the product is okay for us to eat. Our parents may have had the luxury of living in a time where that was possible. But it's just not the case anymore. Today, when we walk into a store to buy our food, it's essential to check ingredients labels and to understand what's in the product that we're getting. And once we start to do this, we see that all too often, we're actually being tricked. We're being given the impression that this product is okay to eat, but in reality it has a score of added chemicals, processed oils, or other bad ingredients that are terrible for our health.

What we can do

So, you'll notice that I've included pictures of my ingredients for this recipe and my past recipes. These are all products that I recommend as they're largely organic, and consist of clean, healthy ingredients.

I've also been listing the health benefits of these ingredients so that you can understand why they're good for your and incorporate them into your daily meals, snacks and smoothies, etc., if you so choose.

I want to make eating healthy easier for you. Because, I'm not going to lie, it took a lot of work to research and figure all this health stuff out for myself. And I can only hope to be able to give back to the community by sharing this research with you all, and providing easy steps that you can take to bring more healthy food into your lives.

Here’s how I did it

Ingredients

For the salad

(All ingredients can be added to taste)
Arugula
Goat cheese, diced
Blackberries
Sunflower seeds
Dried cranberries

For the baked sweet potato

1 large organic sweet potato
2 tbsp organic avocado oil

For the dressing

2 tbsp organic avocado oil
3 tbsp organic white vinegar
1 tsp organic dijon mustard
2 tsps water
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Chop your sweet potato into fries, then brush them with avocado oil, and top with salt and pepper. Then bake at 350 F for 20 minutes, taking them out half way through to flip them and sprinkle on some more salt and pepper.

Then prepare your dressing by mixing your vinegar, dijon, salt and pepper in a bowl. Then gradually whisk in your oil, until well combined.

Next add your arugula, blackberries, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries to a plate or bowl. Dice your goat cheese and sprinkle on top. Then once your sweet potatoes are done baking, add them to the salad. Eh voila!

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Recipe and photos are mine and original. Shot on iPhone 7 Plus.

You can also connect with me on Instagram

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And for more of my clean and healthy recipes click the links below:

Chocolate Ginger Cookies

Green Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie

Banana Nut Butter Crepes

Cinnamon Chia Overnight Oats

Zucchini Fritters and Homemade Tzatziki

Mint Chocolate Coconut Bark

Strawberry Partfait Bars

Vegan Pizza and Homemade Pesto

Raw Chocolate Fudge Bites

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins a.k.a Chocolate Banana Bread

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Donuts

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Sources:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/9-reasons-to-love-sweet-potatoes.html
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/seed-and-nut/health-benefits-of-walnuts.html
http://www.prevention.com/eatclean/goat-cheese
http://www.dovemed.com/healthy-living/wellness-center/goat-cheese-healthy/
http://www.healthline.com/health/are-cashews-good-for-you
https://draxe.com/sunflower-seeds/
The recipe for the salad dressing was inspired and adapted from my step dad, Duane MacNeill's, recipe.