Traffic Light Salad

The Traffic Light Salad is designed for a family of two which include an elderly grandparent with Parkinson’s and a coeliac granddaughter. This is also adapted to those with Anaemia and Osteoporosis. The salad has been designed to attend both of their nutritional needs within one meal under a low cost income. There are medical conditions between both family members, which requires nutritional assistance. This meal allows different generations to sustain a healthy lifestyle by assisting their nutritional needs by adapting to their everyday lives.

The Traffic Light Salad!

This super salad is designed like a traffic light! A big red Beetroot to get you to stop, sit, recover and eat. The amber to get you fuelled up with lots of iron with slow releasing energy. And finally, a variety of greens to help you get up and GO!

Serves: 2

Ingredients
80g/2 medium Beetroots
100g Chickpeas
4g Fresh Coriander
4g Fresh Dill
1 Egg
1 Lime
4g Fresh Parsley
½ 1tsp Rapeseed Oil
2g Dried Rosemary
120g Frozen Peas
1tbs Poppy Seeds
50g Frozen Soya Beans
175g Spinach
1 Spring Onion
1g Salt
1 Medium Sized Orange Pepper

Meal Type: Lunch or Dinner

Served Temperature: Cold

Preparation: Rinse the non-frozen vegetables prior cooking to ensure food safety.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes

FUN FACT!
Did you know that Beetroot can enhance fitness performance as well as battle Parkinson’s disease! Who said the colour red meant danger?

Wash beetroot before use but do not peel. Cut the stalks from approximately 2.5cm from both beetroots (this will reduce the beetroots from bleeding during their boil). Place into a medium sized saucepan. Bring the water to boil and then turn the water down to a medium heat and cover the saucepan with the lid. Allow the beetroot to simmer for 30-40 minutes. At 30 minutes, gently push a knife into the beetroot to check the texture. When the knife has no resistance and glides through the beetroots texture, this is when the beetroot is cooked and can be drained. Leave to cool.
Add water into a saucepan and place the pan onto the stove bringing the water to boil. Pour the contents of the soya beans into the water and return to the boil. Place the lid of the saucepan. Allow 6-7 minutes cooking time before draining off soy beans into a sieve and leave to cool.
Add water into a saucepan and place the pan onto the stove bringing the water to boil. Add the peas into the water and bring the water back to the boil. Allow the peas to simmer for 3 minutes before draining. Leave peas to cool.
Pour water into a saucepan and place the pan onto the stove bringing the water to warm (not boil). While waiting for the water to heat, empty contents of the chickpeas from the tin into a sieve. Rinse the residue off the chickpeas and pour contents into the water for 3-4 minutes.
Fill a sauce pan with water and bring to the boil. Using a table spoon gently place the egg into the pan and boil for approximately 6-7 minutes. This will ensure a firm yolk. Drain the egg out of the hot water and leave to cool.
Slice the spinach into slender pieces and place into a large mixing bowl. Check all the beans from the previous cooking are cool. If so pour all contents from the chickpeas, peas and soya beans into the mixing bowl.
Carefully slice the top of the spring onion (white end) and dispose of it. Carefully slice or dice the spring onion into little pieces and place all contents into the bowl with the spinach.
Slice the lime in half on the chopping board. With one of the half cut limes, slice that piece in half. Now slightly squeeze the lime hovering and circling over the salad, allowing the lime juice to drip over the salad. Now with a large spoon or tongs, give the salad a good mix.
Next, pour the rapeseed oil into a tsp. Fill only half of the tsp. Swirl the spoon over the salad and drizzle the rapeseed oil into the mixture.
1. Mix the salad again using the same mixing tool as used last time.
1. Once beetroot is cool, remove and dispose the skin. Slice and dice to a desirable size. Add the contents of the beetroot into the mixing bowl.
1. Mix the salad again.
1. Using the chopping board and a knife, cut the orange pepper in half and dispose of the stalk and seeds. Slice or dice the pepper and add to the salad mixture.
1. Before adding your herbs, make sure the dill, coriander and parsley are chopped. If not repeat the slicing process previously done for spinach with these herbs before adding them to the salad.
1. Sprinkle the salt into the salad and mix.
1. Place a hand over the egg and check that the egg is now cool. Remove all traces of the outer shell from the egg by cracking a part of the egg and peeling off the rest gently.
1. Cut the egg in half.
1. Next use salad tongs to evenly spread the salad on two plates.
1. Sprinkle the rosemary over each salad evenly.
1. Do the same with the poppy seeds.
1. Place an egg half on each of the salads and there is the Traffic Light Salad!
Bon Appetite!
Follow the link to checkout our other alternative recipe with avocado and almonds, step by step: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUs9emJxOcY
Ingredients assisting dietary requirements within the Traffic Light Salad are:
Beetroot has been identified to improve those who live with PD. Emerging evidence indicated a defensive act from the beetroot which was believed to be down to “augmentation of cellular antioxidants” (Nade et al., 2015, pp.403-408). Beetroot consumption has also a great benefit for the granddaughter. It has been discovered that if one was to eat nitrate-rich foods, performance will be enhanced in a healthy adult for activates such as running. (Murphy et al., 2012).
Parsley is a great nutritious food for the granddaughter. As a coeliac, calcium is not easily absorbed within the small intestine. Parsley contains a high source of Vitamin K2 (Howard & Payne, 2006). Vitamin K carries calcium to the bones and removes calcification within the family member’s arteries. Osteoporosis therefore will be prevented for the coeliac providing that she has good amounts of Vitamin K from such things as parsley. Parsley is also a great source of Vitamin C which will assist both the vulnerable elderly immune system and the granddaughter while commuting on public transport.
Spinach can help both family members with their nutrition. Both are anaemic. The 1.9mg of iron that spinach contains benefits both participants to feel less lethargic. (Maina & Mwangi, 2008). This iron information justifies Salt’s purpose within this meal. Moving forward the granddaughter (27) will soon be thinking of motherhood. Spinach contains folate which is great for expecting mothers as it prevents birth defects. Spinach is also a great source of Vitamin K.
Eggs are known to help weight control and satiety (Ruxton et al., 2010). Salads are not typically recognised as a filling meal. Egg will not only nourish their heart health and protein levels but it also will also provide a fuller feeling after the meal to prevent further snacking within their day.
Chickpeas Both the grandmother and granddaughter suffer with Anaemia. Chickpeas has an anti-nutritional function where it holds onto the iron, therefore the body will not waste and digest iron molecules that the body may be able to process and gain. (Poltronieri et al., 2000).
Soya Beans are a great source of Vitamin K. This will aid bone health and prevent deficiencies to both the grandparent and granddaughter. (Tsuchida et al., 1999)