This Watercress, Beetroot and Avocado Salad with Beluga Lentils is such a soul food and definitely not boring at all. The combination of the healthy ingredients really melts in your mouth, literally throwing a little foodie party in there.
I have never really had watercress until this summer when I was in this amazing restaurant in North Carolina that sprinkled the most delicious vegan pad thai with a huge amount of watercress. The moment I tried it, I was instantly hooked. If you can’t pick watercress yourself, then try the farmer’s market. If they don’t sell it then they can certainly get it for you somewhere. I always ask at my favorite stand at the farmer’s market and pre-order it for the next market day. 

Watercress along with most leafy greens contains a very large amount of dietary nitrate which has been shown to lower blood pressure. It is also a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin K, which is a bone-building and strengthening vitamin, and vitamin A, which is important for eye health. Beets are a great source of iron, which helps transport oxygen via our red blood cells. Like watercress, beets are also high in nitrate, which relaxes our blood vessels and helps our blood flow more easily through the body – resulting in a decreased blood pressure. This salad is a basically a real blood pressure lowering salad if you will.
The lentils add some nice texture and protein to the whole dish, making it a complete meal that fills you up, because the fiber in the lentils will keep you satisfied for hours. It’s really the perfect satisfying autumn-y salad that I’m sure you’ll love just as much as I did.

Enjoy!

The post Watercress, Beetroot and Avocado Salad with Beluga Lentils appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

This turmeric veggie paella is heavenly. I almost could not believe how well it turned out the first time I made it. My kitchen smelt heavenly, and the paella looked and tasted amazing. Paella is a traditional Spanish rice dish with sea fruit and vegetables, but it tastes just as amazing without the fish. While I do eat fish from time to time, I am careful with the fish I buy because most of it is completely contaminated with antibiotics. That’s why I wanted to try a vegetarian Paella, and I am so glad I did because the result is an incredible mixture of spices, rice and healthy vegetables. The good thing about this paella is that it really has a restaurant-like flavor and I promise that you won’t even miss the sea fruit or meat in this delicious meal.

Another great feature of this turmeric veggie paella is that it’s actually a low-budget meal. All you need is some whole grain rice, vegetables of your choice (you can even use frozen veggies), vegetable broth, and turmeric powder. If you want to be a bit more fancy you can of course add the paella signature spice saffron, but since this spice is quite pricy, you can easily substitute it with the less expensive turmeric powder. Turmeric is an amazing root, and I love how healthy it is. It comes from the curcuma root which looks a little bit like ginger from the outside, but with a bright orange flesh. Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory benefits have long been known in the Chinese and Indian medicine where turmeric is used to treat various conditions like menstrual difficulties, toothaches or chest pains.

I love turmeric in this veggie paella because it gives the whole dish a spicy but warm flavor, and it also adds the signature yellow color to the rice. It is really the best meal on a warm summer day when you want something filling but light at the same time. It’s great to share with many people, and makes for the perfect summer meal with friends.

Enjoy!

The post Turmeric Veggie Paella appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.