Kathy Smart’s 3 Minute “Berry Good For You” Salad

By Kathy Smart, livethesmartway.com

Summer is here! The sun is out, the birds are singing, AND the berries are bursting with flavor.

I remember so fondly blackberry picking as a little girl with my parents in the summertime. But berries are great for more than just stoking a sense of childhood nostalgia; they are packed with nutrients that are vital to keeping you fueled for your summer runs. In this seasonal berry salad, I pair raspberries and blackberries with protein and healthy fat-rich nuts, along with the fresh flavours of mint, lemon, and sweet maple syrup. Here’s why.

Blackberries are an incredible addition to any summertime berry salad.

Blackberries are one of the highest foods in anti- aging antioxidants.

The colorful compounds that give blackberries and raspberries their rich colourful hue are called anthocyanins. These antioxidants may help ward off Azheimer’s disease and some cancers, and may also assist with post-run recovery and muscle repair. Even better: they contain only 60 calories or so per cup.

Runners should eat a small handful of almonds or nuts upwards of five times per week. Almonds in particular are an excellent source of vitamin E, which may help protect against cancer. Studies demonstrate that eating nuts several times per week lowers cholesterol levels, particularly artery-clogging LDL cholesterol, which decreases the risk for heart disease.

Try this perfect summer salad – it’s delicious, and even better, it is ready to eat in about three minutes!

3 Minute “Berry Good For YOU” Salad

Serves 8

Ingredients :

  • 2 cups of fresh blackberries
  • 2 cups of fresh raspberries
  • 1/3 cup of fresh mint, chopped
  • Juice of 3 lemons
  • 1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
  • Almonds, Cashew or Pistachios to top salad

Method :

Combine the first five ingredients in a bowl. Immediately before serving, add your choice nuts, and/or Greek or coconut yogurt for a perfect summertime treat.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts :

Serving size: 1/8 of a recipe (105 grams).

Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 81,42
Calories From Fat (4%) 3,33
% Daily Value
Total Fat 0.4g < 1 %
Saturated Fat 0.02g < 1 %
Cholesterol 0mg 0 %
Sodium 2,44 mg < 1 %
Potassium 160,19 mg 5 %
Total Carbohydrates 20.65g 7 %
Fiber 4,06 g 16 %
Sugar 13.9g  
Protein 0.94g 2 %

Ottawa-based Registered Holistic Nutritionist, cookbook author, and recipe developer Kathy Smart is Canada’s health and wellness lifestyle expert. She has been a guest on the Dr. Oz Show, CTV News, Breakfast TV, Global News, The Social, CH Morning Live, Canada AM, and more. She was named one of CTV’s Amazing People, and awarded the Leading Women Award by the Canadian Government for raising health awareness across Canada.www.livethesmartway.com