Recipe:
This salad is full of ingredients to help keep hair long, strong, and shiny. It has earthy kale, a nutty and creamy tahini dressing, hearty chickpeas, fluffy bits of quinoa, sweet and chewy dried apricots, and crunchy walnuts.
Protein is essential for keeping hair strong and elastic, and it is supplied by quinoa, chickpeas, walnuts, tahini and kale. Walnuts also provide omega-3 fatty acids, which nourish lipid membranes in the scalp to keep hair smooth and dandruff-free. Vitamin E from kale and walnuts also works to protect natural oils in the scalp.
Apricots contain beta-carotene, which helps regulate hair growth and sebum production in the scalp. Biotin is found in walnuts and kale and may help protect against hair loss.
Kale is also a great source of vitamin C, which aids in circulation to hair follicles. Plus, vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron, an important hair nutrient that helps red blood cells carry oxygen to hair and may help protect against dry and brittle hair. Kale, quinoa, chickpeas, dried apricots, and tahini are all excellent sources of this beauty nutrient.
Ingredients:
For the salad:
10 oz kale, chopped, de-stemmed, and steamed
1 cup dry quinoa, cooked
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1⁄4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1⁄3 cup dried apricots, chopped
For the tahini dressing:
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
Instructions:
In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. In a large bowl, add kale and massage half of the dressing into the kale. Add quinoa, chickpeas, walnuts, apricots, and remaining dressing and mix to combine.
Yields: 4 servings
Per serving: 404 calories, 16.4 g protein, 59.1 g carbohydrates, 11.2 g fiber, 12.4 g sugars, 13.8 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 313 mg sodium, 180 mg calcium, 1 g omega-3 fats, 7105 IU vitamin A, 88.6 mg vitamin C, 2.9 mg vitamin E, 4.5 mg iron, 2.7 mg zinc
Lisa Drayer, M.A., R.D.,
is the author of THE BEAUTY DIET and STRONG, SLIM, and 30! For more of Lisa’s Beauty Bites, visit www.lisadrayer.com.