Zesty Zucchini Summer Salad

If you're a salad-lover, you need to check this recipe out. I created this Zesty Zucchini Summer Salad one sunny afternoon when I wanted a hearty-yet-light meal that didn't require cooking. Salads are always one of my favourite go-to sides and sometimes even for meals, but I find that having the same salad every day gets boring, fast. So instead of settling for the same old tired-out greens, I created this zesty, summery, light salad that's guaranteed to keep you full and keep things interesting.

Eating great makes you feel SO good

I don't know about you, but as soon as I'm 'back on my game' I instantly lecture myself because I'm reminded of just how good I feel when I'm treating myself to healthy foods vs how I feel when I indulge in sugar-laden things. Not only are my healthy meals EVEN MORE DELICIOUS than the junk I get caught up in, but they're more beneficial for my brain, body, and spirit.

This salad was how I renewed my love for zucchini. Prior to this I'd had very limited exposure (this yummy Zucchini Lasagna) and while I didn't dislike it, I certainly wasn't looking for any reason to add it to my weekly grocery list.

Since creating this delicious meal, even Justin has started requesting zucchini more often! Which is especially awesome because zucchini comes packed with a ton of good stuff, so it's made our healthy lifestyle even healthier!

In fact, one cup of cooked zucchini provides an impressive:

Magnesium: 10% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 9% of the RDI
Phosphorus: 7% of the RDI
Vitamin B6: 7% of the RDI
Thiamine: 5% of the RDI
Vitamin A: 40% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Folate: 8% of the RDI
Manganese: 16% of the RDI
Vitamin C: 14% of the RDI
Potassium: 13% of the RDI
Copper: 8% of the RDI
Calories: 17
Protein: 1 gram
Fat: less than 1 gram
Carbs: 3 grams
Sugar: 1 gram
Fiber: 1 gram

You can find all of our recipes that feature zucchini here!

How to make your salad more filling

You probably think we're crazy when we brag about making your salads more filling. Salads, by default, are seen as the 'lesser' choice of side. Most folks prefer the standard french fries, potatoes, or pasta. And while these sides can be filling, they're also starchy and packed with simple-carbohydrates which are more likely to cause gastro-intestinal issues not to mention the dreaded weight gain.

We have the solution.

We believe in the power of salads! When you pair your favourite salad dressing with our Natural prebiotic protein powders (both our Natural Nutralean and Natural NutraVegan) you take your salad from 'side' to entree!

Not only does this mean you can prepare less food, you'll also save money! I've started the habit of using mason jars to shake my salad dressing in, and I can easily turn one bottle into a bottle and a half, or more, thanks to our gluten-free, nut-free, unflavored protein powder.

How our unflavored protein changed my weight-loss

Having lost over 130 pounds (read my story here), people tend to ask me, "What's your secret?!" but I can honestly tell you that there's no secret, I just trusted my Nutracelle products and followed the science. The more I learned about the detrimental consequences of sugar and my body, I couldn't ignore the truth: I was knowingly causing my own weight-gain and gastro-intestinal issues.

If you're like me, and you can't seem to figure out why some (or most) foods make you have to sprint to the bathroom shortly after... I can tell you that it's probably the foods you're putting in your body. You can learn more about why we gain weight here.

The best thing I did for myself was jump on the Nutracelle train. I lost weight initially just by replacing one meal with a Nutracelle shake. Once my weight-loss slowed, I added an extra bag to my order and tried Natural Nutralean for the first time. This is when my weight-loss really took off!

I add it into everything: sauces, soups, stews, chilis, ground meats, salad dressings. I always coat my chicken in it - in fact, just this week I started making my own fried chicken with JUST the Natural and spices as the coating. No flour, no egg, nothing! Check it out:

Natural Nutralean makes everything more filling, thanks to a dose of gut-healing prebiotic fiber and satiating whey protein. You can learn more about these and our other awesome ingredients here.

I highly recommend trying a bag, in fact I have a gift for you! Use this special coupon NATURAL15 to save 15% on your next bag of Natural, my treat! That coupon will work on both NutraVegan and Nutralean!

Now without further delay I am proud to present my new recipe!

Zesty Zucchini Summer Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini, spiralled
1 english cucumber, sliced & halved
1/3 cup shredded carrot
Zesty Italian salad dressing
2 scoops Natural Nutralean
1/2 small onion, chopped
optional additives: sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, cranberries
Parmesan for topping
optional spices: salt, cayenne, paprika, lemon pepper, parsley, garlic powder

Instructions

When spiralling your zucchini, I learned that if you slice into one side about half-way through (pictured below), before putting it through your spiraler it will actually help keep the zucchini noodles hold their shape! I also learned not to peel it if you're going to turn it into spirals.
Combine zucchini noodles, sliced cucumber, shredded carrot and onion in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with In a bowl with a whisk, or like I did with the mason jar, combine at least 3 cups of Zesty Italian salad dressing with 2 scoops of Natural. I would recommend starting with 1 scoop, whisking it until it's blended in, and then adding the second scoop and repeating. You won't need all of this salad dressing for the recipe, the rest will stay in the fridge until you use it up! (we had ours for two weeks before we finished using it, and it was still just as tasty with NO separation from the Natural!)
Top with desired amount of sauce (no judgement here if you like it extra saucy) and enjoy! I paired mine with a side of fried chicken breast and it was delicious.

Make it yours, make it unique!

The best part about this recipe is how surprisingly versatile it is! I've made this recipe a few times and I like it each way, but one variation was tossing the noodles in a little bit of melted butter and then sprinkling 1/4 tsp each of garlic, paprika, cayenne, parsley, salt, and pepper. Another variation was skipping the spices but adding flaked Parmesan, cranberries and salted sunflower seeds. (pictured below) Each time it was delicious, filling, and so, so fresh. Completely guilt-free.

I hope you love this recipe as much as we did! Be sure to post your photos and tag @nutracelle to be featured on our social channels! We LOVE showing off your foods, too.

Thanks for reading
xo
Tracy

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