Vegan Broccoli Salad

Step up your energy levels with a batch of this healthy (and delicious) Vegan Broccoli Salad. Your body will thank you for it!

Feeling like you’re lacking energy lately? It could be because of the of busy job, long commutes, carting kids around from soccer practice to violin lessons, or not getting enough sleep.

But there could be other things at play as well. I have a theory about energy. You want to hear it? OK. I’ll tell you. My theory is this: to have energy you first have to spend it.

That’s really deep, eh? Yeah, I like zen thoughts like that. Of course, Yoda would probably say something like this, “If energy you desire, first you must energy spend.” By the way,  I can totally do a Yoda voice. It’s been confirmed by a 7-year old Star Wars enthusiast…named Luke! He said my Yoda impersonation was dead-on! It’s a good skill to have. Trust me.

Anyway, I’ve had this theory tucked away for awhile, but recently I found something that confirms it. I’m reading the book, Ultra Metabolism by Dr. Mark Hyman and he states that one of the keys to having a higher metabolism is to have high-functioning mitochondria. He provides a lengthy description of what those are and what they do, but it all boils down to this: mitochondria are the power plants of your cells, and having them well-oiled can help you develop a higher metabolism. If you’re like me, the question you ask after reading a statement like that is, “How do I develop higher-functioning mitochondria?” Dr. Hyman says one way of doing that is to exercise. In other words, spend the energy you have and your body will develop more, creating higher-functioning mitochondria. There you have it – theory confirmed!

You know what else he says is a great way to increase your metabolism? Eating nutrient-dense food. That includes broccoli, raisins, sunflower seeds, and other tasty whole-food oriented morsels. Guess what? Today’s recipe happens to include all those ingredients. (That might have been more than a coincidence).

I took this salad to my sister’s “End of Summer Closing Down the Pool Party” and it was a hit! How can you go wrong when your main ingredient is gorgeously (and lightly) steamed broccoli? Talk about a nutritional powerhouse! And how crazy is it that closing down a pool for the summer turns into a family gathering? That’s my family – we’re kind of kooky, but always looking for a reason to get together and have a good time.

But you don’t have to wait for a family party to make this salad. It’s good for a Tuesday night home dinner as well. I can say that from experience because I’ve done it..at least a couple of  times.