JJ’s Sunshine Breakfast Salad

This JJ’s sunshine breakfast salad is the best way to celebrate a spring breakfast!

A while back, my sweet friend JJ asked me if I could create a breakfast salad. I normally eat veggies for breakfast (crudités or a greens sauté), but I wasn’t particularly lead into the direction of breakfasts salads until she asked. This sunshine breakfast salad is therefore dedicated to JJ who gave me a gentle nudge! Also, if anyone deserves a recipe named after her, it’s JJ. She’s one of my favorite people on the planet, giving, loving, brilliant, compassionate, and real.

Spring

I especially love the transition of winter into spring. We are currently 3 days before the calendar officially declares spring, but I already see it. The sun shines differently. The air smells fresh. While I’m still clinging to winter citrus, as I do here, I also welcome spring’s herbs and greens and lighten up my meals quite a bit. This salad celebrates that transition, with gorgeous sweet citrus, soft boston lettuce, crunchy pistachios and fresh lime zest. It’s sunshine on a plate!

Beans & Greens

Any beans would do here, especially if they’re creamy. I especially love white navy beans and chickpeas, but feel free to doctor it up as you wish.

For a soft, supple green I chose Boston Lettuce. Young romaine would also do well here, for the added crunch. I also love the addition of sprouts, as they are the quintessential spring food.

Citrus

Feel free to choose your own favorite citrus for this recipe, but I decided to include a variety: blood oranges, grapefruit, and cara cara oranges. Pomelos would work really well here too. The secret to this salad is the lime zest and juice, don’t skip it. It brightens everything up! I also added in some kiwi for color contrast.

Millet

I grew up seeing my mother eat millet, although she ground it into a porridge, and it was so delicious! She often served it savory, with flax oil and mushrooms. Come to think of it, I might make a post about it soon, it deserves a spot on the blog. 

For this recipe here, I use millet in its whole form. Normally it cooks up like a cous cous, and it’s fluffy almost like a quinoa. You can use a 1:2 ratio to water, 1:3 for something thicker, or 1:4 for a porridge. Cook it on low heat, covered, until all the water has evaporated and you’re good to go!

One quick tip: feel free to use the millet as it comes, or dry toast it in a skillet first to bring out its nuttiness, and then proceed with the water. 

It’s high in calcium, it’s an alkaline grain, it’s high in antioxidants, and provides more amino acids (the building blocks of protein) than other grains. Check out more info here!

Fat

I especially love adding pistachios to this salad, but feel free to add pine nuts, toasted almond, even a little toasted coconut would be beautiful here.

JJ’s Sunshine Breakfast Salad Recipe

• big handful of boston lettuce, torn
• a drizzle of your favorite flavorful oil, optional (I didn’t include it, the lime juice was perfect for me, but pumpkin seed or hazelnut oil would go well here if using)
• pinch of salt
• slices of kiwi and your favorite citrus
• 1/2 lime, zested
• juice from 1/2 lime
• a handful each of cooked millet and chickpeas
• a handful of pistachios
• freshly ground black pepper
• sprouts for garnish, optional
• mint sprigs, optional

First dress the greens, if using oil. Gently toss the lettuce with a little oil and pinch of salt. Then proceed with recipe.

If you’re not dressing the salad greens (trust me, I didn’t miss the oil!) then just layer the lettuce with millet, chickpeas, fruit and pistachios.

Decorate with sprouts, mint (if using) and lime zest and juice.

Interested in more salad ideas? Click the blue link below!

SALADS

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