For the dressing
Mix the poppy seeds with the lime juice, canola oil, balsamic vinegar, and agave syrup in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
If you would like to prevent the avocados from oxidizing without a strong lime flavor in the carpaccio, just use part of the lime juice here and save the rest to use when you prepare the avocados.
The original recipe calls for oilve oil. We have chosen to instead use canola oil (see “Notes about recipe”).
For the carpaccio
Wash the salad greens and then spin dry or dry with paper towels.
It is up to you which greens you use in the salad mixture. Those we list here are from the original recipe, but you could also choose just one or two varieties of greens for your salad.
Wash and core the tomatoes, and then cut into thin slices.
Prepare the avocados just before serving. Remove the pit and carefully remove the avocado flesh from the peel with a spoon. Cut the avocados into thin slices and arrange with the tomato slices in an alternating pattern on the plate.
As mentioned in the tips, you can prevent the avocados from oxidizing by squeezing a little lime juice over them. Adding lime juice in this step, however, changes the intensity of the lime flavor, so you should only use a small amount and adjust according to your taste.
Arrange the mixed greens in the center of the tomato and avocado ring, and pour the dressing over the greens, tomatoes, and avocado slices. Serve immediately.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
This tomato and avocado carpaccio is a wonderfully fresh appetizer or side dish. The lime and poppy seed dressing is what makes it really stand out.
Nutritional profile: According to GDA guidelines, one serving of this dish supplies more than the recommended daily requirement for vitamins K and D and over ¾ of the daily requirement for folic acid. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids corresponds to the recommended maximum ratio of 5:1.
Olive oil versus canola oil: Economic powers and lobbyists have given olive oil cult status although it has a ratio of omega-6 (LA) to omega-3 fatty acids (ALA) that is significantly over the recommended maximum ratio of 5:1. Compared to olive oil, canola oil contains much higher levels of essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 fatty acids. Further information on this topic can be found under the following link: A Vegan Diet Can Be Unhealthy. Nutrition Mistakes
Prepare the avocados at the last minute: Prepare the avocados preferably only just before serving to prevent them from oxidizing (turning brown). Slicing avocados breaks the cell walls along the cuts, which exposes the contents to oxygen and therefore to the oxidation process. This in turn results in the fruit flesh turning brown, unless you prevent browning by applying antioxidants, such as citrus juice.
Lime juice: The amount of lime juice indicated (40-45 g) corresponds approximately to the amount you can squeeze from an average size lime (65–75 g). This is the basis for the lime and poppy seed dressing for this particular tomato avocado carpaccio.
Tips
Preventing browning: Tip from the author: Drizzle the avocados with lemon or lime juice to prevent them from oxidizing and turning brown.
For the best results, pour the dressing evenly over the avocados. Alternatively, if you want to cut the avocados a little earlier, you can use some of the lime juice from the dressing and drizzle it on the avocados directly.
Alternate preparation
Other sweeteners: You can use honey, such as acacia honey, as a substitute for agave syrup. High-quality maple syrup is also suitable.
