Salad, Salad, I Luv Salad

Most people's idea of salad is simply iceburg lettuce, cucumber, and tomato.  Or, maybe classic ceasar salad for those that like to go all out.  But, there is a plethora of salad possibilities out there just waiting for you to dig in.  Salads are my go to dishes on a hot summer evening or when entertaining for the family.  They go far with just a few ingredients, are inexpensive, and good for you.  Consider upgrading your nightly salad by switching your basic iceburg or romaine for such flavorful greens as arugula, belgian endive, frise', pea shoots, or tasty micro-greens.  Another alternative in lieu of greens is to use a base of hearty veggies such as broccoli or asparagus.  Here are a few of my favorite recipes that I am sure your family will love as much as mine:

Mango Chicken Salad with Belgian Endive this combination of sweet mango with savory endive is the perfect party food as whole endive leaves serve as the vessel for this tasty salad making it as portable as it is tasty.

Ingredients:

2 cups diced cooked chicken breasts

3 cups diced ripe mango

1/4 cup sweet red onion

1/4 cup sweet red bell pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp evoo

salt

fresh black pepper

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

2 dozen belgian endive leaves cleaned and trimmed

In a large bowl, mix chicken, mango, onions, and peppers together gently pressing the mango as you stir to release juices.  Add cayenne, sugar, and evoo allowing the seasonings to fully incorporate.  Finish the salad with salt and pepper to taste and gently fold in the fresh parsley.  Arrange on a platter with endive leaves surrounding the edges.  

Easy Broccoli Salad this easy salad has few ingredients but is not slight on flavor

4 cups broccoli florets

1/4 cup diced sweet red bell pepper

1/4 cup diced sweet onion (i.e. vidallia)

1/4 ranch dressing

Salt

Fresh Black Pepper

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together using salt and pepper to taste.  Allow salad to chill for at lest two hours before serving.

Asparagus Salad with Radish Vinaigrette this unique combo of veggies is simple, but intensely flavorful and a surprising delight

1 bunch pencil thin asparagus

1 tsbp finely diced radishes

2 tbsp finely diced sweet red bell pepper

2 tbsp finely diced sweet red onion

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

tsbp evoo

all purpose salt-free herb seasoning

salt

fresh black pepper

In a zip top freezer bag, add the ingredients finishing with just a pinch of coarse salt and fresh pepper.  Store in fridge for at least an hour before serving.  

Consider these options for your next dinner party, brunch, or just as a side dish for Saturday supper. They are sure to add a little something extra to your culinary arsenal.

Cucumber, Cucumber, Cucumber: I luv Cucumbers and You Should too!

Cucumbers might just be God’s gift to women (no offense men). A natural diuretic, cucumbers contain over 95% water which is naturally distilled meaning that a little cucumber goes a long way when it comes to the prevention of water retention--which can be akin to the “devil” when it comes to a woman’s body.

Cucumbers, in their fleshy and juiced states, encourage water elimination through urination and when applied topically (like those fancy ladies in white robes at the spa) it will reduce fluid in common water retaining areas such as beneath the eyes. In addition, its ability to keep you hydrated also assists in reducing water retention.

Amazed? It is also high in Vitamin C and anti-oxidants which makes it a great addition to an imuno-defense diet and isn’t a bad thing when it comes to detoxifying and purifying the skin for that healthy glow we love (also why it's in so many beauty products). An excellent source of potassium, cucumbers are also a great addition to any diet aimed at reducing high blood pressure.

Sold? Probably. So, consider purchasing more cukes on your next run through the produce section. When possible, purchase cukes from a farmer’s market or spring for the individually wrapped English cukes as these babies typically are un-waxed making the skin edible and thus a great source of fiber.

Try these recipes:

Cucumber Spa Water
Drop about a dozen slices in the bottom of a clear pitcher and lightly muddle them just to release the juices. Fill the pitcher with cold water and allow to steep in the fridge for about an hour. Enjoy this refreshing and gorgeous elixir daily and let this green beauty do its magic.

Cucumber Salad
Mix about 3 cups of thinly sliced cukes (skin on) with about 1 cup of onions in a large bowl. Add .5 cups of thinly sliced roasted red peppers (from the jar) and a tbsp of dried celery leaves (if you can find them). Mix together with three capfuls of good apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp of sugar, and ¼ cup of evoo. Finish with your favorite salt-free herb seasoning, lots of fresh black pepper, and sea salt to taste.

Are You Sure You Really Want It?

Ingredients: soybean oil, water, buttermilk, egg yolk, sugar, distilled vinegar, salt, phosphoric acid, [dehydrated] garlic, modified corn starch, [dehydrated] onion, xanthan gum, monosodium glutamate (MSG), potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, spices, natural flavors, calcium disodium EDTA, disodium inosinate, and disodium guanylate.


Would You Eat This?

Probably not. So, why are you slathering RANCH dressing all over your salad? I admit, Ranch is good. In fact, it’s great and besides, where would carrots be without it. But, most standard store bought products include some combination of all that stuff, some of which spell check doesn’t even recognize. So, do you really wanna eat it?

If that’s not enough, consider this…two tablespoons (that’s about two of your soup spoons worth) has 130 calories (120 from fat), 13 g of fat (2 saturated, 0 trans fat), 10 mg of cholesterol, 240 mg of sodium, 2g carbs, 0 fiber, 0 protein, 0 vitamins A or C, 0 calcium, and 0 iron.

Imagine that you should not consume more than 2000 calories per day and no more than 25 grams of fat and 1800 mg of sodium. Was this salad really worth it? Not in the least!

Consider this…make your own dressing. I know you creamy dressing lovers may initially turn your nose up a vinaigrette, but considering the list of ingredients above, a basic dressing of evoo, vinegar, and herbs sounds appealing to me.

Start with a basic mix of 2 to 1 oil to vinegar. Experiment with various types of vinegars and herbs (fresh and dried). Use a blender to get a greater emulsion (thicker) and try adding a tbsp of honey and Dijon for a change in consistency and taste. Trust me, it’s worth it and you won’t regret this change.

Pea Shoots: a shot of nutrients

A few months ago, I joined a friend for dinner at Proof in downtown Washington, DC.  Proof's menu is very eclectic and not for those not willing to try something new and different and God forbid if you should ask the chef to create a variation on your meal choice such as add raw onion to your salad because you like it that way.  

That night I tried the Roasted Beet salad with Pea Shoots.  I had no idea what a pea shoot was but figured that if it was a salad ingredient, I'd probably like it.  Similar to micro greens or other spouts, Pea Shoots have a mildly intense flavor that stands up to other flavorful ingredients in fresh green salads.  I didn't eat every beet on that plate, but I certainly lapped up every possible tiny tender pea shoot green which really only served as a bed for the beets.  

Stuck with this great flavor in my head, I ran to Trader Joe's and searched the produce section in hopes of finding pea shoots.  And, there they were nicely packed blaring with bragging rights that these little tenders were packed with vitamin C.  What?  Could there be more?  Indeed.  It turns out my little pea shoots contain 7 times more vitamin C than that wonder fruit they call blueberries.  In fact, one portion (2cups) contains about 36% of the RDA of Vitamin C and about 15% of Vitamin A.  Not only that, it is also an awesome source of folic acid which is a part of those wonderful B vitamins which helps make healthy cells and blood and helps you prego chics in the development of your unborn baby.  Its low in carbs, calories, sugars and sodium and can be an additional source of protein and fiber.  

Sold?  Since you probably are, consider trading out your romaine for pea shoots and let me know what you think.  The following recipe is one my favorite ways to eat them:

Asian Pea Shoot Salad (serves two as a meal)

4 cups pea shoots (rinsed and drained)

.5 cups thinly sliced red onion

.5 cups shredded cabbage

.5 cups shredded carrots

.5 cups mung bean sprouts

mix the ingerdients together and toss with a low fat/low sodium asian vinagrette

Ready? Set? Cook!

….the first step to transitioning to a healthy lifestyle is learning to prepare more foods at home and limit eating out. Preparing your own food is the best way to be sure of what’s on your plate. Controlling the contents of your food helps you to better manage sodium, cholesterol, and calories as well as the quality of ingredients. But, before embarking on your new life as a home cook, you must first get your kitchen in shape. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:


Assess Your Pantry. Whether it is empty or full, taking stock of what you keep in stock is important. When it comes to spices, if all you have is salt, and salt based products, throw them out. Limit yourself to a basic sea salt and one other spice--such as seasoning salt or garlic salt--that has salt in it. Add a few new staples such herb seasoning blends, pepper blends, citrus peels, and the like which add tons of flavor, but reduce the amount of salt used.

Next, limit the number of prepared sauces, including salad dressing, in your pantry. Prepared sauces tend to be high in sodium and calories. The best option is to make your own. The best way to do so is to keep on hand ketchup, apricot preserves, pure honey, Dijon mustard, various vinegars, and extra virgin olive oil. These are the bases of many homemade sauces and individually pack a lot of flavor.

Spices and sauces tend to be the biggies of those pantry items that silently add tons of calories, salt, and fat to your food and even a little bit is sometimes too much. But, in addition to spices and sauces, packaged and canned foods also need to be carefully considered when stocking the pantry. In this area, good pantry staples are basmati rice, barley and similar grains, whole-grain and veggie pastas, no sodium stocks (homemade is the best), no sodium canned tomatoes (diced, whole, or sauced), and canned fruit with no sugar added.

The Deep Freeze. The more you have available at your beck and call, the more likely you will be to prepare foods yourself. Stock your freezer with fresh meat and flash frozen veggies. Like the meat you freeze just after purchase, flash frozen veggies are frozen at their peak of ripeness. So, any fruits and veggies you purchase from your frozen foods area are almost as good as buying fresh.

Pre-portion meats in the quantities commensurate with the types of meals you plan to prepare. For example, freeze one boneless skinless chicken breast for chicken salad. Freeze four bone-in chicken breasts in case you plan to have company. Do the same with beef, pork, and turkey. You can even pre-portion ground meats in preparation for meat loaves or ragu sauce.

Avoid stocking up on prepared frozen foods such as pre-packaged dinners and entrees. Items slated to be fast and easy might be just that, but they are likely to have many preservatives and lots of sodium to make them that way.

Pots, Pans, and other random supplies. Make sure you have the right stuff for the job. Stock your kitchen with the following items for the best results in the kitchen:

One 12 qt Stock Pot with lid
One 4 to 5 qt dutch oven with lid
One oven safe Grill Pan
One stainless steel or other non-reactive 12 inch fryer
One non-stick 12 inch fryer
One non-stick 8 inch omelet pan
One or more 2-3 qt sauce pans with lids
One or more small sauce pans with lids
Two or more large colanders
One large wooden cutting board for all things not meat and One non-porous cutting board for meat prep
Two or more mixing bowls of various sizes
One large and one small whisk
One all purpose serrated knife
One 8 inch chef’s knife (one that you love and can last forever)
Several heat resistant spoons, “spoonulas”, and spatulas
Baggies and storage bowls
Serving ware, flatware, napkins and other essentials that make you want to sit down and eat at home

These suggestions are not the end all be all to the plethora of options for your kitchen. But, it serves as a guide for those who are unsure of where to start. It also serves as a baseline for your shopping list. Whatever you do, by all means avoid the snack aisle!