First, choose your greens: Leafy greens Extras Spinach Endive Romaine Sprouts Arugula Parsley Mixed baby greens Basil Green or red leaf lettuce Cilantro Butter
leaf lettuce The leafy greens act as a base for your salad. They make up the bulk of a green salad and serve as a backdrop for the rest of the flavors. Go with one, two or three leafies. Add one or two extras and you're on your way to a great meal. in a salad spinner or by laying the leaves out on clean dish towels. Wet greens will shorten the shelf life of your salad. Chop your greens into smaller-than-bite size pieces so you can enjoy a variety of flavors in every bite. Put the chopped greens in a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Non-Starchy Veggies (load 'em up!): Starchy vegetables (enjoy in smaller quantities): Celery Carrot Bell pepper Beet Tomato, fresh or sun-dried Parsnip Cucumber Radish Avocado Jicama Artichoke hearts Go with what you have in the refrigerator or what will complement the flavors of the rest of your meal. If you’re making a salad to store for the next few days it’s best to add the juicier veggies, such as tomatoes, when you’re ready to eat. Fruit: Blueberries Apples Blackberries Oranges Raspberries Goji berries Strawberries Dried cranberries Raisins Currants Like starchy veggies, you don’t want to use too much fruit too often. But when you’re looking for something sweet a little fruit in your salad can be a refreshing treat. Use dried fruit even more sparingly than fresh fruit. Chop your dried fruit into small pieces so it disperses throughout the salad.
Nuts/Seeds: Pumpkin seeds Sunflower seeds Almonds Pecans Walnuts
Crispy nuts and seeds add a delicious, satisfying
crunch to
salads. Since nuts and seeds are all seeds from their respective plants, they don’t particularly want to be digested. They are designed by the plant to survive a trip through an animal’s digestive system unharmed so they can be buried in fertilizer supplied by the animal and sprout into a new plant. To do this, seeds and nuts have chemicals in them that inhibit the function of digestive enzymes. If we are going to successfully digest a nut or a seed we either need to roast it to destroy these chemicals or soak them in salt water to pull these chemicals out. Soaking and drying keeps nuts and seeds fresh and raw and very tasty. These are called “Crispy Nuts.” Here are the instructions.
Cheese: Feta Mozzarella Cheddar Jack Pepper jack Cottage cheese Cheese is tasty way to add protein and fat to your salad. Crumble it, shred it or cube it
Meat: Hard boiled egg Chicken Turkey Salmon Tuna Steak Ham Bacon, turkey or pork
Meat is what makes salad a meal. It gives each salad its distinctive flavor. Use leftover meat or canned tuna or salmon for a quick, easy salad. Or, grill and season meat especially for a specific salad meal. Dressings Salad dressing can be a light vinaigrette or it can provide a significant amount of the nutrition in a meal. Some are best served immediately and others can be prepared ahead and kept in the refrigerator so they are ready when you want them. Many vinaigrettes also make wonderful marinades or sauces for meat. Oil Vinegar Avocado Balsamic Macadamia nut oil Ume plum Olive Apple cider Toasted sesame oil Red wine vinegar The most basic vinaigrette is comprised of only oil and vinegar. Salt, pepper and other herbs and spices can be added as well. Rich, creamy dressings with a dairy or an avocado base add body to the salad.Noah's Ranch Dressing In a quart jar combine the following 2 cups sour cream 1/2 cup half and half 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt 1 T dill 1/2 t garlic powder 1/2 t onion powder 1/2 t salt 1/2 t pepper Secure the lid and give it a good shake.
|  |
