Welcome to Part 3 of our Summer Salad Extravaganza. Earlier we introduced the idea of thinking of a salad in parts:
1. Greens
2. Protein
3. Fruits and veggies
4. Nuts and seeds
5. Dressing
Last week we chatted about the foundation of any green salad: the greens. Today we’re all about all the other goodies that make salads one of the most versatile meals on the planet: the protein, fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds. This is where the real personalization comes in.
PART 2: PROTEINS
Chicken, beef, pork, bison, turkey, any other meats, beans of all kinds, lentils and other legumes, tofu, all sorts of cheeses (if you’re okay with dairy)
A few keys –
Most Americans eat way more meat than necessary. Including it in a salad is a great way to enjoy the flavor and satisfaction of meat without feeling deprived by a smaller portion size. One or two ounces of meat go a lot further in a salad than just sitting alone as a chunk on your plate.
The seasoning of the meat can inspire the “theme” of a salad: Mexican, Italian, Asian, etc..
If you want to eat less meat but beans, lentils, and tofu aren’t really your thing, surrounding them with veggies and other foods you enjoy in a salad is a simple way to ease into transitioning away from meat and toward a more plant-based diet.
Whenever you cook meat for anything, cook extra, then chop or shred it and store it in the fridge or freezer to use in a salad later.
PART 3: FRUITS AND VEGGIES
Berries, citrus fruits, apples in all their varieties, tropical fruits, melons, avocados, any fruit you can imagine
And vegetables? Don’t even get me started on how many of those there are to choose from. Let’s just say be creative and leave it at that.
After serving a salad with blueberries in it, I once had someone say to me, “I never thought of putting fruit in a green salad.” I was shocked. All I can say is, if by some chance you’ve never thought of adding fruit to a green salad, honey, it’s time to think of it now!
A few keys –
Think color. The more colorful you make your salad by your choice of fruits and veggies, the broader the range of nutrients you get. And it makes for a beautiful meal, besides.
Think texture. Mouth feel is a crucial factor in the enjoyment of food. The texture of fruits and veggies we choose and how they’re prepared can add immensely to the appeal of our salad.
Keep in mind vegetables can be raw or cooked, plain or seasoned.
If you deal with picky eaters or food allergies, serve “problem” foods on the side
so people can enjoy them or skip them as they please.
Local farmers’ markets are great places to get the freshest, healthiest ingredients, all while enjoying a relaxing stroll outdoors (usually) and supporting local businesses, too – win, win!
PART 4: NUTS AND SEEDS
Almonds, pecans, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, macadamia, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds
Don’t overlook these little gems. A sprinkle of nuts or seeds can make a good salad into a great one. Although they may seem expensive if you look at the price per pound, remember, even just one ounce of nuts or seeds goes a long way in a salad. Also, if you find a market with a bulk foods section, you can buy a little as you need, usually at a fraction of the cost of the pre-packaged ones.
A few keys –
Like vegetables, nuts (and most seeds) can be eaten raw or cooked, plain or seasoned
They’re a great way to bump up the protein.
Add nice crunch, texture, and flavor
An excellent source of healthy fat
Now that you have all the tools for creating a beautiful, healthy, personalized-to-your-taste salad, next week we’ll talk about the finishing touch: the dressing. Dressings have been much maligned as “ruining” an otherwise healthy salad. But not to worry, the next post will show you how to make easy-peasy dressings you can feel good about eating.
Until then –
PRO TIP – Salads are a fantastic place to use up leftovers. Have one piece of chicken, a little taco meat, some beans, sautéed veggies, chopped cantaloupe or other delicious tidbits leftover from earlier in the week? They’re great for made-to-order salads on the weekend. We used to call these “Restaurant Nights” where the kids got to “order” from the “menu” instead of only having the option of the one thing Mom made for dinner like most nights.