by Robyn Webb, M.S., L.N.
There is nothing more pleasurable on a hot, sticky day than to bite into a crisp, cold, fresh garden salad! We all know the benefits of eating more vegetables, but all too often our salads become an afterthought in food preparation. And a wedge of iceberg lettuce sprinkled with a few slices of cucumber, well that just doesn't cut it!
With so much interest in fresh foods, more and more home gardeners are planting all kinds of delicious lettuces, going beyond the usual comfort zone of planting just iceberg and romaine. When preparing salads at home, broaden your range. You'll not only eat more interesting salads, but chances are the nutritional profile of your salads will increase. Even in you do not grow lettuces yourself, today's supermarkets offer a wide range of crunchy leaves just waiting for you!
Building Your Salads:
Try a few of these greens to build the base of your salad:
Belgian endive is slightly bitter, with white crunchy leaves. It is used in many French salads and goes well with asparagus and fruits like oranges and strawberries. It can also be used as a scoop for ratatouille or salsa.
Bibb lettuce has a small head with pale, tender leaves. It is a very mild tasting lettuce.
Bok choy is not often thought of as a salad green, but give it a try, it can really perk a salad up. Bok choy has slightly bitter leaves attached to a white base. It's best to slice about 3- to 4-inches off the bottom, then slice all the way to the top.
Boston lettuce has a buttery taste and soft leaves.
Escarole is used primarily in Italian cooking and has green curly leaves. It takes a little getting used to in salads, but it's great mixed with spinach.
Frisee is often included in the popular field green mix. It has white curly leaves with a slightly bitter flavor.
Green cabbage is traditionally used in coleslaw, but try shredding some to add with other lettuces. The beauty is that it stores well; it can be kept for up to two weeks.
Kale has a dark green leaf and tastes great in salads, or cook until slightly wilted and serve as a warm salad.
Napa cabbage is often referred to as Chinese cabbage. It has very little green, curly leaves attached to a white base and has a more delicate flavor than bok choy.
Radicchio has bright purple leaves. It has a slightly bitter, peppery flavor and is used to make salads more colorful.
Red cabbage is also used to add color to salads. Use it in combination or instead of green cabbage.
Spinach is best when used fresh. Buy loose spinach, for best flavor.
Watercress has tiny round, green, leaves with a spicy, peppery flavor. Use in salads instead of just as a garnish.
The Next Step:
Use any of these greens to form the base of your salad. Try two or three them together for more nutrition. Next, add any variety of vegetables. I really like very lightly steamed broccoli and cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, carrots and sprouts. Other interesting items to add include canned-in-water artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper strips, and capers. And if you want to make a main dish or salad consider adding cooked shellfish or fish, chicken, turkey, pork, veal or lean beef.
For the very best salads, remember these important tips:
* Wash the greens in a salad spinner directly after bringing them home from the store. Pat dry and wrap the leaves in damp paper towels, then place the leaves in a vegetable bag with tiny breather holes.
* Lettuces lose their freshness quickly, so plan on shopping for them twice a week.
* Always tear your greens when preparing a salad. Never cut greens with a knife or their edges will turn brown.
* Thoroughly tear greens prior to adding other ingredients and salad dressing. Otherwise you'll end up with a diluted flavor and small puddles of water in your salad!
* Rub a wooden salad bowl with fresh-cut garlic prior to adding your ingredients to the bowl. The garlic adds a really robust flavor.
* The salad should not be drowned with dressing. Just mist your salads with dressing, the lighter the better. For thin dressings, pour the dressing into a plant sprayer and mist your salads.
* Use herbs like greens, including whole leaves of basil, mint, oregano and chervil.
Preparing Salads With Ease:
The salad bar is a great way to get salad fast, but "buyer beware." First, always go to a salad bar you know has a high turnover. Then stick with the lower-fat, lower-calorie items and skip the mixed salads like potato and coleslaw, and avoid the croutons, peanuts, and cheeses.
The pre-bagged salads have become very popular in the supermarket. While certainly easy, try to buy lettuces whole and cut them yourself. The moment a green is cut open the vitamins and minerals start to diminish.
Here is a really tasty salad sure to liven up any summer:
California Walnut and Turkey Salad
3 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups diced, cooked white-meat turkey
1/ 2 cup diagonally sliced celery
1/4 cup pineapple chunks, drained
1/4 cup mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 cup water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
6 cups mixed lettuce leaves
Dressing:
1/ 2 cup low-fat lemon yogurt
1/ 2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/ 2 tsp. curry powder
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients for the salad except the salad greens in a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add the dressing to the salad mixture, cover and place in the refrigerator. To serve, place one cup of greens on a plate, top with some of the salad. Repeat with remaining plates.
Makes six one cup servings. 262 calories, 6gm fat, 34mg cholesterol, 205mg sodium, 33gm carbohydrates, 4gm dietary fiber, 6g sugars, 20gm protein. Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 lean meat.
Note: Reprinted with the permission of Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation, © June 2001.