Regular readers of this web site will have noticed it already – I’m constantly writing about the importance of including a salad in your daily diet. But what’s good about eating salad?

· Leafy greens give you a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals. Generally speaking, the darker the leaf, the more nutrients.

· Raw vegetables are full of antioxidants, bioflavonoids and Vitamin C.

· Raw food is full of life force.

· The extra fibre will help your bowels work more efficiently.

· A salad will help regulate your blood sugar level more effectively. (It’s the combination of fibre and protein).

· More healthy food means less processed food in your diet.

Here’s how to build a delicious salad –

Start with some greens. Mesclun greens if you like salad with bite, iceberg lettuce if you prefer a mild flavour. Warrigal greens, nasturtium leaves, even silverbeet if you can get small tender leaves.

Add some raw or lightly steamed vegetables for texture, flavour and colour. Like capsicum, tomato, mushroom, green beans, zucchini. Vegetables in season will have more flavour.

Add a protein food: Like boiled egg, tofu, chick peas or other legumes, cheese, seafood, cooked chicken, beef, lamb or pork.

Add something creamy: Like avocado, soft white cheese, cold roast pumpkin, cooked chat potatoes.

Add something tangy: Like olives or anchovies. Or save the tang for the dressing.

Something extra? Try toasted almonds, sesame seeds, noodles, or croutons.

Make sure the salad is colourful.

The dressing must be good, so you don’t feel like you’re eating rabbit food. For a basic dressing, use one part vinegar or lemon juice to three parts oil (flaxseed or olive oil for example). Add flavourings such as mustard, green herbs, garlic or chilli. Yoghourt can make a great salad dressing all on its own.

It’s a complete meal. The possibilities are endless - you can change the combination every day and never get bored!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

· Mesclun greens topped with sliced red capsicum, chick peas and marinated barbequed lamb. Use balsamic vinegar in the dressing.

· Salmon and potato on greens with anchovies and a yoghourt dressing

· Greek salad: Salad greens, tomato, cucumber, feta cheese, olives.

 

 Enjoy!

 

 

 

Article © Olwen Anderson, 2008

Build a Beautiful (and healthy!) Salad