Starving Foodie

If you are on a diet, you are likely eating salad (or should be).  Personally, I love salad.  However, the salad I love is far removed from what you usually get at a restaurant or pre-made at a supermarket.

Why Salad?

Salads, properly prepared, are highly nutritious, have low caloric density, and help fill you up.  Provided you don’t lather on the dressing or add tons of other fattening items, salads can become one of the favorite members of your diet team.

Preparing Salads: Hydration

I used to live in an area where a couple of small markets had fresh mesclun greens daily.  These were always very crisp and harvested locally within 24-72 hours of arrival.  With freshness like this, you did not have to do to much to get the base of your salad ready.  However, I now have to buy the bagged or boxed variety of salad at the super-market.  Most of this salad is dehydrated.  So you have to spruce it up.

To spruce up your salad, chop it into bite size pieces.  Place it in a bowl of room temperature water for at least 10 minutes.  At the left you see a salad spinner.  This is essential.  I fill the salad spinners bowl with water and then simply dump it after 10 minutes.  Then spin away.  You will be surprised at how much more flavor and crunch the greens have.

Preparing Salad: Lettuce Diversity

Those quick mixed bags are great, but the often lack appropriate diversity for a satisfying salad.  I typically add one or more of the following … usually this comprises only 1/4 or less of the total salad: Savoy Cabbage, Radicchio,  Red Cabbage, Mustard Greens, Endive, Watercress, Romain Hearts or any other crunchy, flavorful lettuce.  Don’t forget the herbs: Dill, Lemon Basil, Oregano, Taragon or other fresh herbs can do wonders for the flavor.

Preparing Salad: Building Your Base

Your base salad should consist only of the lettuce, well drained, and other fruits and vegetables that stand up well in the fridge.  Carrots, broccoli, bell peppers and similarly, often hard, veggies will hold up well.  This is your base salad.  To this salad, you add your other items right before serving.

Preparing Salad: Mixing it Up

When you are ready to serve your salad, add in your moist veggies, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, apples or any other moist item you like.  Do this just prior to serving.

Preparing Salad: Get Nutty

Nuts and seeds are a great addition to a salad.  Try to buy raw, unsalted varieties for the best nutrition.  Most health food stores and organic stores will sell raw nuts in bulk.  Toss in some almonds, pecans, sunflower, or other nuts/seeds.  Some seeds you may want to toast.  Poppy and sesame seeds are often best after toasting 2-5′ in a skillet over low heat.

Preparing Salad: Get Fruity

Dried cherries, cranberries and yellow raisins can be  great addition to a salad.  I buy these from the bulk bins at the organic or health food stores.  Middle Eastern groceries will often have very good dried fruit.  I got to Hala Cafe here in Jax and get dried apricots, figs, cherries and other fruits.  The cost is typically lower than the supermarket and better quality than other stores.  You don’t need very little dried fruit in a salad to add a lot of zing.

Preparing Salad: Get Crunch

Croutons are often packed with hidden fat.  You can make your own by using whole wheat pita or whole grain wraps.  Just cut into bite size pieces, sprinkle with your favorite seasoning, e.g. black pepper, paprika and sparingly on the salt.  Place on baking sheet in 350-400F oven until crisp.

If you don’t have the time, take a look at Kashi’s whole grain crackers. Avoid ones with cheese as they have added fat.  Crumble 2-3 crackers over you salad before serving.

Preparing Salad: Give me the Cheese

If you can learn to leave off the cheese, then you can pretty much eat as big a salad as you want. If you must have cheese, us sparing amounts of very intense cheeses like aged reggiano, provolone or extra-sharp cheddar.  Feta is great too as are many goat cheeses.  If you are a blue cheese fan, find the most stinky cheese on the counter.  You will use less of it.

Preparing Salad: Dressing

As a dieter, you never want to put your dressing directly on the salad unless you made the dressing from scratch and you control the portion very carefully.  If you don’t, then you never realize how much fat you are adding to your healthy salad.  Serve salad dressing in a small pinch bowl or ramekin. Dip your fork into the dressing and then eat you salad.

With a fresh, well constructed salad, you may find you need little dressing.

Easy Salad Dressing

2 Tbsp Oil

2-4 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1/4 Tbsp Oregano (dried is better for more intense flavor)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Add  2 Tbsp water and put in a shaker and mix.  Taste.  Add more water and re-taste if you need more volume.  Try to use water to keep the fat content down.

Preparing Salad: Conclusion

Hydrate your Salad for 10 minutes

Mix your greens

Base salad has  greens and hard, low moisture

Add moist veggies just before serving

Spike up the salad with nuts, seeds and dried fruit

Use dressing sparingly and make your own.

Hope this helps you make a great salad!