When I was a teenager the first notion of a 'diet' crossed my path; I was watching TV and some girls were discussing salads - more specifically an excruciatingly boring non-salad of iceberg lettuce and. . . iceberg lettuce. Fact #1: iceberg lettuce is NOT a meal, it is an ingredient. Fact #2: Salads, the good, delicious, healthy, make-you-want-to-eat-more-every-day kind, are SO not boring and comprise of ingredients which will make your mouth water, fill your tummy and simultaneously stock you up on vitamins and nutrients.
It's a well worn piece of advice, but one worth reiterating: diets - the faddy kind - are just that; they work short term and don't educate your body or mind on what you really need to be healthy, and healthy is where it is AT! Diet - as in your daily intake of food and drink - now that's worth paying attention to. Come the Summer months I am a salad devotee, I like knowing that I am putting goodness into my body. Heck I LOVE it. And having the right balance of everything means you can enjoy the deliciousness of sweet treats like this crazy good looking Cinnamon Roll recipe, should you wish to too. I know I do.
Read on for 5 SO Not Boring Summer Salads I've personally enjoyed of late; I guarantee you will not be left in salad snoozeville . . .
1: Watercress Super Good Food Salad
What's in it: Watercress, raw spinach, chicory, avocado, cherry tomatoes, buffala mozzarella, red onions.
Dressing: Balsamic glaze, lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper.
Occasion: I served this delicious watercress-based salad with a scrummy pesto pasta for dinner with Oli's parents last week. Watercress is one of my favourite leaves, its peppery flavour is similar to rocket and can be enjoyed likewise. Watercress is great in salads, used to top flat bread or even sparingly (as it is so strong) in a green smoothie. Given that we were having this watercress salad as an accompaniment to pasta, I made sure that there was a tonne to go around. It is totally OK to enjoy carbs - I definitely do - but being aware of plate portioning helps to strike a healthy meal balance. This infogram on LaurenConrad.com is a great reminder and one which I recall when dishing out dinner.
2: Melon & Prosciutto Sassy Salad
What's in it: Prosciutto, cantaloupe melon, basil
Dressing: Olive oil, balsamic glaze
Occasion: I served this super simple prosciutto salad at dinner with Oli's parents last week - the same one I served the watercress one with. Two salads in one meal?! Hells yeah! I had in mind to serve the prosciutto and melon as a starter, but the timings of everything ended up resulting in a family-style sharing situation - my favourite. Prosciutto is a luxurious ingredient; the saltiness of the cured meat works beautifully with the sweet melon and the fresh basil is the perfect middle man. This is a subtle way of sneaking in a fruit portion - everything counts!
3: Hungry Asparagus & Chicken Salad
What's in it: Beef tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, asparagus, avocado, chicken, walnuts, red onion
Dressing: Olive oil, light mayonnaise, lemon, balsamic glaze
Occasion: This was a case of 'I-am-SO-hungry-I-could-eat-my-own-arm-accidentally-worked-through-lunch-itus' - a terrible condition. It is so easy when the belly grumbles to reach for a quick fix - a sandwich, crisps, fast food - and having these occasionally is not going to hurt - but loading up on good food which will keep you full for longer is a MUCH better idea in the long run. Remember when I bemoaned the boring iceberg lettuce diet? THIS goes to show how that iceberg lettuce can be interesting and tasty. I started out craving a caesar salad, and this mish mash of lettuce, chicken and friends was the end result. Adding unexpected ingredients such as grilled veggies and nuts adds depth to a salad. I ended up having almost half of this left over and so added it to my dinner too. A fresh salad should keep, in the fridge, for up to 48hrs - make up a load every couple of days to take with you to work or tag on to dinner.
4: Lentil & Peppers Empty Fridge Surprise
What's in it: Lentils, chopped tinned tomato, green pepper, cheddar cheese, red onion
Dressing: Olive oil, tabasco, salt, pepper
Occasion: Working lunch. Last week I was getting the midday rumbles, and so planned a trip to the store for food I thought I needed. Before I nipped out I quickly looked in the fridge and saw that I had (to my surprise) PLENTY enough to muddle together a yummy, healthy impulse salad. It is much more cost effective and environmentally friendly to maximise every food shop with as little waste as possible - and trying new flavour combinations can lead to happy tasty surprises. Lentils, pepper, cheddar and tabasco? Turns out - it's DELICIOUS. Lentils and beans are great 'base foods' for salads - trust me you won't go hungry with these. This smart food shopping post on The Everygirl is a great reference for buying healthy, clever food with no waste.
5. Rainbow Broccoli & Brown Rice Fruit Salad
What's in it: Broccoli (steamed), nectarine, walnuts, brown rice, quinoa, pecorino
Dressing: Olive oil, lemon, balsamic vinegar
Occasion: Light dinner for one. If I have a 'salad signature' I guess it would be adding fruit and nuts to my recipes. I adore the contradiction of sweetness against savoury, and the crunchy texture of nuts and seeds. YUM. There are some foods which I just CRAVE, and broccoli is one which every now and then just yells out to me - I think it's the fact it is so green - you just KNOW that there's goodness in it. Confession: I often use the 2-min rice or lentil packs for quick meals. I try not to microwave them, instead eating the lentils cold or throwing the rice in a pan. I know it is more expensive than buying a big pack of pulses or rice, but trust me, if you are time poor (or get bored cooking) this is a life saver for quick healthy meals.
A NOTE ON SALAD DRESSING
I have to admit that I've never been a big fan of heavy salad dressings, if you take the time to look up the nutritional value of restaurant or store-bought salads, the dressing tends to be laden with calories and additives, and personally I find that they can drown out flavours. In my mind if your salad ingredients are fresh, you should need little, or no, dressing to bring out taste. One of my favourite diet books is Dr Jana Klauer's M.D. 'How The Rich Get Thin' - don't let the title mislead you into thinking it's a fad diet kinda tome, it actually has exact reasoning as to why our body loves certain food, and how to maintain a healthy, strong weight. It was this book which taught me that using the simplest of dressings - olive oil, lemon and vinegar - serves for the tastiest and leanest finishing to a salad. Try it in your next salad and let me know if you love it too!
A NOTE ON SALAD DRESSING
I have to admit that I've never been a big fan of heavy salad dressings, if you take the time to look up the nutritional value of restaurant or store-bought salads, the dressing tends to be laden with calories and additives, and personally I find that they can drown out flavours. In my mind if your salad ingredients are fresh, you should need little, or no, dressing to bring out taste. One of my favourite diet books is Dr Jana Klauer's M.D. 'How The Rich Get Thin' - don't let the title mislead you into thinking it's a fad diet kinda tome, it actually has exact reasoning as to why our body loves certain food, and how to maintain a healthy, strong weight. It was this book which taught me that using the simplest of dressings - olive oil, lemon and vinegar - serves for the tastiest and leanest finishing to a salad. Try it in your next salad and let me know if you love it too!
Alright then folks, I think that's about it from me today. I would love to know your take on Summer salads; what are your favourite recipes? Do you have any unusual combinations which you can share? Are you going to give any of the above a try?
Have a super day all!
Love,
MB x
