Dear Readers,
This week's question was submitted by Amy from Newmarket. She wrote in asking for some inspiration for summer salads, to accompany barbecue dinners and get her family to eat more veggies.
There is actually nothing easier than salads, in my opinion, and they are perfect for those days when you don’t want to cook. If, like me, you don’t like salads because they are too cold, you can let them come to room temp by leaving them on the counter with cellophane for an hour before you serve them. I typically have a salad every evening in the summer and these ones are so full of flavour you will never get bored of them!
Slaw Salads
Slaws are salads that you can safely make ahead - even a day or two - without worry that they will wilt or spoil before you serve them. They typically contain cabbage, broccoli, or kale, which pair well with creamy type dressings.
Asian Slaw Salad
- Bag of fresh cabbage slaw
- Sweet peppers, sliced
- Green onions, sliced fine
- Fresh mint or cilantro plus basil, diced fine
- Fresh peaches, sliced
- Toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds to top (I toast them in a pan of olive oil until they are lightly brown and puffed up, then add them to the top as I serve it)
Dressing:
This one you need to measure to get it right:
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (sub almond or cashew if you prefer)
- 4 tablespoons soy miso paste
- 4 tablespoons lime juice
- teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon ginger paste
- ¼ cup water
- 2 packets whole earth sweetener, according to your taste
Blend and adjust any of the flavours to suit your taste. This is tangy and sweet, and also nutty. Drizzle it on the salad and toss. This is best if the nuts are added as a crispy topper just before serving!
Chunky Salads
Chickpea and Mango Salad
- Can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Fresh sweet mango, cubed
- Cucumber, diced (the small ones are best)
- Red onion, sliced fine
- Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- Feta cheese, crumbled
- Slivered blanched almonds
- Fresh mint
- Sea salt and crushed black pepper
Simply cut up all the ingredients and toss. Drizzle the dressing over and toss again before serving. This one will keep best without the dressing on it, so I add the dressing just before serving. The dressing is a simple Greek dressing of balsamic, olive oil, and Greek spice mix. Finish it by adding the salt and pepper to taste.
Leafy Salads
My current favourite leafy salad is so easy and tasty you will adore it! And you don’t have to be a fan of lettuce to enjoy it, I promise!
Rada’s Salad:
This one I named after my girlfriend who showed me how to make it this summer. She makes up a jar of the dressing and keeps it in the fridge.
- Lettuce of your choice (firmer lettuce like romaine is best)
- red onion, sliced fine
- Avocado, diced
- Nuts and seeds, unsalted
- Dried fruit or berries (only lightly sweetened)
Dressing:
- Feta cheese
- Yogurt or kefir
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice (enough to give it zip)
- Cayenne pepper (just little bit but you can also use red chili peppers)
- Black pepper
- Sea salt
Add them to a blender and blend it till smooth. Then put in a jar in the fridge and drizzle it over your salad when you serve it.
Toss the ingredients and drizzle with dressing as you serve it. Very easy and tastier than you can imagine!
Potato Salads
Potato salads are more hearty and robust and yes, higher in carbohydrates. However, when you cook, then cool potatoes, something happens to the starch that makes it much healthier than typical starches. Let me explain.
Starches are long chains of glucose molecules. They can be found in many tuber/ root veggies and grains. We used to refer to them as healthy carbs because it was thought that since they digest more slowly they are healthier. This has since been debunked. However, there are a few starches that don’t get digested at all - so they don’t raise blood sugar as much as normal glucose does. They are essentially resistant to digestion. Cooked, then cooled potatoes (and rice) fall into this category.
There have actually been a number of benefits attributed to these starches. Studies are showing us that resistant starches can help lower blood sugar and increase insulin sensitivity. This is good news for diabetics and those who are trying to lose midsection weight. Because they feed the good bacteria in the gut, they support good digestion. This is also something most people benefit from. So the starch in a potato salad can be beneficial for your health.
Everything-But-the-Kitchen-Sink Potato Salad
This is a recipe I developed. What I add depends on what I have on hand, but it’s incredibly easy to make. It’s creamy with a good bit of crunch, depending on how many veggies you add and it’s very easy to make. You can make it ahead and it will last several days. I cut and steam, then cool the potatoes overnight. At the same time I boil eggs, roughly to equal the amount of the potatoes. I prefer free range eggs for their superior nutrition and the more humane treatment of hens. Once these have cooled overnight, I peel them then course grate them into the potatoes in a very large bowl. To this I add:
- Diced onions (any kind)
- Sliced red radish
- Diced sweet pepper or roasted sweet pepper
- Diced cucumber
- Diced or cherry tomatoes
- Diced pickled jalapeno peppers (optional - gives it zing)
- Fresh dill or cilantro (which ever you have on hand)
- A pinch of mustard powder or fresh mustard
- Good quality avocado mayo
- A good amount of sea salt and crushed black pepper (to taste)
At this point you simply stir and adjust the mayo, salt and pepper to taste. You can serve it with fresh herbs or egg slices on top, dusted with a little smoky paprika if you like.
I hope you have fun with these and enjoy the results! Thank you for writing in, Amy! In the coming weeks I will elaborate on systems to grow fresh herbs and produce at home – even in small spaces indoors. If this is something you're interested in, you can reach me by email at [email protected]. As always, if you have nutrition questions, you can direct them there also. Readers can find more about me online at hopenotdope.ca. Enjoy the long weekend!
Namaste!
Nonie Nutritionista