Jazz Up Your Salads!

Do you get tired of eating salads? So would I, if limited to just leafy greens, but they are among the most nutritious foods we can eat.

Leafy baby greens are almost always the largest portion of my lunch or dinner, but I also have steamed, baked, sautéed, and fresh raw veggies. Baked sweet potatoes are full of nutrients and a great addition to any meal, but I also enjoy having wild rice, quinoa, or other grains. A portobello mushroom cap, zucchini, green beans, asparagus, and squash are also included here. Beans and lentils are an excellent source of protein, and they keep you feeling full for longer.

During the summer of 2011, I was facing serious health problems along with numerous possible surgeries. A dear friend suggested I read the book "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. By changing my food choices and taking a few walks every week, those health problems have been reversed, and I have lost more than forty pounds.  

After reading my Power Porridge breakfast recipe, many of you have asked, "What do you eat for the rest of the day?" I have a combination of the pictured salad and vegetables for a late lunch every day with an occasional glass of wine. Water, almond milk, green tea, and wine are my only beverages. I rarely eat dinner, but I try to choose an entree close to this salad and vegetable plate when I do. By adding a variety of vegetables in season, you will always be able to enjoy an evolving selection of flavors and textures to add to your salads.

I like to create a full of flavor veggie stir-fry to serve as the base for my soups and salads. Start by adding some chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil and rosemary to a thick-bottomed sauté pan. Add chopped onions and mushrooms on medium-high heat until the onions start to get tender, add whatever chopped vegetables you want, and turn down the heat to medium. Add chopped garlic near the end of the cooking time to keep it from becoming bitter. The combination can be used as a seasoning base for cooking vegetables or making soup. I use some unsalted vegetable stock instead of oils to keep stir-fry from sticking. When the sautéed items are tender, I spread them on a beautiful plate to cool while cutting up the fresh vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, celery, and sweet red pepper. I use organic baby greens, triple washed, and layer them over the cooled sauté. I top the salad with the fresh chopped veggies.  

Notice that I do not use any dressing, cheese, bread, croutons, or crackers. I add a little aged balsamic vinegar and good olive oil.

Below: those are cannellini beans and hemp hearts with sunflower seeds atop lightly steamed fresh organic broccoli, frozen organic peas, organic red pepper, sliced avocado, and cherry tomatoes, all on a bed of organic baby lettuces. I have some variation of this type of meal almost every summer afternoon.

For me, being healthy means eating this way 95% of the time. If I am a guest in a friend's home where they serve chicken, I enjoy it along with everyone else. At my next meal, I return to eating plant-based, non-processed factory packaged foods.