Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Eat your greens!


















The temperature reached a sizzling 96 degrees today and at 10pm it's still a balmy 83. It's hard to be particularly hungry in such oppressive weather, so it dawned on me that now might be a good time for me to pay homage to one of my favorite meals...the salad. I won't presume to tell you how to serve up your greens, for there are endless combinations. I've always enjoyed:

-Romaine lettuce with strawberries, toasted walnuts, red onion and a balsamic-honey dressing*...
-Baby spinach with roasted garlic, onions, red peppers and corn, topped with lemon-tahini dressing and toasted pine nuts...
-Green leaf lettuce, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, fresh oregano, red onion and a "garlicky" Italian vinaigrette

Whatever your salad preference, just don't forget this important component to any well-balanced meal. Salads are a great way to get your fill of vegetables and the healthy anti-oxidants that they contain. Skip the pale, iceberg variety lettuce as the nutritional value is as poor as the taste. Romaine, green leaf, mesclun mixed greens and baby spinach make great beds for culinary creativity and contain notable amounts of: Vitamin A, Beta Carotene, Lutein, Vitamin K, Folate, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Fiber and Iron. And if the health benefits don't sell you, the crisp, refreshing tastes of a tangy salad on a hot summer's day surely will.

So in the spirit of a loving mother...Victoria says, remember to eat your greens!
:)

*
Agave nectar makes a perfect vegan substitute for honey...

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