Sensational Summer Salads

Ah the great smell of summer BBQs and friends and family to share them with! Whether we are entertaining or bringing a dish over when we’re invited, salads are a great way to celebrate the freshness and abundance of summer.

With our soil not being what it was 50 years ago as well as our modern lifestyle, constant exposure to stress, pollutants and the consumption of processed foods - leads to an acid/alkaline imbalance in our bodies. An overly acidic body puts us at risk for minor and major health problems.  Vegetables are our most potent ALKALINE foods, and help to rid the body of unwanted toxins. The problem is getting enough of them..... That’s where SALADS come in.... So many recipes and an infinity of flavour combinations!  “I’ll bring the salad” can be so much more than a bowl full of lettuce – Be creative!

Salads can either accompany a meal, or if you use your imagination can BECOME the meal by adding one or more foods containing protein such as chickpeas or adzuki beans, cooked chicken, some salmon/tuna (fresh or canned), or goat cheese /sheep feta or slivered almonds, walnuts or seeds etc.... you get the idea! Another great way to boost the nutritional power of salads is by using cooked (& cooled) gluten-free grains like quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice etc. You will not only be getting more protein but great energy sustaining carbohydrates as well.  Don’t forget to add in some fresh herbs, green onion or spices to jazz it up and make the flavours sing!

In terms of fats, I pretty much always use Extra Virgin Olive Oil in salads (unless I’m going for an Asian flavour – then I’ll choose something else like grapeseed or coconut) Adding slices of avocado (and then stirring into salad) eliminates the need for any oil.... and a great fat to add to salads!  You will feel more satisfied when you add a good fat like avocados, virgin coconut oil, or healthy raw nuts or seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds (note: if you prefer them toasted –toast them yourself same day to avoid possible rancidity) .

Using fresh squeezed lemon juice (instead of vinegar) adds a delightful fresh taste and compliments sea salt nicely.  Nothing beats an arugula salad with fresh lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt.... throw in some walnuts and slivered Parmigiano Reggiano/ Grana Padano or hard goat/sheep cheese (optional) and WOW is all I can say!

Take advantage of the summer abundance of local veggies! Here are 4 sensational summer salad recipes I hope you’ll enjoy !

 

Chunky Green Mango & Yam Fiesta Salad

Serves 6-8

This mouth-watering salad is a fusion of Thai and Mexican flavours that combine all 4 taste sensations: sweet, savoury, sour (tart) and spicy! Look for mangoes that are still green for this salad, as they are sweet (yet a bit sour) and easier to peel and slice/dice. This would be a perfect salad to serve at your summer BBQ! Plus, it’s as colourful as a Fiesta!  Olé!

1 large (or 2 small)       green mango (peeled, and diced)

1                                   sweet red bell pepper (diced)

2                                   green onions (chopped)

1 small                          yam (peeled & diced) (tastes so good raw!)

½ - 1                             jalapeno pepper (chopped) (If you want it less spicy-remove the seeds before chopping)

2 tablespoons               grapeseed oil (or virgin coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil or throw in chopped avocado instead)

2-3 tablespoons            cilantro (chopped)

juice of                         1 lime

juice of                         ½ lemon

to taste                         sea salt

Combine all the above ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Tastes better if made at least 1-2 hours before serving and refrigerated and sealed in an air tight container. (Still tastes fantastic the next day as leftovers!) Enjoy!

Hearty Adzuki Bean & Buckwheat Salad

Serves 4-6

Buckwheat is not related to wheat and is not a true grain, but rather the fruit of a plant belonging to the same family as sorrel and rhubarb. It is also gluten-free. Buckwheat has a hearty, nut-like flavour, perhaps the most distinctive of any food eaten as a grain. The particularly assertive taste of roasted buckwheat (brown in colour) goes well with other hearty-flavoured, densely-textured foods, such as beef, root vegetables, cabbage, winter squash, roasted peppers, or eggplant. Also great in soups! The white, raw/unroasted variety (my favourite) has a fairly mild flavour and can be substituted in dishes that call for white or brown rice (and if cooked as per below, it’s mighty tasty!) Nutritionally, the protein in buckwheat is of high quality because it contains all eight essential amino acids in good proportions, including significant amounts of lysine, the amino acid in which true grains, such as wheat, are most deficient. Pairing it with beans in this recipe makes it a protein powerhouse! This "pseudo grain" supplies a good amount of dietary fiber, as well as minerals, including magnesium and manganese.  

Try to buy raw/unroasted buckwheat groats as opposed to the roasted variety (kasha).

Combine in large bowl:

2 cups              cooked buckwheat (see recipe below)

1 can                adzuki beans (very well rinsed and drained well – I like Eden brand)

1                       red bell pepper (diced)

½ cup                green onion (diced)

¾ cup                parsley (finely chopped)

½ cup                celery (diced)

½ cup                extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Sea salt to taste

To cook the buckwheat:

1 cup                 buckwheat groats, whole (raw, light colour, not roasted/kasha)

2 cups               water

½                      small onion

2 tbsp               extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp                 sea salt

Few pinches     Garam Masala (great Indian spice mixture), or Cumin works well too

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add in ½ small onion and a few pinches of garam masala. Let this sauté for a minute, and add the rinsed buckwheat kernels. Stir quickly for about 30 sec. (and make sure it doesn’t stick). If it starts to stick add a few drops of water while stirring. Then add the 2 cups water, place lid on pot and let simmer on low heat for 20-25 min.  Don’t add the sea salt until the last 5-10 min. of cooking. You’ll know it’s done when the water is all absorbed. The buckwheat should be fairly soft (the way rice would be when done).

Let buckwheat cool for at least 10-15 minutes, then add to above mixture.

Let this tasty concoction cool in the fridge for at least an hour.

Side dish: serve with a colourful mixture of steamed asparagus and carrots (with a drizzle of olive oil/virgin coconut oil & pinch of sea salt) Great for leftovers the next day too!

Nutrients in this dish: high-quality protein, Vit. C, B vitamins (including folic acid), calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, phosphorus, zinc, fibre and more!

Quinoa “Tabouli”  (a great summer recipe!)

Serves 4

This Middle Eastern Salad is traditionally made with bulgur wheat…try it with the most nutritious “grain” of all – QUINOA! (pronounced “Keen-wa”) It is  gluten-free, high in calcium, protein, iron, fibre –you name it!

Note: Quinoa cooks just like rice (but a lot quicker than brown rice!) Cook 1 cup rinsed quinoa with 2 cups water for approximately 20 minutes (with lid on) It should fluff up like rice. Always add salt no sooner than the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

3 cups              quinoa, cooked and cooled (be sure to rinse grain in fine strainer before cooking to remove bitter coating) 1 cup grain = 3 cups cooked

2-3                   tomatoes (plum/roma) (diced)

1 clove             garlic, pressed

1 cup                parsley (finely chopped)

½ cup               extra virgin olive oil (cold pressed)

1 tbsp.              basil (fresh, finely chopped)

2-3                   chopped green onions

juice                 1 ½ lemons

to taste             sea salt

pinch                cinnamon (optional)

2 Tbsp.             fresh mint (chopped) or 1 tsp. dried mint

whole lettuce leaves (romaine)

Place all ingredients (except lettuce) in a mixing bowl and toss together lightly. Chill for 1 hour or more to allow flavours to blend. Wash and dry lettuce leaves and use them to line a salad bowl. Add tabouli and garnish with a few sprigs of parsley. Enjoy!

Summer “Festival” Salad

Serves 2

½ bunch            washed raw spinach leaves (or romaine/red leaf lettuce) (spinach gives most dramatic colour contrast with the carrots/red cabbage )

¼ (med.size)     raw red cabbage – shredded

½ cup                raw baby carrots (cut lengthwise into 4 strips) or shred 1 large carrot

½ cup                raw broccoli florets

1 big handful    sunflower sprouts (or any sprouts) -optional

3 tbsp                raw hulled sunflower/pumpkin seeds (or toast your own hulled pumpkin seeds – yummy!) Raw walnuts work well too

Simple dressing:

juice of            ½ lemon

2 tbsp.             extra virgin olive oil

To taste           sea salt

1 tbsp.              honey, or maple syrup, or agave nectar (optional)

Creamy Garlic Dressing (no dairy/no vinegar/no oil!)

Combine the following ingredients in a small bottle that you can shake – in this order:

2-3 tbsp.          tahini  (ground sesame seed paste – this is what they use in hummus)

4-5 tbsp.          room temp. water  (you will probably have to add more water later)

1 small              raw garlic clove (pressed) (if you’re not too crazy about garlic – just ‘bruise’ the clove and put into bottle)

juice of            ½ med. Lemon

1 tbsp               fresh parsley

To taste           sea salt

With lid on bottle, shake the above ingredients VERY vigorously until well combined. You may want to add a little more water to achieve your desired thickness. I like it runnier since the garlic can be quite strong!  Keep shaking for a few minutes and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Any leftover dressing can stay in fridge for a few days.

Nutrients in this recipe: (gosh where do I start? Basically everything under the sun!)

Vitamins A, B Complex, C, E, K, magnesium, manganese, iron, calcium, chromium, copper, folic acid, molybdenum, phosphorus, selenium, zinc, etc. and fibre and LIVE ENZYMES !! Also, the raw garlic in the dressing is VERY good for your immune system!