Natural Alternatives

Splendid Salad | Allergy Friendly Recipes | Gourmet Food on an Allergy Diet
By Trish Barbara - Splendid Salad
May 5, 2008

SPLENDID SALAD

My favourite salad is the mixed leaf variety.   It's great alongside just about any meal and makes a really yummy light meal such as a salad sandwich. Some Fruit & vege markets have a lettuce mix which you can help yourself to as much or as little as you like.  These premixes can be a little pricey, although I find less waste this way. 

You can purchase salad packs already prepared, make sure you check the use by date and be warned...some pre-packaged leaf mixes are preserved by spraying the preservative solution to the inside of the plastic bag, please make sure you always gently wash and dry your leaves before using, even if it says ‘already washed' on the packaging - Pesticides are not safe for human consumption.

You can also make your own mix by buying several different types of lettuce heads and herb leaves; separate and wash the leaves carefully, tear apart the leaves and - if you have one - dry off the leaves in a salad spinner.

Don't use a knife on salad leaves as it bruises them, just tear them.  If you don't have a salad spinner, carefully wrap the washed leaves in a cotton tea towel and go outside and spin the towel around to remove excess water.

Of course, a great alternative is to grow your own lettuce at home; in the garden or in pots on your verandah. Even if you feel you don't have a green thumb give it a go, buy a book or check out the internet for info on how to grow your own lettuce.  Growing lettuce in pots on your verandah keeps them close by and they will get the attention they need, right outside the back door.

To store your washed and dry salad mix, use a large airtight container, place a layer or two of unbleached, recycled plain paper towel on the bottom of the container to absorb any moisture and store it in the fridge. Use a large container so as not to squash and bruise the leaves. It will last up to 5 days depending on the freshness of the leaves. 

 

... HOW TO ...

Make your GREEN salad into a SPLENDID salad.

Place your salad leaves in a large salad bowl. Quantities are entirely up to you, this is just a rough guide.

In a seperate container prepare the following:

  • 1 medium Carrot - Grated
  • ¼ medium sized Beetroot - Grated
  • A handful of Snow peas - chopped
  • ¼ Spanish(red)Onion - thinly sliced

Give the vegetables a good mix up and add a few handfuls of the vegetable mix to the salad leaves, then simply add your favourite dressing.

Toss the ingredients around gently and vwalla... you have a splendid and highly nutritious salad, great all year round for dinner or your lunchbox.

 

Simple Dressing

The most basic dressing to make is Lemon Juice, Olive oil (or Rice Bran Oil) and a little salt & pepper -  all ingredients are to your own taste.  All the ingredients go into a glass jar - lid on and give it a good shake.

A little fresh crushed garlic adds a lot ‘o' pizzazz to this dressing. 

 

Time Saver Tip...

If you can spend a little extra time here washing and drying (preparing) your salad leaf mix, relative to the size of your family, you save time over the next 3 - 5 days by having it ready everyday to throw on a salad sandwich for lunch, in your lunchbox or with your dinner.  My family and I eat salad just about every day all year round!  I would rather prepare salad leaves twice a week rather than every day, I don't have the time each day.  You will find that when it is washed and ready to go in the fridge you are more likely to eat it rather than spending that extra time each day to wash and prepare salad.  

The same goes for the vegetable mix.  Have everything grated and sliced and mixed in an airtight container in the fridge ready to add to your salad leaves.

 

So why are salad leaves so very good for you?

Although all types of salad leaves are around 90% water, they contain useful amounts of vitamins and minerals, particularly folate, iron and the antioxidants vitamins C and Beta-carotene, especially the dark green types such as baby spinach.  The outer, darker leaves on say a Cos lettuce tend to be more nutritious than the paler leaves in the centre.  

More importantly, like other green leafy vegetables, their anti-oxidant content has been found to guard against the risk of many cancers.  Salad leaves are usually eaten raw when the nutrients are at their strongest.  Lettuce is reputed to have a calming sedative effect.

 

 

 

HEALTHY TID-BITS

Carrots-

A single Carrot will supply enough vitamin A for an entire day and is reputed to cut the risk of lung cancer by half, even amoung ex-smokers.  According to one American doctor, eating an extra carrot a day could prevent 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the USA.  This may be due to the high level of the anti-oxidant Beta-carotene that carrots contain.  Beta-carotene may also reduce the risk of Prostate cancer in men.

Beetroot -

Beetroot has long been considered medicinally beneficial and is recommended as a general tonic.  It can be used to help disorders of the blood including anaemia; it is an effective detoxifier and; because of its high fibre content it is recommended to relieve constipation.  Beetroot contains calcium, iron, Vitamins A and C - all at their highest levels when it is eaten raw.

Snow peas -

Belong to the bean family.  When peas are at their peak of freshness they are delicious and have a delicate sweet flavour.  The taste diminishes when not fresh because their sugars rapidly turn to starch.  Peas and beans are a good source of protein and fibre.  They are rich in vitamin C, Iron, Thiamine, folate Phosphorous and potassium.  A really versatile whole food.

Spanish (Red) Onion -

Belonging to the onion family, the red onion offers a sweet juicy taste.  Onions and garlic are highly prized as two of the oldest remedies known to man.  Both contain Allicin which has been found to stimulate the body's anti-oxidant mechanisms raising levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol and combating the formation of clogged arteries.  Numerous studies highlight the healing powers of the onion.  It is a rich source of Quercetin, a potent anti-oxidant that has been linked to preventing stomach cancer.  Eating half a raw onion a day is said to thin the blood, lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise beneficial HDL cholesterol by about 30%.  This means that cholesterol is transported away from the arteries, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.  Whether raw or cooked, onions are antibacterial and antiviral helping to fight off colds, relieve bronchial congestion, asthma and hay fever; they are good for arthritis, rheumatism and gout.

Lemons -

Citrus fruits contain Vitamin C, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, beta-carotene and fibre.  Pectin, a soluble fibre that is found in the flesh and particularly the membranes of citrus fruit has shown to reduce cholesterol levels.  The membranes also contain bioflavinoids which have powerful anti-oxidant properties.  Use fresh lemons where you can.  Bottled juices have reduced levels of Vitamin C.  Choose lemons that are deep yellow, firm and heavy for their size with no hint of green in the skin as this is a sign of immaturity.  A thin, smooth skin is a sign of juicy flesh

Some of the above Information was sourced from Wholefoods by Nicola Graimes, Lorenz Books, London, 2002