2. Pick the Base and Add Fruits and Vegetables

For the base of your salad, there are numerous leafy green options to choose from. Red leaf lettuce and green leaf lettuce are both excellent choices. Green leaf tends to be slightly crisper whereas red leaf typically has a softer texture. Spinach and baby kale are among the most nutrient-dense options, but some people, especially kiddos, often prefer a milder tasting lettuce. Romaine, butter lettuce and iceberg lettuce are all excellent, mild flavored lettuce options. Romaine and iceberg are both quite crisp in texture. Like red leaf lettuce, butter lettuce is silky and smooth. Another popular leafy green that works well in salad is arugula. Arugula has a peppery flavor that goes great in an entrée salad. Look for any of these lettuce varieties at your local grocery store or farmer’s market!  

You can choose to add vegetables to your leafy greens or you can skip the leafy greens and make vegetables the base of your salad. There are numerous vegetable options to choose from. Some vegetable options for your entrée salad include: cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, radishes, mushrooms, avocado, artichokes, olives, watercress, beats, beans and hearts of palm. Fruits like apples, oranges, grapefruit, peaches and berries go great with salad. Adding fruits and vegetables increases your salad’s nutritional value. More fruits and vegetables equals more fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Many salad recipes include roasted or grilled vegetables. Vegetables that have been roasted or grilled have a unique taste and texture that can elevate your dish. Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, green beans and sweet potatoes are all excellent for roasting or grilling.  

3. Select a Dressing

Whether you want your salad to be sweet, tangy, spicy or savory you'll likely want to pick a dressing. Dressings are usually made with a fat, an acid and some spices. Dressings are completely customizable so you can create your own dressing depending on your preferred taste. Olive oil is the most common oil used for salad dressings. However, you can use grapeseed oil (which is a great source for Vitamin E!), almond oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil or even avocado oil. Fat is an important component in your salad because it is satiating which means that it will help you feel full. Fat is also important for absorbing vitamins like vitamin A and K. The acid in your salad can come from vinegar or citrus. Balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar are all great acid options. Lemon, lime and orange juices can also used as the acid to be mixed with oil and spices to make a delicious citrus dressing. Season your dressing with fresh chopped herbs, minced garlic, minced shallot, salt, pepper or any other spices that match your theme.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 red cabbage, shredded
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1" pieces
• 1/2 cup corn, canned (drained) or fresh
• 1/2 cup peas, frozen or fresh
• 2 1/2 cups tomato juice
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in large soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, corn and peas and sauté for 10 minutes.
3. Add tomato juice and water. Bring to boil.
4. Reduce heat, add basil and simmer for 10 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender and soup is piping hot.
5. Serve in individual serving bowls. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Nutrition per serving: 200 Calories; 14g Fat; 3g Protein; 17g Carbohydrates; 4g Fiber; 197mg Sodium


~Sara, Dietetic intern

Summer is in full swing now, which means an abundance of delicious produce! We had our second cooking demo from the "Fresh from the Market" series last night and are excited to share some mouth-watering recipes with you. For the zucchini pie, we brought fresh zucchini and oregano from our gardens, however you can find most all of the seasonal produce used in these recipes at your local farmers market, as well as any grocery store. 

We also shared two excellent handouts showing what Washington-grown vegetables, fruits, legumes, and herbs are in season and when. You can find the vegetable chart here and the fruit, legume, and herb chart here. In Washington, we are fortunate to have access to almost all produce year-round in our grocery stores, however here are a few fun reasons to eat more seasonal produce:

• It's fresh! Seasonal (local) produce doesn't have to travel far to reach you, so it's generally higher in nutrients.
• It's more flavorful! Eating produce that has ripened naturally is packed with more flavor and nutrients than out-of-season produce. 
• Variety! Have some fun and try new fruits or vegetables from the farmers market. You might find your new favorite summer fruit!
• Food safety! The shorter the distance that food has to travel to get from the farm to your plate, the less chance there is of contamination.

Directions:

1. Cut zucchini into noodles using the large holes of a spiralizer or a julienne peeler. Place zucchini in a colander in the sink and toss with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let sit 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add tomatoes, garlic, and oregano and cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes are wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer tomato mixture to a small bowl. 
3. Preheat oven to 375 F.
4. Place a large handful of zucchini noodles on a clean kitchen towel and squeeze until all water is removed. Repeat with remaining zucchini. Cut zucchini into pieces.
5. Whisk together eggs, milk, flour, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add tomato mixture, cheeses, and zucchini. 
6. Pour mixture into still oily cast iron skillet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set in the middle. 

Nutrition per 1 wedge (1/8th of skillet): 210 Calories; 12g Fat; 14g Protein; 12g Carbohydrates; 3g Fiber; 390mg Sodium

Directions:

1. Combine celery, peaches, arugula, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss gently to mix.
2. Sprinkle chopped pistachios over the salad.

Nutrition per 1 1/4 cups: 166 Calories; 11g Fat; 4g Protein; 16g Carbohydrates; 4g Fiber; 170mg Sodium

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease an 8x8 baking dish.
2. Place blueberries, chia seeds, and 1 Tablespoon maple syrup in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Mash blueberry mixture with a potato masher to create the jam. Set aside.
3. Combine oats, oat flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add applesauce, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and coconut oil. Stir to combine. Set aside about 1/2 cup of the oat mixture and spread the rest evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. 
4. Pour blueberry jam over the oat mixture and spread evenly. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top of the jam. 
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into 12 bars. Keep refrigerated.

​Nutrition per 1 square: 217 Calories; 7.5g Fat; 6g Protein; 33g Carbohydrates; 5g Fiber; 104mg Sodium
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