May is National Salad Month
May 02, 2009
May is National Salad Month, but by no means is this a sign that you should simply stop at the grocery and pick up a chef's salad! A salad can be complete meal in and of itself, and you'll find with a little bit of research and an understanding of what your body craves, you'll have a great deal of fun designing your own salad and allowing your children to do so as well. Salads are a great natural way to eat healthily, and during the month that is dedicated to them, you should take some time to explore what it is that they have to offer.
The first thing to take a look at is the base of your salad. Don't
stop to get iceberg lettuce. In terms of taste and nutritional
value, iceberg lettuce is at the bottom of the ladder, and you'll
find that things like romaine and spinach are not only better for
you, but that they are tasty too. You can also take a word of
advice from the Europeans and build up salads using ingredients
like tomatoes or bell peppers at the base; good salads don't
necessarily need to incorporate lettuce at all!
Next, think about adding a source of protein to your salad. You can
do this in a variety of ways, so think about what sounds the best
for you. Think about any cuisine's that you are fond of, or what
type of cooking you like to do. While ham and roasted chicken are
great ways to get started when it comes to adding protein to your
food, don't forget things like eggs, crab meat, strips of tofu, or
even ground beef. The ground beef is a great way to incorporate
tex-mex cooking into your salad. Similarly, think about giving the
meat a brief cooking in interesting sauces, like sweet and sour
sauce or teriyaki.
