Article Source: The Positive Observer

Written by - Carla Golden Cappiello, LMT, June 2009

A Better Balanced Salad...

Salads have been viewed over the years as rabbit food, diet food and budget food. However, lurking under the leaves and under the toppings lies the potential of a very nutritiously balanced meal if done properly. Salads can be exciting, optimal daily foods that are supportive of the body's cleansing and regenerative systems. Salads need not be boring!

The first goal is to create a medley of various rich colors, healthy fats and smart seasoning. To do this we need to start with a base of lettuce. There are many varieties from which to choose and mix and the darker the leaf color, the more densely nutritious it will be. Romaine, green leaf, red leaf, arugula, spinach and boston are superior choices to iceburg, and organic varieties are always preferred. Lettuces are considered one of the Dirty Dozen (http://www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/article-214 ) top crops contaminated by farming chemicals.

Next top the salad with as many fruits and vegetables that you love and aim to mix different colors. Go for red tomatoes, yellow peppers, blueberries, white onions, and orange carrots. Experiment with mixing fruits and vegetables for a sweet and spicy mix as well as texture (crunchy, juicy) differences. Strawberries taste great with garlic, melon is delicious with peppers, and blackberries blend nicely with chopped onions.

Next find some healthy fats to add. Raw nuts or avocados are excellent choices as is extra virgin olive oil. The downfall of traditional salads lies in unhealthy, fatty, high caloric dressings like blue cheese, ranch, and honey mustard. Drowning your fruits and veggies in a pool of fatty slop negates the benefits of eating fresh salads. Most bottled salad dressings contain added sugar (often high fructose corn syrup - the worst kind of sugar!) and MSG. Health conscious consumers will want to avoid these. A dressing made from olive oil and a bit of organic yogurt or goat cheese can appease the creamy dressing crowd. Raw almonds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower kernels add a lovely crunch.

If you would like to add some more protein (most plants and all nuts contain adequate levels of protein), consider some cooled beans such as black, kidney or garbanzo. If you eat meat, choose lean cuts in moderation. Beans provide sufficient protein while also offering dietary fiber which the meat does not.

Lastly to season your medley of goodness, choose freshly ground black pepper, sea salt and a variety of herbs (ideally fresh) such as basil, thyme, marjoram and dill. Mixing healthy fats with plants and herbs helps to guarantee the absorption of the ever important fat soluble vitamins like A,D,E and K. Experiment with your own combinations and you'll never wish for bottled dressing again.

A salad needs not ever to be boring and can be enjoyed in endless combinations every day. Created wisely, salads can be integral additions to a healthy, active lifestyle.

Herb Salad Recipe from... ( http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/herb-salad-recipe.html )

Buy your corn in husk, the best tasting corn I get is from the farmers market - stay clear of the husked, shrink wrapped stuff. If you like a little spicy kick add some chopped Serrano chili to the avocado dressing. You can easily make this vegan by leaving out the yogurt in the dressing - I might thin it a bit with water or a splash of olive oil.

• 2 ears sweet corn, husked
• 1 big handful lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
• 3 big handfuls green beans or haricots vert, blanched for 20 seconds in boiling salted water, cooled completely under cold water

• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
• 1 handful cilantro, loosely chopped
• 1 small handful of small/medium basil leaves
• 1 handful of pepitas, toasted (pumpkin seeds)
• fine-grain sea salt
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 medium avocado

Cut each ear of corn in half and carefully cut kernels from cobs. Combine the raw corn, lettuce, green beans, red onion, herbs, and pepitas in a large bowl.

Now make the avocado dressing by sprinkling a big pinch of salt on the garlic clove. Chop and crush it into a paste. Place the garlic in a medium bowl along with the yogurt, lemon juice, and avocado. Puree with a hand blender. Taste, add salt one pinch at a time until properly seasoned. If you aren't dressing the salad immediately, cover with plastic, pressing the avocado pit into the top of the dressing to prevent browning.

Gently toss the ingredients with a couple big dollops of the avocado dressing. Taste, add a bit of salt and/or more dressing if needed. Serves about 6-8.