Making the perfect salad

I am doing a 90 day detox plan that calls for a salad every day for lunch. Salads do not have to be boring. Aim for a rainbow of colors and varied textures.

Go Green (or purple).

The detox salad should have at least three types of greens plus 5 or more vegetables and fruits.

Having salad every day could get very boring unless I get really creative. Salad dressing can completely change a salad to make it Mexican, Asian, Indian or whatever you have a taste for.

Start with three greens from the following:

Romaine, butter lettuce, little gem, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, endive, radicchio, spinach, kale, field greens, escarole, bibb lettuce, iceberg lettuce, dandelion greens,  bok choy, green cabbage, red cabbage, watercress, friseé, mache, treviso, nappa cabbage, savoy cabbage, swiss chard, oakleaf lettuce, chicory and any green I forgot to list!

Add any herbs you might like such as parsley, basil, cilantro, oregano, arugula, chives, mint, lemon balm or Thai basil to add flavor to your greens!

The herbs do not count as one of the three greens.

Cilantro is a great herb for a detox plan as it helps to remove heavy metals from your body. You can boost the benefit by taking L-glutathione with the cilantro.

Veggies for a color boost!

Try for three or more vegetables. You can add some more greens if you like. For example, I added red cabbage.

Choose some of these:

Daikon radish, carrots, cucumbers, asparagus, peas, green beans, corn, cauliflower, broccoli, snap peas, beets, peppers, zucchini, squash, butternut squash, celery, Brussel sprouts, radishes, etc.

If you use asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts or mushrooms in your salad, blanche them for a few minutes in boiling hot water. This gets rid of some harmful organisms that might be lurking in these vegetables.

Unexpected stuff!

Seaweed is very healthy and a power house for a heavy metal cleanse! Try wakame, hijiki or dulse in your salad! They need to be hydrated first with water but it only takes a few minutes. You can also add it to a dressing if you aren’t crazy about the texture.

Try to include some more exotic choices as well like artichokes, hearts of palm, capers. peppers, or pickled vegetables to make your salad more interesting. Let them soak in water to dilute the citric acid. Cauliflower florets soaked 10 minutes in lemon juice and mustard add kind of a feta cheese taste.

I often preserve lemons, limes, orange and kumquat (see how here). Rinse off a few slices and chop them up. They can be added to the salad or the dressing but what a wake up when you taste them.

Get a little fruity why don’t ya?

I added some Campari tomatoes to this salad but there are lots of fruits you can choose from. Yes, tomatoes are a fruit!

Choose from apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, strawberries, blue berries, black berries, plums, melon, oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, mango, papaya, grapes, tangerine, kumquats, pomegranate seeds, figs, persimmons, kiwi, raspberries, lemons, limes, star fruit or dragon fruit.

Don’t count out dried fruits. They are generally higher in calories, but they can be used too. Just look for fruits that were not dried with sulfur. Choose cranberries, raisins, prunes, apricots, apples, banana chips, papaya or coconut.

You can also use fruit or fruit juice in your salad dressing if you wish.

Pureed raspberries, lemon juice and vinegar make an outstanding dressing! I made one today with organic raspberry preserves and umeboshi plum vinegar. Delicious!

Fat for that mouth feel!

Add something with natural fats to make the salad a little more filling. A little fat will satisfy you more and quell your appetite longer. Natural fats include avocado, olives, coconut, nuts and seeds.

Choosing fats is optional if you are trying to cut calories. If you are struggling with your weight, heart disease or high blood pressure, you may want to restrict your fat intake until your health improves. Even limiting fat to your evening meal could be quite beneficial.

Nuts and seeds are high in fat as well, but I add them to provide some added crunch and protein!

Walnuts are high in essential fatty acids and have many heart-healthy benefits!

They can lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol and are an anti-inflammatory. Walnuts help regulate the metabolism and assist in the control of diabetes. These nuts are also believed to slow the spread of cancer and they are a mood booster! What’s not to like about a walnut?

Feel free to choose from any nut or seed such as almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seed, or pine nuts.

Go with grain, beans or starch if you wish.

Quinoa and buckwheat are technically seeds. You can use them if you like. Quinoa is a great choice because it is high in protein.

Want some crunch without the fat? Try toasting diced sweet potato or butternut squash to make “croutons”. The starchy vegetable will stay with you longer, so you don’t feel hungry.

Finally the dressing!

This dressing was made with some leftover spaghetti sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper! It was absolutely delicious and was better than any tomato-based dressing I ever had at an Italian restaurant. It already had the garlic and herbs in it so a quick blend with some vinegar and lemon juice was all it took.

Miss olive oil? Most store bought dressings are loaded with processed oil, sugar, salt and artificial flavors. Try blending your olives or avocado with some citrus juice or vinegar and your favorite herbs to make a flavorful thicker dressing.

Use a Tablespoon of ground flax seed, 20 olives, avocado, vegetable or fruit to make your dressing thicker so they stick to your salad. (No oil dressing please!).

Sometimes I use So Delicious unflavored coconut yogurt, silken tofu, tahini, miso or hummus when I want a creamy dressing. Blending in soaked cashews or almonds gives you a creamy base.

You are probably wondering about the protein!

Vegetables do have a lot of protein. More than people think they do. Swiss chard, sun-dried tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, potatoes, kale, green peas, broccoli and lentils are all packed with protein!

If you feel the need for more protein, feel free to add some beans or grains.

Choose from chick peas, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, black eyed peas, edamame or lentils.

Prefer grains? Choose from corn, quinoa, brown rice, red rice, soba (buckwheat) noodles, barley, farro, wild rice, amaranth, kamut, bulgur, wheat berries, or rye berries.

Avoid kamut, bulgur, barley and wheat berries if you have a gluten intolerance.  Most grains have to be cooked to consume them. Cook about three or four during the weekend so you have them on hand during the week!

Combinations!

Red cabbage, red onion, preserved lemon, mint, raisins with umeboshi plum vinegar and apple juice.

Cauliflower, air fried in buffalo sauce, Lettuce, tomato, radishes, carrots, peppers, cucumber and olives. Recipe here.

Carrot, coconut, almonds, dried cranberries, fresno chili, dried banana chips, preserved lime, mint and apple. I used a dressing of coconut milk, lime juice, apple juice, lemongrass extract (2 drops) and umeboshi plum vinegar. Wow!

Peaches, arugula, butter lettuce, red cabbage, pecans, blueberries and cucumber with raspberry dream.

Everything you would put in a potato salad but the mayo, with mustard dressing.

Happy salad making!