There is no reason to eat a boring salad. So many people tell me their salads are lettuce, tomato, cucumber and dressing. B-O-R-I-N-G! There is so much more to making a fabulous salad. Grab your creative hat and see what happens! The coolest thing about eating plants is that they all mix well (for the most part). Let's make a better salad.
The base - Start with a couple different greens. These are easily accessible at your local grocery. You can choose Spring Mix, Romaine, Iceberg, Power Greens, Spinach, Argula, Kale and more. My salads are typically Romaine along with one of the others. I love to add Argula for a little zip.
Add a grain for substance - Not for everyone but adding some quinoa, farro, or even brown rice adds volume and satiety to your salad. Add as much or as little as you like.
The veggies - Think at least 4. Could be red onion (a staple in my salads), bell peppers, broccoli slaw, shredded carrots, tomato, chopped zucchini, beets, celery, you name it. Roasted veggies are excellent in a salad, as well. Cold or warm, they add nutrients, texture and tastiness.
Fruit? - Why not? I often chop up an apple and add it to my salads. Adding mandarin oranges is tasty if you plan to eat it right away. Berries are an excellent source of anti-oxidants and add flavor and sweetness.
Protein - No Animal needed - add garbanzo beans or black beans (or both!)…most beans go well in a salad for added nutrition, taste and satiety. Add some tofu for added flavor. I love to marinate and air fry cubed tofu and add it to our salads. Ask me and I'll share the recipe with you. If it's protein you are after, adding a grain like quinoa is a protein boost.
The crunch - sunflower, pumpkin seeds or sliced almonds or other nuts add some healthy fat and some crunch. This salad is shaping up to hit all the food groups that bring the best health,
The dressing - doesn't have to be complicated to be healthy. Squeeze a fresh lemon or lime over your salad to bring out the natural flavors of the foods you've added. There are plenty of flavored vinegars that add tastiness to our salads, too. A super easy recipe for a quick salad dressing that won't add unhealthy ingredients (like most commercial dressings) is this 3-2-1 Dressing by EatPlant-based.com. 3 tablespoons balsamic (or other flavored) vinegar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup. Shake well…use as generously as you like.
The One Food to Eat Everyday
Diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart failure cause suffering for millions of families in the world. Heart disease continues to kill more people than anything else on Earth. The good news is that there is a food that can help prevent, and possibly reverse, the damage that we unknowingly did over the years. Once you know, you can decide how to get this food into your daily life. Your family will thank you for it!
Leafy greens are top on the list of foods that can prevent and reverse disease. Spinach, collards, kale, beet greens, arugula and more contain an abundance of vitamin K, which helps decalcify blood vessels and protects the arteries. It may not seem like a lot but a meta-analysis, published in JRSM Cardiovascular Disease journal, showed a 16% decrease in heart disease from a diet rich in leafy greens. To see the impact of this: a 16% reduction in heart disease deaths means more than 97,000 people would be saved each year in the US alone…. kind of a big deal, I'd say.
There is so much conflicting information out there about what is the healthiest diet. The science is clear, though… but we'll leave that sit for now. The things almost every ‘diet’ agrees on is more vegetables. Green leafies are the king of the veggie world for good reason. It seems pretty straight forward for someone, like me, who eats these foods every day. But for those who claim not to be rabbits, it's not so easy. How do we get more of these lifesavers into our lives? It's not nearly as hard as our brains are telling us it is. Raw greens in our daily salad is an excellent start. Even Iceberg lettuce has nutritional value so start there if you are not a greens eater. Add some chopped romaine or butter lettuce for variety. When you're ready to take it to the next level, go for some Spring Mix or Spinach/Kale mix. Use a mezzaluna or chopping scissors to do some of the chewing for you… greens reduce in size when chopped so you get a lot more nutrition if you chop it up before adding to your bowl. Like a little spice? Add some argula or collards to create some zip to your meal. There is no reason to become bored with your salad. Change it up to keep it interesting and to get a broad spectrum of nutrients from the different varieties of leafy greens.
Got the salad thing down? How about that smoothie? Fruit smoothies are super tasty but you can bump your smoothie up several notches by adding greens… again, get creative but know that you may need to start small and work your way up to the greenest smoothie. Adding too many greens at first may turn you off to the green smoothie world.
Starting small with spinach or a little power greens is a great way to get those lifesaving foods into your body. Other ways to get the greens in are to make kale chips or create a tasty dip (there are tons of recipes online for plant based dips).
You can cook your greens to really pack a punch - sauteing some onion, adding some mushrooms and then steaming a bunch of greens on top is a great way to prevent and reverse disease. Again, the greens reduce in volume (by a ton) when cooked so you can get a lot in a small portion. The onions and mushrooms are added cancer fighters… so they're a bonus!
Including wilted greens (spinach, kale, more) in your soups or casseroles is easy and a great way to boost your leafy intake. Fine chop them so they are barely noticeable if this seems like something too far out there. Adding some greens to a stir fry not only gives it added nutritional value but adds appealing color: think bok choy. So good and so good for you. How are you getting your greens in?
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Nitric Oxide - What's That About?
Nitric oxide (NO) is essential of optimal health. It increases blood flow to the brain and all parts of the body, lowers blood pressure and limits formation of blood clots. It is a valuable substance for cardiovascular and sexual health. Nitric oxide is not IN food but many foods have nitrates. Not all nitrates are healthy. Here are some foods that are high in the good nitrates that convert to nitric oxide in the body!
Dark Leafy Green Vegetables and BEETS! The highest in natural nitrates. Arugula, celery, lettuces, spinach, bok choy, and watercress are great options. The darker, the better. Beet greens (and beets) are exceptional along with the green leafies and contain about 250mg per 3.5 ounces. Eating these foods raw will get you the most benefit. Other vegetables like cauliflower, turnips, leeks, parsley, eggplant, broccoli, garlic, artichoke and onion all aid in nitric oxide production in the body. Dark Chocolate, pistachio nuts and red wine also are good for nitric oxide production.
Exercise can also boost nitric oxide production! Get your aerobic exercise in to experience this benefit.
Tale caution with sugar intake… it can destroy a good gut microbiome and beneficial nitric oxide. High salt foods and saturated fats are also NO inhibitors, along with too much alcohol. Load up on the boosters and limit the items that get in the way for the best protection against disease.
Ingredients
12- to 16-oz. package frozen stir-fry vegetables
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
4 cups cooked farro
3 cups thinly sliced kale, stems removed
¼ cup sliced scallions
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions
In a large skillet cook frozen vegetables and garlic over medium 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking.
In a small bowl stir together ¼ cup water and the next six ingredients (through white pepper). Add farro and kale to skillet; mix well. Stir in soy sauce mixture. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the kale has wilted.
A single cup of raw kale (about 67 grams or 2.4 ounces) contains (1):
Vitamin A: 206% of the DV (from beta-carotene)
Vitamin K: 684% of the DV
Vitamin C: 134% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 9% of the DV
Manganese: 26% of the DV
Calcium: 9% of the DV
Copper: 10% of the DV
Potassium: 9% of the DV
Magnesium: 6% of the DV
It also contains 3% or more of the DV for vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), iron and phosphorus
“The greens you need to chew on every few hours should be dark, green leafy vegetables, including: Kale, Swiss Chard, Spinach, Arugula, Beet Greens, Bok Choy, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts and Chard.”
― Caldwell Esselstyn, MD
Author - Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease
Important Disclaimer
The content in this newsletter is intended for educational/informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the advice of your health care professional.
