The Everything Salad Book (8 page)

PER SERVING

Calories:..........253

Fat:..........25 g

Protein:..........2 g

Sodium:..........152 mg

Fiber:..........5.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........8 g

This salad is tossed with all kinds of tasty and healthy things. The tofu absorbs the flavors around it, and the alfalfa sprouts and jicama add crunch.

1. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, sprouts, jicama, pickle, cilantro, artichoke hearts, zucchini, green onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
   

2. Drain tofu and cut into small squares. Add to salad.
   

3. Pour your favorite Italian salad dressing over salad just before serving. Toss well.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........305

Fat:..........21 g

Protein:..........19 g

Sodium:..........789 mg

Fiber:..........5 g

Carbohydrate:..........18 g

Tofu is made by extracting milk from soybeans and letting it curdle. The curdled soy milk mixture is pressed together to form blocks of protein-rich tofu. The two main types of tofu are firm and silken. Firm tofu is pressed together to make dense blocks that hold their shape when cut. Silken tofu is thick and delicate, breaking down easily to add a creamy texture.

Add slices of juicy steak or crisp crumbled bacon to turn this flavorful salad into a filling meal.

1. Wash mushrooms and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add Portobello, oyster, and cremini mushrooms to pan. Sprinkle with garlic, sugar, salt, and thyme. Sauté mushrooms until lightly browned, about 3 minutes, and remove pan from heat.
   

2. Combine button mushrooms, butterhead lettuce, endive, and oak leaf lettuce together in a large salad bowl. Add dressing to salad and toss well to coat.
   

3. Add sautéed mushrooms, and any drippings, to salad. Toss gently to coat and mix. Add croutons to salad, toss lightly, and serve salad immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........171

Fat:..........14 g

Protein:..........2.5 g

Sodium:..........261 mg

Fiber:..........1.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........11 g

Portobello is a fancy name for mature cremini mushrooms, and both types have a slightly nutty taste. Oyster mushrooms are delicate fluted mushrooms with a subtle flavor. Button mushrooms are technically any young mushroom with the cap closed, but white button mushrooms are usually referred to as just button mushrooms in the culinary world. White mushrooms are simply button mushrooms with the caps fully opened.

Seedless watermelons can sometimes have small white seeds scattered among the flesh. Use a fork to remove any noticeable seeds from the cubed watermelon before making the salad.

1. Gently toss the cantaloupe, watermelon, blueberries, and grapes together in a large salad bowl.
   

2. Add mint and parsley to salad. Toss to mix. Serve immediately or chill in fridge for up to 2 hours.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........65

Fat:..........0.5 g

Protein:..........1.5 g

Sodium:..........12 mg

Fiber:..........1.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........16 g

Don't replace the tart apples in this recipe with sweet red apples. The tart apples help balance the sweet flavor of the oranges and pineapples.

1. Drain syrup from the oranges and pineapples. Discard the syrup/juices. Add the drained oranges and pineapple to a large mixing bowl.
   

2. Add the apples, papaya, coconut, and lemon zest to the bowl. Mix gently and serve. Chill leftovers in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........81

Fat:..........1 g

Protein:..........1 g

Sodium:..........3 mg

Fiber:..........3 g

Carbohydrate:..........19 g

Leave out the grapes and mix the dried fruit together to create an instant salad mix. Pour the mixed fruit in with green grapes whenever you want a tangy fruit salad.

1. Mix grapes, dates, figs, raisins, almonds, and pine nuts together in a large salad bowl.
   

2. Garnish with lemon zest and serve. Chill leftovers in fridge for up to 72 hours.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........152

Fat:..........4 g

Protein:..........3 g

Sodium:..........2.3 mg

Fiber:..........3 g

Carbohydrate:..........31 g

Dried fruit can be difficult to prepare. If the fruit is too hard and pieces are sticking together, you can soak the fruit in hot water for a few minutes to help soften each piece and break up clumps. If the fruit is sticking to your knife when you chop, rinse the knife with hot water occasionally to help prevent sticky bits from adhering to the metal.

The amount of sugar you want to use in this recipe depends on your sweet tooth. Anywhere from 1 teaspoon to ¼ cup works.

1. Use a sharp knife to remove peel and pith (white stuff) from each grapefruit. Remove seeds and slice membrane from around each segment. Slice each segment in half. You should end up with around 3 cups of prepared grapefruit. Discard peels, pith, seeds, and membranes.
   

2. Combine grapefruit, raspberries, peaches, and nectarines in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over salad and toss well to coat. Sprinkle the remaining 1-tablespoon sugar over the salad as a garnish and serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........153

Fat:..........1 g

Protein:..........3g

Sodium:..........1 mg

Fiber:..........7.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........38 g

The Ruby Red grapefruit was the first grapefruit to receive a U.S. patent and is the most popular variety of grapefruit sold. The pink- to red-fleshed grapefruits range from sweet to slightly bitter and tend to have fewer seeds than other grapefruit varieties.

Strawberries and kiwis are a classic fruit combination. Make sure to remove all the skin from the kiwi before putting it in the salad or it will ruin the flavor.

1. Drain the juice from the pineapples into a small bowl. Set juice bowl aside and add chunks to a large mixing bowl. Stir strawberries, kiwis, and mango into the pineapple.
   

2. Stir lime juice, lime zest, and salt into the pineapple juice. Mix well. Drizzle mixture over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle coconut over salad and toss to mix. Serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........78

Fat:..........1.5 g

Protein:..........1.5 g

Sodium:..........100 mg

Fiber:..........3 g

Carbohydrate:..........17 g

Fresh apples, which are available in grocery stores year-round, provide a delicate base for the mix of dried fruits in this sweet winter recipe.

1. Combine yellow apples, red apples, dried apricots, dried cranberries, raisins, dried cherries, and walnuts in a large mixing bowl. Toss gently to mix.
   

2. Stir orange juice, orange zest, rum extract, allspice, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Mix well. Drizzle over salad and toss well to coat. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 2 hours before serving.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........119

Fat:..........5 g

Protein:..........1.5 g

Sodium:..........2 mg

Fiber:..........2.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........19 g

Orange zest can be found in the spice section of any grocery store. However, packaged orange zest pales next to fresh zest. To zest an orange, wash the skin well first. Go over the rind lightly with a zester, but make sure you only scrape the orange part of the rind. If you zest to the bitter white pith it will ruin the flavor of the zest.

This fresh salad can be made with almost any fruit that's in season or any flavor of yogurt.

1. Cut cantaloupe and honeydew melons in half, remove seeds, and cut into balls with a melon baller, or cut into cubes. Place in a serving bowl. Remove leaves from pineapple and cut off skin. Remove center core and slice. Add to melon.
   

2. In bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over fruits and toss to coat. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Mix gently before serving.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........95

Fat:..........0.5 g

Protein:..........2 g

Sodium:..........27 mg

Fiber:..........1.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........24 g

Gorgonzola cheese has a bite that contrasts wonderfully with the sweet flavors in this mixed fruit salad.

1. Combine chopped apple, apricot, plum, pear, and walnuts in a large mixing bowl. Toss to mix.
   

2. Drizzle lemon juice and sugar over salad. Toss gently to coat fully. Add Gorgonzola to salad and toss to mix. Garnish with a pinch of poppy seeds and serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........105

Fat:..........6 g

Protein:..........3 g

Sodium:..........134 mg

Fiber:..........2 g

Carbohydrate:..........10 g

This classic fruit salad is the perfect accompaniment to breakfast, granola, yogurt, eggs, brunch dishes, sandwiches, and lunches.

1. Toss all the fruits together gently in a large bowl.
   

2. Chill fruit salad before serving.
   

3. Serve the salad family-style or divide it among four small plates.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........38

Fat:..........0 g

Protein:..........1 g

Sodium:..........8 mg

Fiber:..........1 g

Carbohydrate:..........9.5 g

Grapes are broken into two major categories; wine grapes and table grapes. Wine grapes are red and green grapes with high sugar content for wine purposes. Table grapes are red and green grapes with a lighter and slightly less sweet flavor than wine grapes, making them popular for culinary purposes.

This simple salad makes an easy side dish for 4, or a quick midday meal for 2.

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

PER SERVING

Calories:..........102

Fat:..........1 g

Protein:..........14 g

Sodium:..........462 mg

Fiber:..........0.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........8.5 g

Always rinse fresh produce under cool water. This will help remove things you don't want to eat such as pesticides, fertilizers, and bacteria.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy.

PER SERVING

Calories:..........135

Fat:..........1 g