Organic lettuces—whether red or green head lettuce, mixed baby lettuces, butter lettuce or romaine—are exactly what the body craves during the warmer months of the year.

Lettuce is a high-water (hence, hydrating) and high-fiber food that contains vitamins A, C and K, as well as hard-to-get minerals, like calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Eating organic lettuce, especially in-season, can help support heart health and bone health, improve digestion as well as your complexion, and help stabilize blood sugar. In fact, a 2021 study conducted on 16 healthy young men between the ages of 20 and 30, found that when participants consumed lettuce, specifically, with a moderately high-fat meal, they had lower blood sugar and insulin levels after the meal (1).

To reap maximum health benefits of eating lettuce greens, I recommend eating organic—as you are able—to minimize pesticide exposure. And—even if you buy lettuce that is marketed as “pre-washed” or “triple washed”—always take the time to wash your greens, ideally in filtered water with a splash of raw apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, then spin dry in a salad spinner.

Personally, I like to keep salads simple and quick-and-easy to make.

This is a simple salad that I eat at most meals. Right now, I am enjoying organic lettuces grown locally, which I buy from a nearby farm market. I do rotate my greens, depending on seasonal availability—whether it’s arugula, romaine, spinach, red leaf lettuce or green leaf lettuce.

I like to pair my greens with thinly sliced radishes for their crisp texture and peppery pungent bite, which contrasts nicely with the delicate sweetness of fresh organic lettuce greens. See recipe below.

Simple Green Salad

1 bag (or box) organic mixed lettuces OR 1 to 2 heads of fresh, organic lettuce (e.g., green leaf, red leaf or romaine)

2 to 3 organic medium red or purple radishes, root and tops discarded, washed well

If using head lettuce, chop roughly into bite-sized pieces. Rinse lettuce well in unfiltered water. Place in a salad spinner and spin dry.

Slice radishes into thin rounds. Add to greens. Make the mustard-shallot vinaigrette (see recipe below), add to greens and toss well.

Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette

1 to 2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon sugar-free Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon crumbled dried tarragon
3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons high quality extra-virgin olive oil

Place all above ingredients in an 8 ounce glass Pyrex measuring cup and whisk together well.

Sources

1   Shokraei S, Khandouzi N, Sina Z, Nasrollahzadeh J. The acute effect of incorporating lettuce or watercress into a moderately high-fat meal on postprandial lipid, glycemic response, and plasma inflammatory cytokines in healthy young men: a randomized crossover trial. Lipids Health Dis. 2021 Jul 15;20(1):66.

]]> https://thenourishedepicurean.com/simple-green-salad/feed/ 0 13513 https://thenourishedepicurean.com/autumn-harvest-salad/ https://thenourishedepicurean.com/autumn-harvest-salad/#respond Tue, 05 Nov 2019 22:44:37 +0000 https://thenourishedepicurean.com/?p=6826 Americans tend to think of “salad” as a “diet food” or an obligatory “healthy food” you eat to lose weight. More often than not, salads resemble dessert, especially when you add candied nuts, dried cranberries (or any kind of dried fruit), cheese, croutons and creamy, sugar-infused dressings or fruity vinaigrettes. If you eat your salad out (restaurant, deli, take-out / carry-out), you can be sure that the greens are conventionally grown, unless they specify “organic”.

When you use fresh, seasonal ingredients, including organic salad greens, for a salad, it stands on its own as a meal that satisfies.

Bagged salad greens from the supermarket can taste “dead”. On the other hand, organic, locally grown greens from a farmers’ market or farm market are alive with flavor and texture. They are also a rich source of nutrients that your body craves.

This Autumn Harvest salad includes Delicata squash, a type of winter squash. You can eat the skin—no peeling required!  A lower carb, starchy vegetable, it is a good source of fiber and immune-boosting vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants, like beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Roasted delicata squash has a caramelized natural sweetness.

Toasted pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of immune-boosting zinc and other minerals, including manganese, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. Regular consumption of pumpkin seeds is associated with reduced risk of certain cancers, including prostate and breast cancers.^{1, 2}  A large study of post-menopausal women in Germany also found that eating pumpkin seeds was associated with reduced risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.³

D’Anjou pears are relatively low sugar, a nice source of fiber and helpful for digestion. In addition to the roasted squash, it gives a hint of natural sweetness.

Scallions are in the allium family. In addition to being a rich source of vitamins and minerals and a beneficial digestive aid, they are rich in cancer-fighting antioxidants and sulfur compounds.

This is a satisfying meal in and of itself.
 

Autumn Harvest Salad

 
1 bag of organic, ideally local, mixed greens, wash and spin dry
1 bag of organic, ideally local, arugula, wash and spin dry
1-1/2 cups roasted Delicata squash, sliced
*See recipe for Roasted Delicata Squash
1/2 D’Anjou pear, cored and thinly sliced
1 bunch organic scallions, green and pale green parts, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
Celtic sea salt, to taste

For the vinaigrette:  Whisk together 3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar + 4 tablespoons high quality extra-virgin olive oil.

For the pumpkin seeds:  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a heavyweight cookie sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Spread raw pumpkin seeds evenly on the cookie sheet. Place on middle rack in oven and toast apx. 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Take care not to burn the seeds. Remove cookie sheet from oven and transfer pumpkin seeds to a plate or bowl to cool.

Place all ingredients in a large salad bowl. Drizzle vinaigrette over greens and toss well. Season with Celtic sea salt, to taste.
 
 
 
 
Sources
¹  Nutrition and Cancer. Vol 65, 2103, Issue 5
²  International Journal of Oncology. 2011 Jun;38(6):1675-82.
³  Nutrition and Cancer.  2012;64(5):652-65.