Now that we’re all trying to eat a little healthier and it’s summer, it seems like the perfect time to eat salad. But as we know, salad has a bit of a reputation. And it isn’t a good one. Thanks to the low calorie, low fat craze, salads have become associated with denying oneself pleasure.
Of course, if you stick to a bowl of lettuce and nothing else, you are going to be denying yourself. Otherwise, check out these incredible salad recipes.
Cuban Avocado, Watercress and Pineapple Salad
Recently on this blog, we investigated how to cut up pineapple. So now seems like the perfect time to include this ingredient in a salad. This Cuban salad incorporates some of the favorites of today’s foodie culture. That includes, of course, the avocado. From a health perspective, the salad is second to none. Watercress is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world, except for perhaps kale. And avocados are full of minerals, as you probably already know. Plus, the fat in avocado actually helps the body to digest the rest of the salad leaves. From a taste perspective, the combination of pineapple and avocado is pure genius. Whoever thought of combining roasted pineapple with the other ingredients needs a medal.
www.flickr.comFor the salad, you’ll need two bunches of watercress, a large pineapple, a large avocado, and a small red onion. For the dressing, it’s 3 cloves of crushed garlic, ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon of pepper. 1\8 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 tbsp cider vinegar and one teaspoon of salt. You’ll also need one tablespoon of sugar.
Start off by cutting up the pineapple. You’ll need a decent knife for this from somewhere, like knifeista.com. First, cut off the skin of the pineapple. Then cut off the leaves and the base. Next, grab a corer and bore a hole through the middle (Don’t worry if you don’t have one of these, you can just cut it up into chunks). This is to get rid of the woody center. Then cut the pineapple into rings. Here’s where the magic starts. Put the pineapple rings on a baking tray and dust them with sugar. Then put the pineapple in the oven for about 20 minutes. During this time, the sugar on top with caramelizing, making the pineapple more delicious.
Next, put the watercress into a bowl. In a separate bowl mix all the dressing ingredients and then pour over the watercress and mix. Put this into a serving bowl and sprinkle on top the cooked pineapple and cubed avocado. Lastly, cut thin strips of red onion and place on top of the salad.
Lentils, Roasted Pepper and Goat’s Cheese
We all want our summer salads to have a bit of substance and a bit of bite. So why not try one that’s made from lentils? Lentils in many ways are the perfect superfood. They’re high in minerals and fiber. And they help with digestion, which for many of us can be a little sluggish. Plus they’re an excellent way to fill up on plant protein, thanks to their high protein content.
For this recipe, you’ll need three red peppers, 170 grams of dried lentils, one clove of crushed garlic. A bay leaf, four tablespoons of sundried tomatoes and 100g goat’s cheese. You’ll also need chopped parsley, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
