Salad Days

Sometimes I stumble across a recipe or idea for a salad that sounds so bizarre, I just have to try it. That’s what happened today when I started looking for a quick and easy way to eat the kale I had in my refrigerator. Turns out vegans all over the blogosphere are ga-ga for raw kale salad. Yup, you read that right. RAW kale in a salad.

The technique for softening kale is pretty simple - messy, but simple. Just combine it with some oil and salt and rub it with your hands until it wilts. Once that’s done, add whatever flavoring inspires you. I’m not a huge fan of oil. I’d rather eat the whole food (olives vs. olive oil, walnuts instead of walnut oil, sesame seeds instead of sesame seed oil, etc.), so I replaced some of the oil I’d seen listed in other recipes with avocado. For flavor I added some shelled edamame and a salsa.

Bon appetit!

Raw Kale Avocado Salad with Salsa
Serves 1

3 ounces kale (about 1/2 bunch), cut into 1” pieces
1 tablespoon olive or grapeseed oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 avocado
1/2 cup shelled edamame
1 cup fresh tomato salsa

Combine the kale, oil, salt and avocado in a big bowl and rub it with your hands until the avocado is mixed in and the kale “wilts.” Add the edamame and salsa, and stir to combine.

Per Serving: 534 Calories; 33g Fat (52.3% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 19g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1452mg Sodium. 
Exchanges: 4 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 5 1/2 Fat.

Nutritional wisdom: Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods we can eat. Take a look at the following table, which compares the nutrients in a 100-calorie portion of broccoli, steak, lettuce, and kale. Carnivores take note: kale has more protein, more iron, more fiber, more calcium, pretty much more of everything than meat.

If the time between Thanksgiving and New Years was one feast after another, you may have resolved to eat nothing but salads in January. (One of the best resolutions I can think of ever!) Never fear - there are plenty of ways to enjoy salads as an interesting meal.

The trick to transforming salads into a satisfying main dish is the addition of a starch, like grains or potatoes, or a bit of protein in the form of beans, eggs, or a small amount of shredded meat. Salads can easily lose their calorie-friendly status, though, when drowned in a sea of fat-laden dressing. To keep on track, search out low-fat dressings (or make your own) or carefully measure out your portion of dressing by the spoonful.

Here is one of my favorites (based on a recipe published in the NY Times). Serve it with a slice of crusty bread and a glass of chardonnay. For dessert, have a small bowl of fruit salad laced with a tablespoon of Grand Marnier.

Green Bean Salad with Chickpeas and Mushrooms
Serves 2

Salad ingredients
1/2 pound green beans
3 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 red bell pepper
1 ounce Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs like chives, marjoram, parsley and tarragon

Dressing ingredients
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Steam or blanch the green beans for five minutes, then cool in a bowl of ice water. Drain and trim the stems. If the beans are very long, break in half.

2. Combine the beans, mushrooms, chickpeas, Parmesan, red bell pepper and herbs in a salad bowl. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the dressing ingredients.

3. Toss the dressing with the bean mixture shortly before serving. If desired, garnish with red pepper slices or toss them with the salad.

Nutrition per serving: 438 cal.; 21g fat (42% from fat); 20g protein; 46g carbohydrates; 8g fiber
Exchanges per serving: 2 grain; 1 1/2 lean meat; 2 vegetable; 0 fruit; 3 1/2 fat; 0 other carbs

You may have noticed that most of my salad recipes are vegetarian, with a good many of them tipping the vegan scale. There’s a good reason for this! Consumption of saturated fat (found in meat and dairy products) is responsible for all sorts of ailments, such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, etc. New research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has added another disease to the list - “age-related” macular degeneration (AMD).

This disease is the leading cause of vision loss in Americans over 60. It involves cell death in the macula of the eye, which has a high density of cone cells and is responsible for central vision.

Scientists investigated the relationship between fat intake and the presence of intermediate AMD four to seven years later in more than 1700 women and found that some fats may benefit eye health while others may be damaging. Saturated fats showed the greatest association with AMD – 60% increased odds of AMD in women who consumed the greatest amounts. Monounsaturated fats, which are present in nuts, seeds, and avocados, were associated with a lower prevalence of the disease.

So, next time you’re contemplating what to put on your salad - bacon or walnuts...sliced egg or avocado - let your eyes be your guide to picking healthful, plant-based fats instead of animal fats.

Read the full study: Parekh N et al. Association Between Dietary Fat Intake and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS). An Ancillary Study of the Women’s Health Initiative. Arch Ophthalmol. 2009;127(11):1483-1493.