Salad Days

A blended salad is a mixture of raw, leafy greens and other foods blended together to make a smooth, creamy drinkable “salad.” Sometimes they are sweet-tasting (and then I like to call them green smoothies); sometimes they are savory. This morning, I had a hankering for something with a bit of kick, so I came up with this vegetable cocktail. A bit of horseradish and black pepper give it some bite.

(Side note: If you’ve never made a blended drink with green vegetables before, you may be turned off by the color. I promise you, though, one sip and you will be a convert!)

Blended V6 Salad
Serves 1

3 roma tomatoes
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
1/2 bell pepper
1 green onion
1 handful fresh spinach
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon horseradish
5 ice cubes

Roughly chop the veggies and put them in a high powered blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Nutrition: 153 cal.; 2g fat (8.4% calories); 6g protein; 35g carbs; 10g fiber
Exchanges: 6 1/2 vegetables

Nutritional Wisdom:

Blending your salad increases the absorption of the nutrients in the vegetables. This is because plants contain a large amount of cellulose, which humans cannot break down. If we eat cellulose-rich, raw veggies (especially greens) without thoroughly masticating them, we lose much of the food value. When we simply chew a salad, about seventy to ninety percent of the cells are not broken open. As a result, most of the valuable nutrients contained within those cells never enter our bloodstream. Blending raw vegetables breaks open the cellulose and guarantees that a higher percentage of nutrients will be absorbed into our bloodstream for our bodies to use.

Blending vs. Juicing? Juicing vegetables is good, but blending them is better. With juicing, you retain many of the phytochemicals and other nutrients but lose the valuable lignans, fatty acids, and amino acids that are bound to the cell membranes. The cellulose and other plant fibers contained in blended salads are also an added benefit. Eating whole food gives you complete nutrition!

In my search for more salad recipes with almonds I came across a recipe on DrFuhrman.com for a vegan alternative to tuna salad. Nick and I planned a weekend of adventure, calling out for sandwiches, so we made a batch on Saturday morning to carry us through. It was so absolutely delicious, that I kept sneaking spoonfuls as I made lunch.

I don’t usually gush about the recipes I post here (okay, maybe sometimes), but get ready for some full-fledged gushing...If you like your gooey mayo-filled sandwiches and want to try something new, you absolutely must make this. Julia, the recipe’s author, created the most sublime combination of ingredients. Earthy chickpeas, toothsome almond bits, and crunchy celery and carrots are held to together with just the right amount of lemony, mustardy, vegan mayo goo.

Julia graciously allowed me to share the recipe with you here. If like this recipe as much as I do, I encourage you to leave a comment and say thanks.

Before I give you the recipe (I know, I know, hurry up already), a quick note on Vegenaise: It is a very tasty alternative to commercial mayonnaise, which usually contains over-refined sweeteners, fillers, gums, colorings, preservatives, you name it. It is available in the deli section at PCC. (If you don’t have any, regular mayo will do in a pinch. I definitely recommend picking some up next time you go to the store, though.)

And now, without further ado…

Chickpea Almond “Tuna” Salad
Recipe by Julia Spagnoli
Serves 4

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)
1/2 cup almonds
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
1/4 cup Vegenaise (or regular mayo if you must!)

Instructions:
Chop almonds in food processor. Add everything else. Pulse until desired consistency. This makes a great sandwich on lightly toasted bread with lettuce and a large slice of a fresh garden tomato. Alternatively, you can serve a big scoop of it on top of some baby spinach or mixed greens.

In the interest of full disclosure, her recipe included a teaspoon of granular kelp, but I didn’t have any, so I omitted it. Add it back if you want to be absolutely true to Julia’s creation.

Nutrition per serving: 318 cal; 21g fat (57.6% of calories); 10g protein; 25g carbs; 5g fiber
Exchanges: 1 1/2 grain/starch; 1/2 lean meat; 1/2 vegetable; 1 1/2 fat

Nuts are amazing, nutrient-dense nuggets of goodness. In addition to being downright tasty, they contain a spectrum of micronutrients including LDL-lowering phytosterols, circulation-promoting arginine, minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, selenium), and antioxidants including phenols, resveratrol, tocopherols (vitamin E), and carotenoids.

Photo courtesy of mynameisharsha

According to research provided by DiseaseProof.com, almonds, in particular, are some of the most beneficial foods for decreasing heart disease risk:

• A 2009 meta-analysis confirmed that almond consumption of at least 25 g per day (about 1 ounce) is associated with a 7 mg/dL decrease in total cholesterol. (1)
• Collectively, the data from the four most recent U.S. studies estimates that Americans who eat five or more servings of nuts per week have a 35% reduced risk of coronary heart disease. (2)

With this knowledge in mind, I present a simple way to eat almonds in a salad that is crunchy, rich, simple to make, and GOOD for your heart!

Celery & Almond Salad
Serves 4

1 bunch (12-15 stalks) celery, plus leaves
1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Chop the celery stalks and leaves into bite-sized pieces. Mix together with almonds and parsley. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Nutrition per serving: 255 cal; 21g fat (68.7% from fat); 8g protein; 13g carbohydrates; 7g fiber
Exchanges per serving: 1/2 grain; 1 lean meat; 1 vegetable; 3 1/2 fat

References:

1. Phung OJ, Makanji SS, White CM, Coleman CI. Almonds have a neutral effect on serum lipid profiles: a meta-analysis of randomized trials. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 May;109(5):865-73.

2. Kris-Etherton PM et al. The Role of Tree Nuts and Peanuts in the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: Multiple Potential Mechanisms. J. Nutr. 138: 1746S–1751S, 2008.