New Year Reset
By Nancy Eisman
What’s PC for 2020? It’s Portion Control, meaning moderation at meal time. The holidays of indulgence have come to an end and we’ve got to get down to the business of resetting our eating habits for the New Year.
The best way to curb your caloric enthusiasm is to start your meal off with a fresh, crispy, salad. Filled with vivid colors, textures, nutrition, and fiber, a delicious salad will keep the calories at bay and may even keep the doctor away.
A salad starter will satisfy your hunger so you’re less likely to scarf down too much more of the meal, leading to calorie overload. And salads are the epitome of culinary creativity. Combinations of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, dressings, etc., number in the thousands. You could easily have a different salad every day of the year with no repeats. Just imagine the possibilities!
Anti-oxidant rich salads can be as simple or as complex as you like. There are no rules so the door is open to whatever you have on hand, pick from the garden, or purchase at your local market. Adding more salads to your repertoire can also be a step towards transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle, if that’s a resolution you’d like to aspire to. Regardless of what your overall food choices are, try and add a salad a day and you’ll be on your way to better health.
Chopped Salad du Jour
1 pkg. Melissa’s Red Beets, chopped
1 pkg. Melissa’s Peeled and Steamed Garbanzo Beans, chopped
1 cup maroon carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 cup watermelon radishes, stems removed, chopped
5 cups kale sprouts, chopped
½ cup pepitas, toasted
½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped
Dressing:
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine the dressing ingredients together until the dressing is emulsified, and set aside.
In a large bowl add the kale sprouts, garbanzo beans, watermelon radishes, carrots, and olives, and toss to combine. Add the beets and avocado on top. Sprinkle on the pepitas. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Lightly toss to combine, and serve.
Serves 4 - 6
What’s PC for 2020? It’s Portion Control, meaning moderation at meal time. The holidays of indulgence have come to an end and we’ve got to get down to the business of resetting our eating habits for the New Year.
The best way to curb your caloric enthusiasm is to start your meal off with a fresh, crispy, salad. Filled with vivid colors, textures, nutrition, and fiber, a delicious salad will keep the calories at bay and may even keep the doctor away.
A salad starter will satisfy your hunger so you’re less likely to scarf down too much more of the meal, leading to calorie overload. And salads are the epitome of culinary creativity. Combinations of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, dressings, etc., number in the thousands. You could easily have a different salad every day of the year with no repeats. Just imagine the possibilities!
Anti-oxidant rich salads can be as simple or as complex as you like. There are no rules so the door is open to whatever you have on hand, pick from the garden, or purchase at your local market. Adding more salads to your repertoire can also be a step towards transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle, if that’s a resolution you’d like to aspire to. Regardless of what your overall food choices are, try and add a salad a day and you’ll be on your way to better health.
Chopped Salad du Jour
1 pkg. Melissa’s Red Beets, chopped
1 pkg. Melissa’s Peeled and Steamed Garbanzo Beans, chopped
1 cup maroon carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 cup watermelon radishes, stems removed, chopped
5 cups kale sprouts, chopped
½ cup pepitas, toasted
½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped
Dressing:
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine the dressing ingredients together until the dressing is emulsified, and set aside.
In a large bowl add the kale sprouts, garbanzo beans, watermelon radishes, carrots, and olives, and toss to combine. Add the beets and avocado on top. Sprinkle on the pepitas. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Lightly toss to combine, and serve.
Serves 4 - 6
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