There was an Old Person of Fife,
Who was greatly disgusted with life;
They sang him a ballad,
And fed him on salad,
Which cured that Old Person of Fife.
Edward Lear (1812-1888)
Fresh vegetable salads need not wait until the warm summer months to enjoy being upon your lunch or dinner menu. Colorful and satisfying side dishes can be made from the abundance of fresh winter vegetables we are blessed to have. So don't be disgusted, get creative!
The bulk of a dinner salad should provide a background of lettuce and make up about 50% of the total ingredients. A variety of other vegetables along with a few seeds or herbs (parsley, coriander, or fennel) and a dressing provide the balance and flavor. To make it heartier to serve as a main dish, simply add the protein of cheese, eggs, beans, bacon, tuna, or chicken.
Lettuces, which provide Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and fiber are categorized according to head formation and leaf qualities: Iceberg, Summer Crisp, Bibb (Boston/ Butterhead), Romaine, and Leaf. Several types within these categories can easily be found in the winter.
Some of the other more common winter vegetables to choose from include:
Artichokes
Arugula
Avocado
Beets
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chestnuts
Kale
Parsnips
Radishes
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snow Peas
Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Watercress
Most if not all of the winter vegetables listed provide our diet with fiber and Vitamin C and many of them also provide Vitamin A as well as other nutrients.
Bok Choy, cauliflower, and parsnips are good in their content for providing folate. Brussels sprouts also provide folate with the bonus of potassium. They are being investigated for their anti-cancer properties.
The avocado, actually a fruit, is rich in potassium, iron, and Vitamin E. It is valuable for its oleic acid and linoleic acid content which help to lower cholesterol levels.
Artichokes, long considered a delicacy, are a useful source of magnesium, manganese, folate, copper, potassium, and phosphorus, not to mention the trace mineral chromium. Most of the artichoke's calories are in the form of inulin, a starch not used by the body for energy metabolism. Inulin has been shown to improve blood sugar control in diabetics.
It is also interesting to note that the artichoke has a long history in treating many liver diseases. Certain compounds found in the leaf extracts show liver-protecting and regenerating effects and are also known to promote the flow of bile and fat to and from the liver.
Beets also contain folate and potassium plus calcium and iron.
The arugula is salad's rocket as it launches an explosion of flavor into the mouth. Nutritionally, along with Vitamin C and Vitamin A, it also contains folate, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and some zinc. Arugula, as a cruciferous vegetable, contains a group of anti-cancer compounds which offer antioxidant activity and also help to rid the body of toxins.
Broccoli, another cruciferous vegetable with anti-cancer compounds, is a good source of Vitamin K, folate, calcium, and iron. Its lutein content may also be helpful in preventing the development of age-related macular degeneration.
Kale is also rich in calcium and iron. The calcium it contains is almost three times as much as its phosphorus content. Since phosphorus reduces the utilization of calcium and promotes its excretion, high consumption of phosphorus has been linked to osteoporosis. Kale is therefore beneficial in offsetting too much phosphorus.
Winter squash varieties include pumpkin, acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash. In addition to Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and fiber, it also provides potassium, folate, niacin, and thiamin. The richer the color, the richer the concentration. Like other carotene-rich vegetables, winter squash offers some protection against many cancers, particularly lung cancer. They may also be helpful against developing Type 2 diabetes.
Sweet potatoes are a valuable food in boosting antioxidants in the body. Not only that, research has also shown that sweet potatoes are useful to the diabetic in that they help stabilize blood sugar levels and improve the response to the hormone insulin. Sweet potatoes are a good source of Vitamin B-6, copper, and potassium.
Winter Salads
No comments:
Post a Comment