Simple Changes -- Salad Tips

Raw vegetables are a crucial part of a healthy diet. They contain enzymes and phytonutrients that do not survive the cooking process. In our family, we try to include raw foods at each meal. For breakfast, we eat fresh fruit or fruit in our smoothie. For lunch, we eat apples, carrots and all kinds of other fresh, raw foods. For snacks, we eat raw seeds and (some) raw nuts.


Since I've started a "Simple Changes" topic, here's a simple, yet very nutritious change you can make... add a salad to your suppers! A salad is the quickest, easiest way to include fresh, raw vegetables on the supper table. But, making salad night after night can be tiresome. I've felt that way exactly... tired of making salad. Here are some tips that work for me:

• Invest in a Salad Spinner! Wash an entire head of lettuce, then spin it dry. After using what you need for your supper salad, store the rest in the salad spinner. It will stay nice and fresh... and the next few nights you won't have to wash lettuce again!
• Grate a whole pound of carrots in the food processor, and keep it to add to your salads throughout the week. Carrots keep for about five days in an air-tight storage container. Keeping them on hand means convenient salad additions without having to wash the food processor over and over.
• Raw beets can also be chopped and stored in an airtight container for up to five days. You might be pleasantly surprised at the flavor of a raw beet versus a canned or overcooked beet.
• Use frozen corn and peas in your salad. These are simple salad additions. I buy bags of organic frozen veggies. When I am making a salad, I put handful or two in a strainer and run them under warm water right before I toss them into my salad. They thaw quickly and do not need to be cooked.
• Throw in a handful of raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds for crunch.

Unfortunately, some salad vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers or cucumbers will need to be cut fresh, but having your lettuce and carrots ready will help considerably. Adding a supper salad is a simple way to add a significant amount of health to your day.

For more Works-For-Me Wednesday tips, check out www.wearethatfamily.com.