Refreshing, Energizing Salad
Can a salad be refreshing, healthy and energizing? Of course!
It just depends on the ingredients.
In this case, each ingredient supplies nutrients and delicious flavors that work so well together you don’t even need any dressing.
- 1 or 2 apples of your choice (depending on size). Not only do apples provide fiber, they are a great source of natural antioxidants, including quercetin.
- Salad greens – think darker salad greens for the most healthful benefits. For instance, romaine is a good source of chromium. Experiment a bit with mustard greens for a little extra bite, plus vitamin C and folate, and baby spinach for vitamin K and iron.
- Slivered almonds – an energizing protein, “good fats” and fiber combination. Almonds are also excellent sources of vitamin E and magnesium.
- Feta cheese to balance the savory and sweet flavors. Plus, cheese is a great source protein, calcium and phosphorus.
- Two slices of orange (optional)
Rinse greens well, and shake to dry or dab with a paper towel. Tear into smaller pieces if necessary and mix together in a bowl.
Slice apples into very thin pieces – they’ll be easy to pierce with a fork, and their combination of simple and complex sugars will complement the feta cheese and almonds very well. Toss with greens in bowl.
Crumble feta cheese over the salad and mix in gently.
Add about a handful of slivered almonds to the bowl and mix in lightly. Usually, they fall into the salad quite well on their own as you serve into individual helpings.
If you’d still like a little “dressing”, consider taking just a slice or two of orange, and squeezing that over the salad. Mixing in that amount will be just enough to wet the leaves of the salad and provide a little extra “zing”!
Serve and enjoy!
This salad tastes great and will give you nutrients you need without a lot of processed extras. You’ll feel filled up rather than bogged down.
Published September 22, 2009