While we fully agree that eating salad is eating healthy, today’s many food options and combinations seem to have neglected the true essence of salads. The real salad is abundant in organic ingredients. It’s loaded with darker greens, fruits, and raw veggies in a low-fat vinaigrette that offers a low-fat, low-calorie meal.
This is called a salad matrix. It is an approach to encourage darker colored vegetables and more organic components in light dressings to ensure high amounts of protein, calcium, vitamins, digestive enzymes and antioxidants. We may find it difficult to adjust, but low-fat salads are the only way to improve our eating lifestyle. It is simply spread raw and nurtured in a vegetable bowl. Here are sample salad matrix recipes to try:
Simple orange, avocado and spinach salad
Ingredients
- 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- a pinch of sea salt
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Black pepper
Addresses
With a good kitchen knife, section the orange and cut the skin from the sections. Reserve all the extra juice in a small bowl and then mix with olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt. This will make the dressing light. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced orange, spinach, and sliced avocado and pour the dressing on top. Mix gently. Sprinkle with black pepper to season. Serve cold.
Detox Kale Salad with Apples and Cherries
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale, stems and leaves removed, thinly sliced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- Celtic sea salt
- 2 teaspoons raw honey
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup of chopped apple, with skin
- 2 tablespoons small handfuls of raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened dried organic cherries or raisins
Addresses
In a large bowl, combine the kale, half the lemon juice, a drizzle of oil, and kosher salt. Work until the kale begins to soften and wilt. Massaging for 2-3 minutes will soften the tough leaves. To make the dressing, whisk the remaining lemon juice with the honey and black pepper. While whisking, pour in 1/4 cup oil until a dressing forms, then season with salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the kale, then add the apple, cherries, and pepitas. Shake. You can serve your light salad right away or chill before serving.
Mixed Indian Fruit and Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 1 guava
- 1 apple
- 1 orange
- 1 cup of red pomegranate
- 1 cup of green grapes
- 1 cup of boiled potato, peeled
- 1 cucumber
- 1 tomato
- 4 green chilies
- 3 teaspoons ginger
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup coriander leaves
- ¼ cup cherries
- Jeera powder
Addresses
Start by washing all fruits and vegetables with clean water. Except for grapes, peel the skins of all fruits and vegetables and then cut them into small pieces. You can get creative by cutting any of the dense veggies into any shape you like. When ready, place all the chopped fruits and vegetables in a bowl and then add lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Follow with the salt, pepper, and green chilies, coriander leaves, and Jeera powder, mixing well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Better when it’s cold.
