Healthy Writers Series: Yummy, Snacky Salads

A joint post from guest bloggers Lois Eighmy & Catherine Greti

In our last Healthy Writers post, I featured four yummy, healthy snacks—Stonyfield Chocolate Underground, raw almonds, deviled eggs and Kashi cookies—and asked readers what their favorite healthy snacks are. Two of our readers mentioned salads that sounded so delicious I decided to ask for photos and recipes. These are all salads that would do well as either a snack or as part of a meal.

Fruit Salad and Ensalata Caprese by Lois Eighmy

Lately, I’ve been trying to find healthy ways to start the day that will allow my hubby to maintain his weight while also allowing me to lose some weight. We’ve been starting the day with eggs and fruit salad, as I’m determined to add more fresh fruits and veggies to our diet. For the fruit salad, I use whatever’s in good shape and is relatively inexpensive, so the ingredients change throughout the seasons. This is what it’s been like lately:

Luscious fruit salad - so easy to make

4 oranges (or any kind of citrus you desire)
Strawberries (and/or other types of berries, all are good!)
Red seedless grapes (or whatever type of grapes you prefer)
Dried sweetened coconut
Sliced almonds
Flaxseed
Fresh, finely shredded orange peel
Bananas

1. Scrub oranges and grate desired amount of peel into small bowl (I use about one tablespoon).
2. Peel oranges, remove any seeds, pull slices apart and cut in half; add to large bowl.
3. Wash desired amount of strawberries (I use a one-pound package) and chop; add to oranges in bowl.
4. Wash desired amount of grapes (you can use any kind, but if you use seeded grapes, remove seeds before adding to the salad) and slice lengthwise; add to other fruits in bowl.
5. Toss to mix fruits, then add desired amount of coconut, almonds and flaxseed; add reserved orange peel.
6. Toss salad. Serve topped with sliced banana.

Note: You can add any fruits you want. Other fruits I’ve added were fresh kiwi, pineapple, peaches and blueberries. The sky’s the limit with this salad!

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And for lunch, or a side with dinner, this salad is my favorite. It’s simple, as there are only four ingredients. The fresher the ingredients the better, and you should always have them at room temperature when you make and serve the salad (though you should refrigerate any leftovers to keep them from spoiling). There are no exact measurements in this recipe, so you can go heavy on the tomatoes, heavy on the cheese, or equal in both. It’s all up to you. Personally, I go heavy on the tomatoes and use about a pound of cheese.

ENSALATA CAPRESE

Ensalata Caprese

1. Chop tomatoes.
2. Cut mozzarella into bite-sized cubes.
3. Mix all ingredients in desired amounts (don’t go crazy with the oil, as it might add inches to your hips and butt!).
4. Serve immediately.

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Tomato-Avo Salad by Catherine Greti

My husband and I eat this several times a week. These ingredients are packed with nutrients. One of the highlights is that there is alchemy with tomatoes and avocado not only in taste, but also with regard to the delivery of nutrients to the body. According to a study from Ohio State University: “When tomatoes are eaten along with healthier fats, like avocado or olive oil, the body’s absorption of the carotenoid phytochemicals in tomatoes can increase by two to 15 times.”

Tomato-Avo Salad

1 ripe tomato – sliced
1 spring onion – chopped
½ avocado – sliced or diced
1 garlic piece – chopped small (optional)
Fresh or dried dill weed or basil chopped tiny
Sea salt & pepper (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic or apple cider vinegar

Layer a dish with the tomatoes and sprinkle with sea salt (and pepper). Toss onion pieces all over the tomatoes (and garlic). Layer the top with sliced avocados and sprinkle with dill or basil. Pour olive oil trails back and forth over the mix, then sprinkle with balsamic or apple cider vinegar to taste.

Optional ingredients to add: olives, toasted sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, blueberries, raspberries or Parmesan cheese.

Doesn’t get much better than that. It tastes so good and it’s so good for you!

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Lois Eighmy

LOIS EIGHMY is a stay-at-home wife, artist, crafter, and blogger. Her art cards can be ordered as personalized greeting cards. She also writes screenplays, short stories and novels and hopes to one day have them produced/published. Lois lives in Arkansas with her husband, Jeff, her white calico cat, Chloe, and her brindle mutt girlie girl, Nikita. She dreams of moving back to Maine, the land of her childhood.

Catherine Greti