Animal Writings

This will be a multi-parter. One common theme: Go for variety.

For starters, let's go back to salads. Salads as well as soups are great ways to start a meal, because you can partially fill up on really healthy stuff. I'm somewhat partial to salads as a starter because they usually require no cooking; also, I like the contrast between something cold and something hot (e.g., the main dish).

Salads
• For lettuce, go beyond romaine. Go far beyond iceberg. Red and green leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, and Boston lettuce are common in grocery stores. It's very handy to buy the pre-washed blends of lettuce; I do it all the time; it's a nice way to get some variety without having to buy way more lettuce than I could ever use up (and I live with a bunny!). But it's ok to go the old-fashioned route, too, and buy a head of lettuce.


• Go beyond lettuce. Try watercress, radicchio, escarole, chicory, arugula, and endive. Cruise the produce aisles, see what looks good. Ask someone. If they're not busy, produce managers are usually more than happy to answer questions about produce. By the way, radicchio seems to stay fresh for a surprisingly long time. Of course, spinach works great in salads. (If you buy a bag of pre-washed spinach leaves, whatever you don't use for salads you can cook with my foolproof method, to be presented later.)


• It's amazing what you can put in a salad—successfully: Steamed green beans, raw or steamed broccoli, radishes (regular red as well as Asian varieties like daikon), bell peppers, banana peppers (what a great flavor), artichoke hearts, sweet onions, avocados, even a bit of fresh parsley, cilantro, or dill. Olives add interest to a salad. You can use black olives or get fancy with green olives stuffed with garlic or jalapeño. A sprinkle of sunflower seeds is an easy way to add some crunch and "good fats" to your salad.


• A stupendous resource: Asian grocery stores sell many kinds of greens and vegetables you may never see elsewhere. Try as many as you can. My experience has been overwhelmingly positive. If you're not sure what to buy, there's no harm in asking: "I'm trying to put together a delicious green salad. What do your recommend?" Or "What does this taste like? How should it be cooked, or is it better fresh? Is it possible to sample a small piece?" Other ethnic stores have their own unique selections of greens and vegetables—check them out, too.


• I suspect most of you usually use bottled dressings, but it takes very little time or effort to make your own salad dressing. It's a nice change of pace once in a while. You'll get different flavors and a fresher taste. You'll also usually get higher quality: less sweeteners and better oils. Many dressing recipes have five ingredients or less. Basically you pour everything into a small bowl and stir. Google "recipe salad dressing olive oil" and you'll get back a dazzling array of dressing recipes: Italian, French, thousand island, sesame-ginger, ones made especially for spinach salads, and more; most take 5 minutes or less.
  
• While you're at the Asian grocery store, or if you're at a restaurant that serves Japanese food, try a seaweed salad. It's a bit of a different taste if you've never had it, but in my experience at least half of the first-timers like it. There are innumerable variations of seaweed salad, so if you're on the fence after tasting one, try another version next time you get the chance. I'm partial to ones that have a ginger dressing.

Sandwiches
• Lots of veggies work well in sandwiches: Onions of any kind, roasted bell peppers (you can buy these in jars and sometimes at "olive bars" in stores that have them), avocados, greens beside lettuce (including spinach, arugula, and watercress), and sun-dried tomatoes. Use your imagination; keep it interesting.

Farmers markets are possibly even more relevant and rewarding for salads and sandwiches than they are for fruit. For instance, you'll see ultra-fresh varieties of local lettuces there that you don't see in stores.

Appetizers and Snacks
• Sushi is popular these days. Try vegetarian sushi. Fillings include avocado, asparagus, and cucumber. It's delicious. Try "dragon rolls" and other variations.


• Veggies and hummus make a high-protein, filling snack. Good vegetables for dipping include carrots, celery, and bell peppers.


• Buy the veggie tray at your supermarket and have it with non-dairy creamy dressings by Nasoya. Way healthier-than-usual finger food for company or watching football games. No double-dipping!


• There are lots more veggie appetizers and snacks. These are just a few of the easiest and most widely available.

Frozen Vegetables
If you're in the demographic I'm targeting, then your ratio of cooked frozen vegetables to cooked fresh vegetables is at least ten to one and maybe a hundred to one. I understand; I use frozen vegetables all the time, also. They're extremely handy, and since they're frozen and packaged soon after being harvested, they maintain their nutritional value.

• Go for variety. Break out of your frozen vegetable rut. Check out the frozen vegetable section at your grocery store and you're likely to find turnip greens, squash, snow peas, and maybe sweet potatoes—not just the usual green beans, broccoli, carrots, and about five others. Frozen vegetable blends may add in bell peppers, bamboo shoots, zucchini, and other vegetables. Go to different stores if need be, to maximize your variety.


• I'll get into some preparations for specific vegetables in a bit, but in general, you can't go wrong seasoning frozen vegetables with onion and/or garlic powder. Black or white pepper usually enhances flavor. Lemon juice often helps, also. Try two or three off-the-shelf spice blends as well. As an alternative to nuking, consider stir-frying the vegetables in a little oil and adding some soy sauce, garlic powder, and a teeny bit of red pepper.


• You'd be amazed what you can add to pasta sauce. If you have any frozen broccoli, throw that in. Frozen carrots or spinach would work, too. (Grated fresh carrot is also a nice addition.)


• Invest in a pepper grinder. It doesn't have to be fancy. Freshly cracked peppercorns produce a brighter, sharper, more aromatic flavor than you'll get with already-ground pepper.

To be continued...

Labels: salads, sandwiches, vegetables