Build a Better Salad this Summer with Natures Choice!
14 October 2016
The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer! That means salads are now something we can look forward to more often instead of warming hearty soups and stews. People often associate pulses and legumes with more winter style dishes but the truth is they work amazingly well as a base for summer salads too!
Its easy to get stuck in a rut and end up churning out the same salad again and again but it doesn’t have to be this way. A few hints and tips will get you exploring different foods and open a whole world or crispy, crunchy and nourishing alternatives. At Natures Choice we stock a wide range of wholegrains and legumes so you will never get tired of all the possible options you have!
Its important to make sure that the salad you put together will satisfy you as eating a salad that isn’t hearty enough will find you snacking throughout the afternoon. You can tilt that in the opposite direction as well: A terrific and healthy salad can suddenly become unhealthy if you put the wrong dressing over it, or opt for a lot of cheese in the mix.
Barley, Squash & Brocolli Salad
TIP 1: Make sure you roast/steam/stir-fry extra veggies for your evening meal and then store them in the fridge – that way you will have lots more interesting additions for your salad the next day.
TIP 2: Prepare one grain/seed (for example like Quinoa, Spelt, Barley, Brown Rice, Buckwheat) and one legume/pulse (Lentils, chickpeas, any kind of beans) over the weekend and store them cooked in the fridge. That way you always have a complete protein base for your salads.
Once you have made your salad you will need to dress it with something! And here you also have lots of different options that will give you different flavours. Olive oil has a grassy deep flavour, whilst coconut oil adds a tropical taste, and there are of course oils like Sesame oil, Avocado or Macadamia nut oil. Once you have your oil base you will need some kind of acidic component like our raw apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar. Try using different oils for different flavours. Adding a natural sweetener like honey will balance the dressing out and a touch of salt or even soya sauce will finish it up.
