Natural Awakenings is a free healthy living magazine published monthly in Volusia and Flagler Counties, Florida.

Salad Lovers’ SALADS
Signature Dishes from the
Garden or Farmers’ Market
By Rich Buffington

Going green—at least on our plates—has never been easier. Every season, it seems that more varieties of fresh greens are available at farmers’ markets and in selections of nursery plants or seeds for home gardeners. Not so long ago, Americans generally thought of salad as pale iceberg lettuce with high-fat bottled dressing or some mixture of veggies, bound together with mayonnaise. These days, we can choose from among a bounty of tender lettuces and exotic greens, topped with extra virgin olive oils and splashed with colorful creative counterpoints that add zest and yum.

Salads today provide a culinary canvas for both the cook and the gardener. A signature salad generally comprises several key ingredients: cool, crisp, fresh and nutritious greens; a fresh-tasting, low-calorie dressing; and bite-sized fruits, nuts, vegetables or cheeses that add flavor, texture and interest.

For the greens, tender leaf or Bibb lettuce, crisp Romaine or cabbage, sliced or finely chopped, make the best-tasting salads. For the best-tasting dressings, cooks whisk ingredients together in a bowl minutes before serving. We can drizzle them over each salad, serve them in a small pitcher on the side or place the salad in a large bowl, and then toss to incorporate the dressing. Added accents have expanded to include everything from soft fruits such as strawberries and oranges; savory and salty crumbled feta or blue cheeses; or something crunchy, like toasted almonds or walnuts, in addition to ubiquitous garden-fresh vegetables, such as scallions or tomatoes. Adding a healthy hot or cold protein makes a salad even more of a main course. Altogether, in ever-evolving combinations, today’s wide-ranging healthful ingredients can work edible magic.

Judith Fertig is a freelance writer in Overland Park, KS; see AlfrescoFoodAndLifestyle.blogspot.com.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm’s Slaw
When Minnesota’s Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm employees gather for a summer lunch, this crunchy cabbage-based slaw often graces their table.

Serves 6

Slaw
˝ lb Napa cabbage, cored
˝ lb green cabbage, cored
1 bunch red radishes (about 12 medium to large), trimmed
˝ lb broccoli, florets separated from stalks
˝ bunch green onions, pale and green parts, sliced Ľ-inch thick
˝ lb green beans, ends trimmed, sliced Ľ-inch thick

Dressing
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-˝ Tbsp cider vinegar or more to taste
1 Tbsp honey
Ľ tsp ground ginger
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Chop cabbages, radishes and broccoli florets into very small pieces. With a knife or vegetable peeler, pare the tough outer layer of the broccoli stalks to reveal the pale core. Chop the cores the same size as the other vegetables.

2. Put all the chopped vegetables in a large bowl and add the green onions and green beans. Toss to mix.

3. For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, ginger, and salt and pepper in a bowl, according to taste. Add the dressing to the slaw, using just enough to coat the vegetables nicely. Toss well. Let rest at room temperature for about an hour before serving, or cover and refrigerate. The slaw will remain crunchy for at least eight hours.

Source: Adapted from Eating Local: The Cookbook Inspired by America’s Farmers, by Sur La Table and Janet Fletcher (AndrewsMcMeel.com).