How To Select The Right Salad Ingredients
For a person to be able to make the perfect salad it is important that they know as much as possible about the kinds of ingredients that can be used in them. Often a salad will combine a number of different foods all of which provide a certain taste or texture to the recipe but which also complement each other. In this article we take a look at some of the kinds of salad ingredients that you may want to consider using and which are used the world over.
1. Lettuce & Green Leaved Plants - Often the most common variety of lettuce that people use to make a salad quickly is the iceberg variety. But there are plenty of others you may want to try which will add a completely different taste and texture to your salad. For instance why not try a butterhead lettuce which is very tender tasting one or the cos lettuce whose leaves are much coarser in texture.
If however, you are completely fed up of using lettuce in your salads why not try something completely different instead. You could try something like Arugula, which originates from Italy and has a tangy, but mildly peppery taste. Alternatively, for something a little more exotic and to provide a more eastern feel to the salad include some Bok Choy, which has a slightly bitter taste to it.
2. Vegetables & Fruit - Although many people prefer to stick with the more favored vegetables and fruits in their salads such as tomatoes or cucumber. There are plenty of other alternatives that they could try instead. Apples are an ideal accompaniment to any salad as they not only add sweetness but crunch as well. But for those who are considering using a plant such as Bok Choy in their salads to make something a little more unusual they could try combining it with bean sprouts, spring onions and cucumber. Then mix up a vinaigrette of sesame seed oil and soy sauce to drizzle over the top.
Other fruits and vegetables that you may want to include in your salad in place of tomatoes, cucumber and green onions are broccoli, beans (red, black, green or kidney ones) and carrots. Also, you can further add more flavor to your salads through the use of herbs and spices including not just garlic, but basil, rosemary and cilantro.
3. Fish and Meat - Although a lot of people feel that a salad should purely consist of vegetables and fruit many people incorporate meat or fish to provide them with a complete meal. Some of the most famous salads people now eat such as Caesar's incorporate healthy amounts of lean meat or fish into them. But if you choose to use such foods in your salad do not use too much.
But if you are someone who does not like to eat meat or fish but is not a vegan then you can replace this with cheese instead in order to provide you with the protein your body needs. Plus a great way of adding additional texture to a salad where you are just using salad ingredients or cheese is to add some croutons or nuts to it. Both will add an additional crunchy texture to the meal and provide essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins that your body needs. The best types of nuts to use in a salad are walnuts, peanuts and almonds.
But when it comes to you finding the right kinds of salad ingredients for your salad recipes it is important that you use the freshest ones possible. When shopping for your ingredients avoid those which are marked or bruised or those where the leaves have begun to wilt. Also before you begin preparing the salad make sure that each ingredient has been thoroughly washed to remove any unwanted toxins or chemicals from them. Even salad ingredients which have been packaged and are ready to use should be washed.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
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Here at SaladFacts.com provides information about salads and their nutritional values. If you would like to find out more about making great dressings for your salad ingredients click here.
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