Raw and Fresh

Ditch the crockpot, forget the oven and cover the stovetop with butcher block. Hit up your local produce section, get all your veggies out of the fridge or straight from the garden and get to chopping.

This season, raw and fresh is in.

Deanna Howard, dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor and owner of Emerald Coast Diabetes and Nutrition Center, encourages a full-spectrum approach. She said to consider how a meal can be enhanced when preparing it; ask yourself what you can add to the dish to make it more well-rounded.

“Think about color,” Howard said. “How can you add more color into things?”

To those of us who shy away from veggies we’ve long written off as a textural ick or just not for us, Howard says every vegetable deserves a second chance.

“As kids, we have a lot more taste buds,” she explained. “Vegetables are something that taste very bitter to kids. So a lot of times, people are basing that taste on something they’ve had as a kid but have not tried again.”

We often overlook things outside of our usual comfort zone. Howard suggests spending time in the produce section to really look at what’s available. And don’t be intimidated by exorbitant organic prices — Howard confirmed that conventional produce offers the same nutritional value. Instead, she said to focus on what’s in season. Your produce will be fresher, last longer and cost less.

For salads, select a mix of lettuces and greens to optimize nutrition. Every lettuce has its place on the plate and its benefits, too. Iceberg gets a bad rap as a worthless vegetable, but Howard disagrees. Offering vitamins A, K and others, iceberg lettuce can add value and crunch to your cobb salad, burger or taco. It’s also cost-efficient.

For optimum flavor and nutrition, salads should include a variety of vegetables, protein, fats and carbs. Achieve the spectrum with your favorite greens, beans, grains, cheeses and meats. Photo by iStock / Getty Images Plus: YelenaYemchuk

Kale — once known only as an aesthetic garnish but popularized in recent years — is a great cruciferous green to boost your salad. Shredded or shaved Brussels sprouts add a satisfying crunch and unique twist to your lettuce base.

Carbs, protein and fats — such as cheese, boiled eggs, beans, chickpeas, nuts, seeds, rice, quinoa, meat and tofu — make worthwhile salad additions and offer daily essentials your body craves.

“A well-rounded salad would take all of those things into consideration,” Howard said. So, don’t shy away from your favorite toppings. Tomato, cucumber and onion are all classic salad toppings, but chopped broccoli, shredded carrots and alfalfa sprouts are deliciously salad-worthy, too.

Fruits can also make a name for themselves in the salad game. But be mindful to complement the fruit choice with your salad toppings. For example, some cheeses pair better with certain fruits than others. Try strawberries or watermelon with feta or mozzarella, blueberries with goat cheese, and pomegranate arils with grated Parmesan or manchego cheese. Chopped pecans or walnuts work well on salads topped with fruit and cheese pairings.

For a last-minute healthy throw-together, try crudités. You can use whatever you’ve got in the fridge — carrots, celery, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, mini sweet peppers — and pair it with dressing or hummus for dipping. Enhance your hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of spices. Everything bagel seasoning is a hummus game-changer. Add in fruits, nuts and cheeses to your preference.

If you love the dip-and-bite style lunch and have a little more prep time to spare, try your hand at a batch of summer rolls packed with fresh raw veggies and wrapped in rice paper. A peanut-ginger dipping sauce takes this simple meal over the top.

At the end of the day, Howard recommends eating what and when you’re craving.

“I don’t think that it’s necessary to calculate, track or worry about that stuff so much as to listen to your body,” explained Howard.

Food cravings can be an indicator that your body requires certain nutrients. But you should consider the energy the craving will supply if you eat it — will you feel sluggish or energized? If you know that type of food makes you feel poorly after eating, choose an alternative that will be more fulfilling overall. 

A Trick for Kale

Not a fan of kale’s sometimes bitter taste and rough texture? Try this method before your next kale salad. Wash with water thoroughly, then pat dry. Remove the leaves and discard the stems. Slice into shreds or, with your hands, tear into small bits. In a bowl, separate from any other ingredients, drizzle with olive oil and massage with your hands until all leaves are coated and slightly softened. Add to your favorite salad, serve and enjoy!

Photo by Cocobols on Unsplash.com

Fresh Summer Rolls

Ingredients

FOR ROLLS:

» 8 rice paper sheets

» 1 medium to large carrot, julienned

» ½ cucumber, halved and julienned or thinly sliced

» 1 cup shredded spring mix or ½ cup purple cabbage

» ½ cup rice vermicelli noodles, cut into shortened lengths

» ½ cup diced protein of choice, e.g. tofu or cooked shrimp (optional)

» Sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning (optional)

FOR SAUCE:

» ½ cup peanut butter

» ¼ cup water

» ½ lemon, juiced

» 1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce

» ½ tablespoon ginger, minced

» 1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions

Cut and prepare all roll ingredients. Add warm water to a large bowl or a deep plate. As you go, dip each wrapper in the water, removing quickly and setting aside on a dry plate or tray to soften. Do not leave wrappers in the water dish. Once softened, add a bit of each ingredient to fill the center space of your wrapper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning. Be careful not to overfill, as wrapping will be more difficult and susceptible to tearing. Fold the sides in, then fold the bottom and roll upward.

Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk together. For a smoother consistency, mix in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a small bowl for dipping.

Serve and enjoy! For leftovers, place a small piece of parchment paper between each roll and store in the refrigerator for up to three days.