Recipes
Mixed
Greens With Blueberries & Feta
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The
Herbs Of Summer
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Now that we are
enjoying the tulips in some places and dogwood blossoms in other parts of the country, it
feels like time to start enjoying just-picked spring vegetables, too. But unless you live
where it is warm most of the year, April is still a time when most of us rely on an
abundance of fresh produce from Florida and California.
Making the best of this, you can do very nicely by
perking up green salads by adding fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or mint (available at
the market) to your dressing, leafy greens, or both. In spring, I especially
like using mint. It refreshes the flavor of romaine and other greens, and makes
commercially-grown baby spinach positively sprightly.
The concentrated aroma and flavor of herbs signals
that they are packed with nutrients. Mint is particularly rich in vitamin C,
carotenoids and antioxidant compounds, especially terpenes, which laboratory studies have
shown to protect against some cancers. It also contains substances that help the body
fight inflammation and can aid in easing nasal congestion, just the thing if you suffer
from spring allergies.
The mint you buy will probably be spearmint, though you might
find peppermint. Spearmint has slightly rounded, crinkly, bright green leaves and a mild,
refreshing flavor. Peppermint’s pointed leaves have a purplish cast. Its flavor is
cool and intense.
The recipe for the following salad appears in The New
American Plate Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy Weight and a Healthy Life.
The dressing includes a touch of mint, plus fresh berries, but you can also add a bit more
mint to the salad itself. I like to snip four or five additional mint leaves into thin
strips and toss them with a combination of baby spinach, romaine and red leaf lettuce.
Fresh berries on top of the greens gives the salad a vernal look while enhancing its
nutritional value. If there are no blueberries around, strawberries can take their place
in both the dressing and on the salad.
AICR
MIXED GREENS WITH BLUEBERRIES &
FETA
A simply prepared entrée of chicken or fish will best accompany this cmplex,
flavorful salad. Recipe from The New American Plate Cookbook, ©2005 by
the American Institute For Cancer Research.
2 Tbsp raspberry-flavored (or blueberry-flavored) vinegar
1/4 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
2 small fresh mint leaves
1 cup plus 10 fresh blueberries
8 cups mixed salad greens, torn into bite-sized pieces.
2 ounces crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
In a blender, place vinegar, broth, oil, honey, mint and 10
blueberries. Blend at low speed just until smooth and well-combined. Transfer the dressing
to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate until needed. (It will keep for up to 3
days.)
In a large bowl, toss greens with remaining blueberries. Shake
vinaigrette until well blended, drizzle over the salad, and toss lightly. Sprinkle the
cheese over the top and serve. Makes 8 Servings.
Per Serving: 64 Cal; 4 g Total Fat (1 g Sat Fat); 5 g Carb; 126 mg Sodium;
3 g Protein; 2 g Dietary Fiber. Exchanges: 1 Veg; 1 Fat.
Dana Jacobi is the author of The Joy of Soy, and recipe
creator for AICR's Something Different and Stopping
Cancer Before It Starts.
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