Fresh, hearty salads add gusto to springtime
Print Edition
PACKED in lunchboxes or layered in a huge bowl, salads make easy, delicious and quick lunches that can be different every day.
But a simple bowl of romaine lettuce, spinach leaves and arugula, topped with a few slices of beef or chicken, may not exactly provide you with that boost of energy you need to get through an afternoon of work.
To stave off later-afternoon hunger, staple salads are the answer. From pasta variations to roasted sweet potatoes paired with feta, these salads are a full meal in themselves and provide ample nutrition.
Salads made with pasta or rice do contain carbohydrates, but carbs are a necessary energy food and won’t ruin your waistline if eaten in moderation. Combined with vegetables and a light dressing, these salads can also be refreshing on a warm day.
Pasta salad, or pasta fredda in Italian, uses chilled pasta in all shapes and flavors. It’s a salad that is summery, colorful and easy to make, topped with a dressing of your choice.
In China, colds noodles are a traditional summer fare. These dishes are similar to pasta salads, but generally emphasize the noodles more. Bean sprouts, thinly shredded cucumber or other vegetables complement the noodles, along with a sauce or dressing.
Fusion-style Asian noodle salads are more colorful, adding tomatoes, green peppers, shredded cabbage and, well, almost anything you can find in the fridge. The dressing can be a rich blend of olive oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sugar, vinegar and cilantro.
Japanese soba noodles also make popular salads, as evidenced by Starbucks’ smoked chicken and soba noodle salad. It’s very easy to make at home as well.
If you don’t have any fresh noodles on hand, ramen is a good substitute — delicious when mixed with cabbage, mushrooms, scallions and nuts.
Rice salads use either white or brown rice, cooked beforehand and then tossed with beans, vegetables, fruit and your favorite dressing. They are a light, refreshing counterpart to greasy fried rice.
Quinoa is the king of the grains. It is gluten-free, rich in protein and has an enjoyable texture. Quinoa works with almost any vegetable, fruit or meat, especially kale, chicken and cherry tomatoes. You can also add fruits like mango, dried cranberries, pomegranate and strawberries to enhance the flavor. For a more Asian variation, quinoa can be tossed with sautéed spinach and mushroom to make a perfect spring salad.
Pumpkin, or squash, is also a good salad base. Autumn menus in popular restaurants often feature pumpkin and chestnuts in a warm salad. The pumpkin is a hearty and healthy vegetable. Roasted pumpkin squares are semi-sweet, softer and drier, which makes them easy to pack in lunchboxes.
Pumpkin pairs beautifully with spinach, Brussels sprouts, apple, feta, couscous and many other healthy ingredients. And roasted pumpkin seeds added to a salad add a nice crunch.
For variation, roasted sweet potatoes can be substituted for pumpkin.
Potato salad is a classic, with a great array of recipes. Classic Shanghai potato salad uses boiled potatoes, red Chinese sausage from Shanlin, sweet peas and freshly made mayonnaise whisked from scratch. Some families add fresh pears for a sweeter taste.
Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans as they are sometimes called, also make good summer salads. They are rich in nutrients, providing protein, dietary fiber and minerals. Toss the cooked chickpeas with avocado, kale, tomato, cucumber and balsamic vinegar, and you have a simple vegetarian, gluten-free salad that is a meal in itself.
Lentils are common in Mediterranean-style salads and work with all sorts of ingredients and seasonings. Black or white beans are equally splendid when cooked and used in salads.
The Tuscany region of Italy boasts a salad called panzanella, which is made with leftover bread.
Unlike salads featuring crunchy croutons, the bread in panzanella soaks up the vinaigrette and is tossed with tomatoes, onions and basil leaves.
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