Accidental salads are the best. No pre-planing required. They just happen. You start by opening your refrigerator and cupboards and taking out everything you could envision in a salad.
Then wash, cut and chop. And arrange everything "beautifully" in a bowl . Dress it with whatever you have, from store bought salad dressing, homemade dressing or simply add salt, olive oil and vinegar. And enjoy a delicious healthy meal!
Accidental salads do not need to be complicated. Check out the example below. Just 4 ingredients: baby greens, apples, black olives and sliced almonds.
If it's true that an apple a day keeps the doctor away (actually nowadays we should add "organic" before apple), then it's also true that a salad a day keeps the doctor away. Isn't that obvious?
So go ahead and make yourself an accidental salad.
But remember it all starts with your trip to the market ...
Now listen carefully my darling daughter, beloved son and everyone else! When you enter a supermarket do not go first to the produce section because after putting the 'healthy stuff' in your cart, you will feel good about your choices and will tend to get more junk food after that. Have you noticed that produce is always at the main entrance of the supermarkets? And how about the amount of little bits of junk food right at the cash register? One more for you: milk, which is something almost everyone buys, is at the 'end/back' so you need to walk through all those aisles with tempting junk food to get there. I could go on and on with supermarket psychology.
Conclusion: go first to all the other aisles and last to the produce. The psychological effect will be reversed and you will be victorious over the crazy food industry!!! Yeahhhh!
NOW GET INSPIRED!
Here are things you can buy on your next trip to the market for a salad (accidental or not):
If possible buy ORGANIC.
GREENS:
Romaine lettuce
Baby greens
Spinach
Arugula
Basil
Iceberg lettuce, etc.
Carrot
Baby carrot
Cucumber
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Celery
Radish
Bell Pepper - green, red, yellow and orange
Tomato (I know, but I like it with the veggies)
Red Onion (chopped)
Green onion
Mushroom, etc.
CANNED/PRESERVED STUFF
Peas
Corn
Olives
Pickles
Artichoke hearts
Red kidney beans
Asparagus
Mushrooms, etc.
NUTS/SEEDS
Walnuts
Almonds
Sunflower seeds
Pine nuts
Poppy seeds
Peanuts, etc.
CHEESE
Goat cheese
Ricotta cheese
Blue cheese
Feta cheese, etc.
FRESH FRUIT
Pear
Avocado
Peach
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Pineapple
Grapes
Strawberries
Blueberries
all sorts of berries, etc.
DRIED FRUITS
Raisins
Cranberries
Apricots
Prunes, etc.
PROTEIN
Tuna and relatives
Smoked Salmon
Sardines
Cooked Chicken, etc.
and also remember you can add coked potatoes, beets, green beans, etc.
You can choose to support your local community by buying locally grown produce.
Well I have to admit that here in Portland this is quite easy : )
