Posts Tagged with 'salad'

Summer Salads

May 23rd, 2010

This paper has been published by the Journal Consomer Eroski, Eroski Foundation, which was performed the next copy.

Essential for a balanced diet

The Mediterranean diet based on vegetable consumption helps to reduce the risk of diseases maximum impact in developed countries such as cardiovascular disease, degenerative diseases and cancer. However, although our country has a privileged productive potential and much to current knowledge demonstrates the beneficial role of diet in health, there is evidence that we do not consume even half of the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables , a minimum of 400 grams per day, or whatever it is, three to five servings a day. To meet these recommendations salads can help, especially in summer.


They are very easy to prepare, and its high water content and other essential nutrients for our body, they quench our hunger and thirst in an appetizing and help keep the skin well nourished and hydrated.

Ten reasons to include salads on the menu every day

  • Hydrate and refresh. Over 90% of the composition of vegetables, salads base is water. Eating salad is a quick and easy way to hydrate the body on hot days.
  • Dan vitality. Vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins that regulate many body processes, such as the functioning of the nervous system.
  • Purify the body. Action purifying, detoxifying and diuretic salads due to the high water content, the richness in potassium, low sodium intake of vegetables that compose them, and to the presence of essential oils dilate renal vessels. So eating salads every day helps to remove excess fluid and is beneficial in case of hypertension, fluid retention and oliguria (low urine output). To increase urine output are eliminated as well as liquid waste substances in solution and uric acid, urea, etc., And therefore agree salads case of hyperuricemia and gout, diseases or various articular rheumatism and individuals with a tendency to form kidney stones. More diuretics vegetables: celery, asparagus, escarole, endive, onion ...
  • They protect the skin. Rays are the main aggressors to skin and a cause of aging and the development of melanomas. Through various salads we provide the basic nutrients to keep skin in perfect condition. The brightly colored vegetables (carrots, beets, peppers, tomatoes, red cabbage, red lollo lettuce ...) provide beta-carotene which is converted into vitamin A, which renews the skin and mucous membranes and vitamin C, which improves collagen production , a protein that keeps skin smooth and unwrinkled. They are accompanied by avocado or nuts and seasoned with olive oil and wheat germ, salad enriched in unsaturated fatty acids, essential to maintain a structured and hydrated skin, and vitamin E, which prevents staining aging.
  • Regulate bowel function. Because of the richness in fiber from vegetables, a salad is laxative, which prevent or improve constipation. In addition, fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol and the good control of blood glucose (blood sugar levels), beneficial in cases of high cholesterol and diabetes.
  • They provide few calories. Very suitable for everyone, and especially for those on a diet, yes, without misusing the dressings. Also, start the meal with a salad, and reduces appetite sated, we are interested in these circumstances.
  • Caring heart. The abundance of antioxidants (carotenoids, beta-carotene, alpha-lipoic acid, lycopene, vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids, selenium ...) in the plant makes the salad on plates allies of the heart. Antioxidants block the damaging effects of free radicals, substances involved in the development of cardiovascular diseases, degenerative diseases and cancer.
  • Improve digestion. The slight bitterness of vegetables such as endive, celery, lamb's lettuce, chicory, artichoke, endive and radish stimulates the functioning of the gallbladder and liver. In addition, sprouts (soybean, alfalfa, watercress, radish) and fermented (sauerkraut) enriched diet on enzymes, all of which is essential in the digestion of food. Therefore, including these vegetables in the salad, appetizer and toning results, and are advised particularly those with dyspepsia, sluggish liver and gallbladder disorders.
  • Prevent anemia. A lack of iron or folic acid is associated with different types of anemia. The greens-chard, spinach, turnip greens, watercress and endive, are especially rich in chlorophyll (with proven effects haematinics), folate and iron, so include them in salads interested in anemia. To make better use of plant iron (heme iron) is recommended to accompany the menu with foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus, kiwi, tropical fruits, tomatoes, peppers, etc.. Furthermore, because it contains folate, salads are essential in the diet of pregnant women to prevent serious disorders in the baby.
  • They are tasty and nutritious. Different lettuce leaves, escarole, endive, spinach, lamb's lettuce, onion, cucumber, garlic, carrots, beets, tomatoes, asparagus, celery, peppers, sprouts ... The more variety of fruits and vegetables include greater wealth salad nutritious and this means greater vitality and energy. Complementing the dressing, brewer's yeast, sesame seeds, wheat germ or other diet products, plus vitamins and minerals enrich the dishes, provide pleasant flavors.

Some suggestions

Green salad. Quick to prepare, highly nutritious and perfect for the more traditional. You can mix different oils (olive, sunflower, soy ...), different vinegars (apple, sherry, dill ...), herbs (chives, parsley, garlic, oregano, basil ...) and nuts.

Mixed salad. Miscellaneous vegetable flavors by mixing ingredients of animal origin (meat, fish, eggs, cheese, yogurt ...). This dish is very nutritious, rich in protein and well combined, can become an example of a light dinner, but very healthy.

Salad energy. Combine vegetables with rice, pasta, potato or vegetable is the ideal way to turn a light salad, a plate energy, as well as nutritious. Raw, cut in julienne or chopped, sautéed and mixed with care, give a different touch to the dish juicy and flavor.

Fruit salad. Combine vegetables and slightly bitter flavors of some vegetables, with a touch sweet and sour fruit, is a delight for the senses.

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Less calories - I part

December 1st, 2009

This paper has been published by the Journal Consomer Eroski, Eroski Foundation, which was performed the next copy.

Objective: less calories and better digestion

Replace the pan from the oven, use the microwave for cooking and salads simpler saves a lot of calories in each meal

End holidays, are the dark and memories. But many of us are also a few extra pounds gained on the basis of unconcern, leisure and happiness, and a whiny stomach that demands attention: the last few weeks we have done work not only more than usual, but is desirable. So you have to follow a series of measures, simple, realistic and feasible, to meet without delay to these two fronts. That is, lose those extra kilos on vacation we idly incorporated into our body and make the stomach and digestion back to where they used to. It is best to feed, in a more healthy. But eating a little less, or at least, in a more orderly and conscious. But how? Learning to make dishes with fewer calories, without giving up the taste of food or the variety in the menus.

Healthy Eating

menoscalorias
- Picture: JaulaDeArdilla -

Eating healthy is not to eat in a monotone or unattractive, or, still less equivalent to confine light to eat. Is to adapt traditional recipes and cooking procedures or habitual, from stews, salads, mashed potatoes, and meat, to fish and desserts, to make them more digestible and less caloric. It is not easy: it requires some effort and dedication, and even, in some cases requires changing some eating habits. But it can be done, the food will remain tasty and appetizing and the reward is worth it: lose some weight and digestion will be less cumbersome.

The three factors that will be articulated to move into our daily lives this new strategy are the type of food, cooking technique chosen and the condiments that are served as side dish or garnish. They, the three leaders of the recipes to lose their initial character and become healthy dishes with disproportionate amounts of calories, fat, saturated fat, salt or sugar. The measures presented below allow in many cases eliminate a hundred or more calories per serving, which is said it all.

Farewell to the chips, baked greetings

The furnace allows a finish similar to the pan without the calories provided by food frying

Healthy cooking through the care in selecting food and take advantage of seasonal vegetables, fruits and fish of the season, and not just because they are generally the cheapest, but because they are more flavorful. But it also requires some skill gastronomy: the desire to develop recipes lighter and less energy should not lead to abuse of the plate and boiled. There are many practices that require little cooking fat or sauces with which to develop strong and light meals, delicious and exquisite in their presentation. The oven, without going any further, get a finish similar to the pan but avoid frying calories in food.

The traditional technique of breading on meat or fish floured, so ingrained in our kitchen, substantially increases the energy contribution of the plate. With the oven to get a prescription less caloric and equally crisp, if the meat or fish are covered with bread crumbs or paint with beaten egg. This trick is also used to prevent browning cheese, too much fat and calories. An original dish to take advantage baked pumpkin, onion, tomato and mushrooms oven roasted and dressed with a sauce of cheese, half a teaspoon of olive oil and mustard provides 255 calories per serving, one hundred less than if these foods will be skipped in the pan.

Microwave and papillote, flavor with little added fat

Both are healthy cooking techniques, and appropriate for cooking meat cut into strips or small pieces of fish, fleshy vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, squash, mushrooms or mushrooms, in addition, can also be done in the microwave and en papillote ( wrap food in foil and bake), potatoes or other tubers such as cassava or sweet potatoes. Although the most used function of the microwave is to heat or defrost food and cooked dishes, the waves emitted by the appliance act on water molecules in the food instantly generate heat that spreads by conduction and finishes cooking. The nutritional value of food cooked in microwave is intact and able to avoid (or reduce) fat than other techniques require.

Like the microwave, the wrapper requires little preparation and little cooking time. This mode requires that the food is wrapped in parchment paper, aluminum or brown and cooked in the oven at medium temperature. The food is cooked with steam off and with its own juices, retaining all its flavor, aroma and nutrients without adding fat only. It is a type of cooking very suitable for those on low calorie diets, low in calories. The foods most appropriate to take papillote is pronounced flavored vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower, and fish such as salmon, filet of sole, hake clean bones and skin, trout and even seafood such as mussels, and white meats, such as chicken and turkey.

SALADS: ALWAYS HEALTHY BUT WITH SHADES

The salad is a dish essential in any diet and also in any weight loss plan. They are almost always healthy, they are more virtues than their defects, although care must be taken certain components that make them undesirable in certain circumstances. The first is to prevent them from becoming too fat standard salads and calories, because the dish loses its reason to be, unless it becomes a single dish. Olives, raisins, egg, cheese, bacon, ham, mayonnaise, avocado and other ingredients high in calories, and must be taken into account. On the other hand, too frequent consumption of salads may decompensate by excess intake of dietary fiber.

The positive effect of the fiber for its role as regulator of intestinal transit and to help eliminate toxins and impurities, can become a problem if abused its intake. The uncomfortable gas and bloating, sometimes accompanied by pain, show that the metabolism is unable to process much fiber intake. You can offset the high fiber intake when combined salads with less fiber foods such as potatoes, pasta, rice or couscous. The plate is full and still find it filling. Customers often feel bloated stomach after eating can try to do without lettuce and other leafy vegetables in the salad, especially at dinner. Its high content of insoluble fiber is what causes bloating.

Check to see if it affects you, and if so, remove the lettuce for two weeks: you will notice a flatter stomach. Use other vegetables for salads: carrot, sprouts, corn, beets, radishes. Green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and spinach, add phylloquinone, the main source of vitamin K, which are directly involved in the clotting of blood, but who take drugs to regulate blood clotting, known as the Sintron should control the consumption of these leafy greens.

Source: www.consumer.es

Salad dressing

November 30th, 2009

This paper has been published by the Journal Consomer Eroski, Eroski Foundation, of which was performed the next copy.

Salad dressings, more than oil, vinegar and salt

This creamy liquid preparation or flavor enhances and gives all kinds of salads or raw vegetables and cooked

vinagreta1

- Picture: mdepablo1975 -

The vinaigrette dressing is the most basic. This sauce, easy to prepare, requiring only follow a simple rule. You have to respect the proportion of oil, vinegar and salt, the standard measure is set to three parts oil to one part vinegar and a pinch of salt. This ratio varies when using balsamic vinegar or sherry, as they have a stronger flavor and are added in smaller amounts. For use with comfort in vegetables and salads should emulsionarlos before.

Imagination

If you want to innovate dressings, you can use different mixes. You can add to the vinaigrette a bit of cream, so it is with a different color and texture. This process is called "cut" the vinaigrette. You can also add a spoonful of yogurt or substitute vinegar for lemon juice when preparing the sauce.

The fruit jam and honey get a touch more fruity dressing

One of the most common dressing is to add the vinegar and oil a pinch of pepper, one tablespoon of mustard and a little sugar. This mixture is stirred until creamy smooth.

The fruit jam and honey give it a more fruity and smooth the dressing, especially with some fruit salad. It corresponds to jam with it.

It is also very common to add herbs, fresh or dried as chives or parsley, plus some fresh vegetables such as peppers, onions or tomatoes. You can even add pickles and pickled gherkins or onions, olives or capers. If these ingredients are used, the proportion of vinegar should be lower because the flavor of pickles power the taste of the sauce.

How is served

Where weak salads like lettuce leaves, watercress, "lolo rosso" (lettuce greens, reddish, bitter taste) and chicory are clean, cut and ready to serve, it's time to dress. The other greens, like escarole, endive, spinach, cabbage, cabbage or carrots, you can dress in advance, but lose smoothness.

The dressing, which is generally liquid, sometimes becomes a creamy sauce to accompany potato salads or cucumber. Is achieved by mixing the dressing with a mayonnaise or plain yogurt until the cream is lightened. This special flavor is suitable for vegetable salads with ingredients or protein foods such as ham, seafood or eggs.

www.consumer.es