Simple Salad Supper
What if I told you doing one simple thing could increase your child’s fruit and vegetable intake by 38%?
I hope that got your attention because it surely got mine as I was reading it. This study applied to schools serving salad bars at lunch and I can’t help but believe that there would be an increase at home too.
Bring on the household salad bar.
With fresh and simple ingredients you can prepare a quick and easy meal that can please everyone. That’s why I love salad suppers one night a week in our house. Especially with summer baseball, swimming, and dancing to keep us all busy.
You can make simple salads for everyone in the family with two kitchen tools: a sharp knife and a can opener.
What requires a sharp knife? Strawberries, kiwis, peaches, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, apples, pears, peppers, cheese, melon, hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken breast
What requires a can opener? Mandarin oranges, chickpeas, black beans, chicken breast, salmon (open, drain and store in the frig)
What requires nothing but your hands? Spinach, lettuce, nuts, dried fruit, thawed frozen peas, whole grain crackers
Just store those perishable items, pre-cut will get you to eat it, in containers in the refrigerator. And on those busy nights you just have to pull everything out to the counter and mix and match.
This salad ranks in the top 5 favorite salads in our house (it’s hard to really pick a number one when they are all so good!)
Simple Salad Supper
Serves 4
Ingredients:
6 oz spinach (about 6 cups)
2 cups sliced strawberries
4 ounces diced Havarti cheese
4 chicken breasts, grilled
4 tablespoons poppyseed dressing (my fav – T. Marzetti brand with natural ingredients I can pronounce)
Preparation:
1. Divide the spinach among four plates. Layer strawberries and diced cheese.
2. After chicken has been grilled, let stand 5 minutes to let juices redistribute. Slice on the bias and place on salad.
3. Drizzle with poppyseed dressing.
Serve with grilled asiago bread slices drizzled with olive oil. Yum.
What other ingredients would you include in your household salad bar?