Creamy Lemon-Balsamic Vinaigrette: Salad should be its own food group

By Kay MacInnis

With summer quickly approaching and the temperature already pretty hot, it is time for SALADS!!!!

Salad is my favorite food – it should be its own food group! It is a great way to eat the rainbow – lots of color, easy to prepare, easy to clean up. One bowl with veggies, fruit, nuts, grains, sometimes chicken or fish – even lean beef works!

Salads are a great way to increase your intake of fiber with raw, or even steamed, vegetables. You can also incorporate the richly colored fruits and veggies that can provide antioxidants, vitamin C, E, folic acid, lycopene, alpha and beta carotene. Antioxidants help protect us from damage caused by harmful free radicals.

Slowly introduce a variety of greens other than iceberg lettuce. Try baby kale, baby spinach or a different type of lettuce. You might even try finely chopped collard greens in your salad. Vegetables only have about 25 calories in a ½-cup serving, so you can have a large salad with minimal calories.

Be careful with the salad dressings – they can add many extra calories, sodium and fat. Cheese, croutons, and bacon are also problematic. If you want to add some protein, you might try adding raw nuts or seeds.

There are so many ways to make salads, and this is one of my favorite dressings, from my friends at the Crescent Olive. It is also really good on grain salads made with orzo or quinoa. Happy salad days!

Creamy Lemon-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup traditional balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup lemon olive oil
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• ground pepper and salt to taste

Preparation:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until blended.
• Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition information (1 tbsp): 82 Calories, 9 grams fat, 31 mg. sodium, 1 gram carbohydrate, 0 gram protein.

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This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Hospitals in Columbia.

Kay works in Health and Wellness at Providence, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She’s not a chef herself, but in consultation with the actual chefs at Providence, she’s learned a lot over the years as she has worked to help patients help themselves after they leave the hospital.

She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes.