Fresh, raw fruits and vegetables are nutritional powerhouses. Most are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants essential for building healthy bones, muscle, skin and cell function. But according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, most American's don't eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables every day. Increase your consumption of heart-healthy produce--and boost the variety in your diet--with tasty salads loaded with raw veggies and fruit.
Step 1
Stock your fridge with vegetables that can be eaten raw, such as lettuce and spinach, carrots, green and red peppers, green beans, celery, scallions, green and purple cabbage, tomatoes, radishes, red onions, avocados, broccoli, cucumbers and mushrooms.
Step 2
Load your fruit crisper drawer with a variety of your favorite seasonal fruits. Most fruits taste great raw. Try apricots, peaches, berries, melon, bananas, citrus fruits, grapes, figs, mangoes, pineapple, apples, pears and plums.
Step 3
Wash each piece of fruit or vegetable, except onions, thoroughly under cool running water before eating. Use a nylon brush to remove dirt from mushrooms gently.
Step 4
Peel vegetables with a tough outer skin or rind, including carrots, broccoli stems and cucumbers, with a vegetable peeler. Trim the stem-ends from lettuce, spinach, scallions, celery, radishes, green beans and mushrooms. Remove the papery outer skin from red onions by hand; likewise, remove wilted outer leaves from cabbage before chopping.
Step 5
Slice pineapples, melons, avocados and mangoes into quarters, then slice the tough outer rind from the flesh. Remove center pits or seeds, and discard.
Step 6
Dry all leafy greens in a salad spinner. Oil-based salad dressings won't cling to leaves that are wet.
Step 7
Chop all vegetables into bite-sized pieces, removing seeds or pits as necessary. Tear leafy veggies into smaller pieces by hand.
Step 8
Dice apples, pears, stone fruits, citrus fruits, and the prepared mango, pineapple and melon after removing seeds. Hull berries.
Step 9
Combine all vegetables in a large salad bowl; toss gently to mix. Drizzle your favorite bottled salad dressing over the greens, and toss again. For fruit salad, simply blend any combination of chopped fruits in a festive bowl and garnish with sprigs of mint; no dressing required. Or, toss a selection of veggies and fruit together for a sweet and savory salad.
Things You'll Need
- Wooden cutting board
- Chef's knife or paring knife
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Vegetable peeler
- Nylon vegetable brush
- Salad spinner
- Salad bowl
- Salad tongs
- Bottled dressing (optional)
References
- "The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook;" Diana Shaw; 1997
- "Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 15th Edition;" Better Homes and Gardens; 2010
- "Dietary Guidelines for Americans;" U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2005
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