Health-conscious diners know that any salad can be either a nutritious jackpot or a fat-laden nightmare, depending on the ingredient list. The classic chopped salad is no exception. Chopped salads, made with bite-sized vegetables and proteins, are famous for their jumble of flavors and textures. Make a nutrient-rich, high-fiber and low-fat version of this dish by focusing on fresh vegetables, lean proteins and a light dressing.
Definition
As the name suggests, chopped salads consist of ingredients that cooks cut to a uniform size. Crispy lettuces and vegetables almost always comprise a significant portion of the meal, while proteins such as meats, cheeses or beans are sometimes included, along with a light dressing.
Nutritional Value
Because the choices of a chopped salad are virtually endless, the nutritional value can vary widely. Using nutrient-dense vegetables and low-cholesterol proteins, along with low-fat and low-sugar dressings, increases the nutritional value considerably. Add a whole-grain roll to the chopped salad to create a well-balanced meal that includes proteins, vegetables, carbohydrates and healthy fats.
Basic Method
Iowa State University's Food Science and Human Nutrition Department provides a basic method for a six-serving chopped serving. Chop at least 4 cups lettuce and other vegetables, keeping the ingredients the same size. Combine them with 1 cup chopped protein, cut the same size as the vegetables. Toss the ingredients with about 4 tbsp. of a light dressing involving half olive oil and half lemon or lime juice and vinegar. Chef Elizabeth Mayhew says that removing all moisture from lettuce and vegetables is crucial for a chopped salad; spin ingredients dry in a salad spinner and remove seeds from cucumbers and lettuce. Mayhew recommends crispy lettuces like Romaine or iceberg for best texture.
Nutritious Ingredients
Choose Romaine lettuce for high amounts of vitamins A, C and K, as well as dietary fiber, folate, manganese, potassium and chromium. Nutrient-rich vegetables that also meet the recipe's crispness criteria include asparagus, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, fresh peas, red onions, sweet red or green peppers, carrots and summer squash. For protein, combine a total of 1 cup of healthy, lean proteins recommended by World's Healthiest Foods, such as turkey breast, chicken breast, shrimp, sardines, cold salmon low-fat cheese, chopped eggs, black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans or pinto beans. Nuts such as walnuts and almonds are also health proteins. Sunflower, flax or pumpkin seeds also add healthy, crunchy protein to salads in place of croutons, but you may feel they're too small to include in a classic chopped salad.
Foods to Avoid
To make the healthiest salad possible, avoid summer sausage, bacon bits, croutons, high-fat cheese and ham, creamy dressings and sugary marinated vegetables.
Sample Chopped Salad
The chopped salad recipe created by Iowa State University's Food Science and Human Nutrition Department contributes 10g fiber, 11g protein and 40mg calcium per serving. Its calorie count is 330 calories, 5g fat, 510mg sodium and no cholesterol. The salad itself consists of about 5 cups chopped vegetables (tomato, corn, red pepper, green pepper, cucumber and red onion) and 1 cup canned black beans, combined with 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. lime juice and 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar and an optional sprinkling of cilantro and jalapeno.
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