Salad greens are a tasty and easy way to up your favorable carb count in the Zone year round. Great as a side dish or as a Zone meal, try to include them in your diet whenever you can.
Here are some tips for buying, storing, and enjoying salad greens:
Leave sturdy outside leaves intact when storing greens such as romaine and iceberg to protect the more tender and perishable leaves inside. If you plan to use just half the head or bunch, use the interior leaves first, and close the tough stuff around whatever remains at the core.
Line the bottom of your refrigerator's vegetable bin with paper towel, changing it every week. The towel will absorb the excess moisture that can cause greens to wilt. You can also put a few dry sponges in the bin, removing them as they start to get soggy.
To remove the core of iceberg lettuce, simply whack the core end once on the countertop, then twist the core out.
What can you do with washed-but-still-wet salad greens? If you need to use them right away, throw the greens in a pillow case, binding the top of the case with a clip. Then use the spin-dry setting of your washing machine to whirl them dry.
Try this easy and delicious recipe to add more greens to your diet:
Greek Salad with Garlic-Oregano Dressing
Yield: 1 lunch or dinner entrée
Ingredients
5 cups loosely packed romaine lettuce, washed, patted dry, torn into small pieces
1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained, cut into bite-size pieces
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 ounces low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
6 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable stock or purified water
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Arrange lettuce on large dinner plate. Top with artichoke hearts, tomatoes, onions, garbanzo beans, feta cheese, and tofu.
In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, red wine vinegar, vegetable stock or water, garlic, oregano, and black pepper. Pour over salad and toss to evenly distribute dressing. Serve.
