The Camp Cook
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It's salad time! We've got the lettuce, the vegetables, the cheese, the egg, the bacon bits and croutons. Oh no! - Can't decide which dressing to have? There are so many choices, how do you know which one to choose? Let's delve into the world of dressings to help with the decision.

We all know that no salad is complete without the salad dressing. Many of us go to extremes when it comes to dressing and think the more the merrier. That’s perfectly fine if health or weight is not something you’re worried with. However, bear in mind that many dressings contain tons of calories so you might want to pay close attention if you are. Let’s talk about the different salad dressings to help you decide which is best for you.

You can walk into any salad section of a grocery store and see shelves lined with salad dressings. The brands are numerous and the flavors out number the brands. Kraft, Wishbone, Hidden Valley and even a few named after some celebrities top the list. It's a little overwhelming sometimes trying to find just the perfect flavor. The sky is the limit, unless of course you are talking about a specific type of salad. Sometimes only one flavor will do.

A Caesar salad for instance, works best with a Caesar style dressing. Cobb salad is enhanced with the ever tasteful Green Goddess dressing. Often times it's easy to find the right dressing to recreate that perfect restaurant taste just by determining which type of salad you’ll be eating.

If you're trying to create your own unique taste the dressing decision might be a little trickier. Often times when it comes to store bought dressings your own preferences will do the trick. Find the dressing that makes your taste buds tingle or one that you crave. You can’t go wrong when you choose a salad dressing you already know you like.

Salads are meant to be a healthy way of eating. When it comes to the dressings though, we forget that some are just not as healthy as others. We pour that dressing over the top of our salad until the fixings are hardly visible. All the while we’re thinking of the taste instead of the health factor.

It is important to read the labels on salad dressing bottles. When it comes to measuring dressing one serving usually means 2 tablespoons. Most regular dressings contain up to 11 grams of fat in 2 tablespoons. That's not a real healthy choice for many of us.

How can we find healthier dressings? Look no further than the same grocery store shelf. Many companies are now adding low fat, low calorie dressings to their product lines. For many the taste is not that much different and the price is about the same, making them worth the difference for your health.
You can also try making your own version of your favorite dressings at home. Olive oil or canola oil along with flavored vinegar can be the base of a really great tasting dressing. Add some lemon or lime juice, pepper, poppy seeds or other spices to find just the right one for your salad.


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Labels: Salads

Almost everyone loves a salad. All that lettuce and those favored toppings, makes your mouth water just thinking about it doesn't it? Yet many of us ask ourselves if the salads we’re eating really are as healthy as we think.

First you have the lettuce. Lettuce is healthy but doesn't have much of a taste. Therefore we add all those wonderful extras to give our salad the taste we savor. Things such as vegetables, seeds and even fruit give us taste and still benefit the healthy factor of our salad.

So what makes a salad not so healthy? Ever take a close look at a salad bar? What a mouthwatering experience. Yet many of the items on the bar are not so healthy. No one would blame you for adding these delectable little treats. If you want to keep that salad a healthy part of your diet you need to look at some of those tasty items a little closer though.

Fruits and vegetables are a healthy part of a salad. Things such as bacon bits and croutons can be the downfall. Real bacon bits add fat to a salad. Eat them sparingly and you will be fine but add too many and those unhealthy calories will start to add up.

Dressings can also be unhealthy when it comes to a salad. When measuring salad dressing we look at a 2 tablespoon serving. Many of the full salad dressings when measured this way have as much as 11 grams of fat. This is a lot when you really think about it.

Unfortunately we love our salad dressing and the more there is the happier we are. So how do you cut back on those unwanted fat calories? Try using a fat free or low calorie salad dressing. Many of our favorite flavors now come in these healthier versions.

Yes many of the low calorie dressing just don't taste the same as our high fat favorites. If you find yourself shying away from the dressings that are better for you because of the taste try this. Instead of covering that salad with the dressing, put it in a small cup. When you take a bite of your salad dip it into the dressing cup before eating it. This will help to control the amount of dressing you consume.

Remember, if you want a healthy salad you must pay attention to the ingredients you place in it. With a watchful eye and a little self control you can have a healthy salad that tastes great too.

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Labels: Salads

You’re hungry and you know there's something you're craving. Ah a salad is what you want. You run to the fridge, open the vegetable crisper only to find the lettuce you bought 2 days ago is brown and mushy. Ever happen to you? It happens more often than not.

Here are a few storage tips to make sure you have crisp, fresh lettuce when that craving strikes.

Lettuce is not cheap. When it's not stored correctly we find ourselves tossing it in the trash more often then we care to admit. Lettuce can be purchased in a bag or by the head. Either way, if not stored properly lettuce can, and will, go bad in a very little amount of time.

One way to preserve your lettuce until salad time is to buy a fresh head of lettuce. Lettuce that is in a sealed bag can turn brown faster. It has already been handled, chopped or cut by a metal object and then sealed in the bag. Often times when a bag of lettuce is purchased you can already see the edges beginning to brown before it’s even made it off the shelf.

Grocery stores mist their vegetables to keep them hydrated. Of course we can't do this at home and when it comes to lettuce you are better off if it's stored dry. Always rinse lettuce before storing, but use a paper towel to dry the lettuce leaves before placing them in the proper container.

Store your lettuce in a dry, sealable, plastic bag. Condensation with gather on the inside of the bag even though the lettuce has been dried so line the bag with paper towel before adding the dry lettuce. This will keep a head of lettuce fresh for about a week.

If your refrigerator has a crisper tray, keep your lettuce stored there. Keep the temperature of the refrigerator in the middle of your temperature scale and if you have a humidity setting you can adjust, keep it set on low. The more humidity inside your refrigerator, the better chance of the lettuce leaves acquiring moisture. If the temperature is too high you take a risk of freezing the moisture on the leaves causing them to become translucent and mushy.

Always store your salad fixings in separate containers. The moisture or juices from vegetables and dressings will cause lettuce leaves to wilt. There's nothing worse than craving a salad only to find your lettuce has turned brown and nasty when you open the container. Not only does it make the lettuce less appealing, but the veggies probably aren’t in that great of shape either thanks to the turning of the lettuce.

By storing your lettuce properly you can have a fresh made salad anytime you wish. There's nothing like a good, healthy salad. Go ahead and buy that head of lettuce today and feed your craving whenever the urge strikes, not whenever you’re lettuce feels up to it.

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Labels: Salads

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you want to fix a salad? You're probably thinking lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese and dressing right? Boring! Salads don't have to be boring. Liven up your salad by adding all different kinds of scrumptious fixings. Wondering what those fixings might be? Let's explore and get creative to find your favorites.

Close your eyes and picture your favorite salad bar. What do you see? Chances are the first thing is lettuce. Many salad bars have more than one type of lettuce. Is there one you really like? Mix up your lettuce or stick with your favorite. The choice is all up to you.

Now what's next? All those bright colorful vegetables are probably making their presence in your mind by now? Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peppers and mushrooms are all great additions to any salad.

Zucchini, squash, radishes and even those baby ears of corn can be added to a salad. Many people don't think about the corn, because they are used to seeing them in stir fry meals only, yet they make the perfect addition to a salad.

Just about any vegetable will work on a salad. You can get more vegetables into your daily diet with a salad than most people could ever imagine. Think of the nutritional value your salad will have with these vegetables included.

How about some fruit? Most salad bars contain fruits like strawberries, pineapple, bananas and other types of berries. Raisins and dried fruits are also a great addition to your salad. Fruits give your salad a sweet taste and they mix well with many vegetables. Fruits add more vitamins and minerals to your salad and up the nutritional value just like vegetables.

Ok what about all those toppers you see at the end of the salad bar? There are bacon bits, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and various kinds of nuts. All these toppings sound pretty good don't they? You can also add bean sprouts, water chestnuts or red pepper flakes to enhance the flavor.

When it comes to the fixings you place on your salad the sky is the limit. Try new things that you might have never imagined eating on a salad. Add different fruits or vegetables with each salad. Give all those fixings a chance.

Still picturing that salad bar? Open those eyes and get in the kitchen. Create your own salad and make those fixings count.


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Labels: Salads