Looking to make a salad for a healthy and light spring picnic lunch? I highly suggest you try more flavorful and nutritious varieties like Boston, Bibb, red leaf, even exotic-sounding Asian greens like mizuna and tatsoi. Iceberg lettuce not only lacks any real flavor, but also nutrients as well. Lettuces are generally cool weather crops and springtime in Michigan is a great time for lettuces. Fresh lettuce can make all the difference in the world for a great salad. Look for crisp, fresh looking leaves and fresh cut ends. Avoid those pre-washed lettuces at the market that are preserved with a blast of gas and usually tend to have an awful smell just a few days after you open them. Instead, shop at your local farmers market or even local grocery stores may have some local varieties of lettuce available. One of my favorites is arugula and I love to top it with beets and a homemade balsamic dressing. Try this recipe below excerpted from my new book The Skinny on Fats.
Balsamic Dressing
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cold-pressed flax oil
Servings: 4 Prep: 10 minutes
Combine balsamic, mustard, salt and garlic in food processor. While processing, add olive oil in slow stream and then the flax oil. Refrigerate before serving.
