3 Salads to Cure the Winter Woes

During the winter months, fresh produce may be rather scarce. Fortunately, there is still plenty of produce available in the winter months to feed our need for vegetables and fruit.

Discover 3 healthy and tasty salads to cure the winter woes.

• During the summer, there is plenty of fresh produce to create an array of tantalizing salads. From tomatoes to berries, salads practically make themselves. Try to look for new and exciting foods that are unusual to you even during the winter months. Consider mixing it up a bit with a tri-color Italian salad in hues that represent the flag of Italy. Referred to as “insalata tricolore”, this tasty salad is sure to please your winter palate. Toss together arugula, endive and radicchio, and then top it off with a dash of olive oil and vinegar. Kale is another alternative for arugula and available in winter. If you have some radicchio left after making a salad, mix it with lemon vinaigrette to create another different winter salad. Serve insalata tricolore with a side of quinoa topped with light tomato sauce for a hearty winter meal.
• With quinoa in mind, make a satisfying winter salad with this healthy food as the central focus. Mix red quinoa with lemon vinaigrette. Top it off with toasted almonds for a hearty salad any time of the year. This salad has a gourmet feel that makes it ideal for dinner parties and special occasions.
• While you might not be able to escape to a sunny island, you can still get a tropical feeling right in your own kitchen. Create a salad with tropical favorites to warm up chilly days and banish those winter woes. Mix arugula with slices of avocado and a few chunks of pineapple and mango. The combination of sweet and tart is irresistible and brightens up the dreary winter.
• While these 3 salads are a chef’s delight, you can also keep it simple and still incorporate greens into your winter diet. Choose year-round sources of vitamin A, vitamin C and other nutrients such as spinach and lettuce to keep up your immunity. Pre-made mixes are available at your local grocery store in bags or containers. Always check the “use by” dates to ensure the greens are fresh. Use them within two days after opening. Rinse greens before using them and store at refrigerated temperatures. Simply take the greens out of your refrigerator, rinse them off and toss them in bowl with fat-free, sugar-free, calorie-free Walden Farms salad dressing.
• While it might take more effort and imagination in the winter, make sure to include leafy green and root vegetables which are winter abundant into your daily diet. Salad greens contain essential nutrients such as calcium, beta-carotene, fiber, phytonutrients, folate, vitamin A and vitamin C. They help people with diabetes maintain a healthy weight because they are low in calories and sodium with no cholesterol. Root vegetables including carrots, onions and rutabagas are full of nutrition as well.
• Eating salads all year round offers a wealth of health benefits. The phytonutrients in salad greens have antioxidant properties to help prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Salads are also high in volume but low in calories to satisfy your appetite without packing on the pounds. Consider trying baby greens, which are more tender and nutritious. Mix them with regular greens for a unique blend of flavors.
• Make a winter salad a complete meal that includes protein. Add lean, grilled chicken or fish to a tossed salad and serve it for lunch or dinner. Other yummy foods to add to your salad include hard boiled eggs, avocadoes and slivered nuts.

While the winter woes and lack of fresh produce might get you down, there are plenty of healthy salad options to consider. From figs to dates and berries to radicchio, get creative and mix winter-friendly produce to create mouthwatering salads. These flavorful salad combinations can help you combat the winter blues, add healthy nutrients to your diet and give you a little taste of upcoming spring.