The Goods on Salad Greens!

When it comes to mixed salad greens, dark is best. Darker, looser leaf lettuce such as red leaf, mizuna, butterhead and arugula have more nutrients than their lighter, stiffer counterparts such as iceberg. These soft, leafy greens are also rich in calcium, folate and dietary fibre which helps lower cholesterol and maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Dr. Ashely Gordon is a Squamish-based Naturopathic Physician and owner of Garibaldi Health Clinic, an integrative health care facility offering safe and effective care including Naturopathic Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Massage, Midwifery and Physical Therapy. Dr. Gordon’s treatments focus on the whole person, from the physical and mental to the emotional and spiritual realms. To learn more about what Naturopathic Medicine can do for you, or to make an appointment, visit www.garibaldihealthclinic.com or call 604 898 1999.

Quick Rocket Salad

Adapted from
Allrecipes.com



Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
4 cups arugula leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Add the cucumber and tomatoes. Toss to coat thoroughly.

Gently mix in the alfalfa and arugula, until evenly distributed.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.


For a protein heavier salad:

You can add cubed avocado and pecans/walnuts or slices of chicken breast.


You can also switch up the Arugula for Baby Spinach 

Arugula, Potato and Green Bean Salad

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen 

Serves 4-8, depending on how much everyone wants to eat

INGREDIENTS
 
1/3 cup ounce walnuts or almonds
1 1/2 pounds fingerling or other new potatoes, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
6 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch segments
2 tablespoons white wine or other mild vinegar
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ounces baby arugula

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°. Toast nuts toast in oven until fragrant and slightly browned, about 8 minutes. Cool, chop and set aside.
 
Boil potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside to cool.
 
Boil another pot of water; add green beans, and cook until tender and bright green, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer beans to bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside. 

Whisk together vinegar, yogurt, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; season with pepper. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified.
 
Arrange arugula, potatoes, and green beans on a platter or bowl. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with toasted nuts; toss to coat. Enjoy!

Egg Drop Soup

INGREDIENTS

6 cups broth
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, green parts only
1/4 cup fresh baby spinach or arugula, coarsely chopped
4 large dried mushrooms, reconstituted and thinly sliced
1 tsp tamari
1/8 tsp ground pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Sea salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer.

Add 6 tablespoons of the green onions, the spinach or arugula, mushrooms, tamari, and pepper. Return to a low simmer and cook for 3 minutes.

Stirring with a fork, gradually add the eggs in a slow steady stream. Cook until the eggs are set, stirring to create shreds or ribbons of the eggs, 1 minute. Remove saucepan from the heat.

Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with remaining green onions.

Season with salt to taste and serve immediately.

Wild Mushroom and Arugula Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 package Mixed Mushroom Medley
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups packed arugula, stems removed
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 parbaked pizza crust
4 oz Swiss cheese or emmental, coarsely grated

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Reconstitute the mushrooms according to package directions. Slice all of the mushrooms 1/4 inch thick, cutting them in half crosswise after slicing if very large. In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the oil and the mushrooms and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss until well combined and spread into a medium-sized ovenproof pan. Roast for 10 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and are beginning to develop a caramel colour around the edges. Remove from the oven.

In a bowl, mix together the arugula, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Brush the rim of the pizza crust with olive oil. Distribute the cheese and then the mushrooms over the dough.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges of the crust are a deep golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.

Remove from the oven and top with arugula salad. Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Arugula Chevre Pasta

INGREDIENTS

8 oz penne (or substitute in brown rice penne)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
2 cups arugula, chopped
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
110 g chevre
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta in lightly salted water until al dente.

In a skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. Saute until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the arugula and cook until it is wilted, about 3 minutes. Serve this mixture over hot penne pasta and top with cherry tomatoes, chevre, and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Arugula, Tomato, and Chevre Salad

INGREDIENTS

12 ripe Roma tomatoes
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
110 g plain chevre
1 bunch fresh arugula, washed and trimmed

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Arrange cut side up on the baking sheet. Bake for 2 hours, until semi-dry. Cool.

Place remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Set aside.

Use a melon baller or a spoon to shape the chevre into four balls or domes.

Make sure the arugula is very dry. Divide amongst four individual plates. Top each plate of arugula with six oven-dried tomato halves and drizzle with vinaigrette. Place one ball of chevre on each salad.

Summer Arugula Pasta

INGREDIENTS

8 oz dried penne (or substitute in brown rice penne)
1 bunch arugula, rinsed, patted dry, and trimmed
1 package chevre, at room temperature
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tsp finely minced garlic
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Cook the penne in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, coarsely chop the arugula, including the stems (there should be about 2 cups total). Transfer to a large bowl and add the chevre, chopped tomato, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, mixing to combine. Drain the pasta and immediately toss with the goat cheese mixture, stirring until evenly distributed. Divide among individual bowls and serve warm.

For a less garlicky version, try using a couple of cloves of roasted garlic instead of fresh, or take out the garlic completely and try sundried tomato chevre or garlic and herb chevre instead of plain.