Think outside the bowl to create healthful, tasty dishes

Salads and summer just seem to go together, probably because when it’s 110 degrees outside, a piping-hot bowl of soup doesn’t quite cut it.

Salads and health go together, too, because what could possibly be more healthful than a big bowl of vegetables? You know, with bacon, lots of hard-cooked eggs, cheese and a nice thick, creamy dressing.

Or maybe not.

“Sometimes, people think that if it’s a salad it’s going to be healthy, but unfortunately that’s not always the case,” said Sue Lednicki, nutrition educator with University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

A good starting point: “The darkest greens you can find,” Lednicki said.

Those would be romaine, spinach and similar greens that have deep color, because they have the most nutrients. (And yes, that pretty much leaves out iceberg.)

Think about adding fruits and nuts as well as vegetables. Adding fruit to a green salad, Lednicki said, “gives you a nice blast of potassium, something we really need. Nuts will bring fiber.” Beans and peas add fiber as well, plus flavor and color and not much fat.

“I like to use something like garbanzo beans if I want to put some protein in it,” said James Boyer, executive chef of Canyon Ranch Grill at the Palazzo.

Boyer is that rare chef who carefully evaluates all of the dishes he creates for nutritional content, in keeping with the wellness mission of the Canyon Ranch SpaClub at Palazzo and The Venetian, with which the grill is affiliated.

“Everything we do has to fall in a certain range for our specific dishes,” he said.

That can be a little complex for nonprofessionals, but Boyer has developed salad and dressing templates that would be useful for even the most novice cook. Besides lettuces, he likes each of his salads to include a dried fruit, a fresh fruit, vegetables and a nut.

“That all adds either crunchiness or sweetness,” he said.

In the dressing, he likes to use a nut, a healthy oil such as extra-virgin olive oil, a vinegar such as balsamic or champagne, herbs and fruit juice — or even a fruit-juice concentrate.

“Apple or white grape — anything like that,” Boyer said. “I think the concentrate gives it a little bit more sweetness.

“Just put everything in the blender and whir.” When using nuts, he said, you don’t have to use as much oil.

Try to exercise your creativity when coming up with the fruit and vegetable combinations for your salads.

“Make sure to vary the color; you want to get a rainbow,” Boyer said. “If you get a rainbow of colors you’re going to get a rainbow of vitamins and minerals, because those create the colors.” The result has almost a multivitamin effect, he said.

Lednicki stressed the importance of thinking about the fat (and maybe sodium) content of what you put in the salad. Croutons are OK, but not if they’re sauteed in butter. Bacon, deep-fried chicken strips or fried taco shells tend to be minefields of saturated fat.

Eggs are OK in moderation, she said, as is cheese, but low-fat cheese is better. Lednicki suggests using a sharper cheese, because you can use less and get the same burst of flavor.

As for dressings, she said vinaigrettes tend to be better nutritional choices than creamy dressings, and you’re likely to use less. If you are using a creamy dressing, she suggests thinning it with juice or yogurt or fat-free sour cream.

If you’re making a pasta or gelatin salad for a summer gathering, she suggests following the same guidelines.

“Try to think outside the box,” Lednicki said. “Lots of fruits and vegetables are available right now. Add as many as you can, because it’s going to be just beautiful.”

MEDITERRANEAN

CHOPPED SALAD

White grape dressing:

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

1/3 cup white grape juice concentrate

1/2 cup champagne vinegar

4 large fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salad:

8 cups packed spring mix greens

11/2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained

11/2 cups peeled, diced English cucumber

3 cups chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped prunes

3/4 cup chopped kalamata olives

3/4 cup diced red onion

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Place all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Combine all ingredients for salad (including all of the dressing) in a large bowl and toss until combined

Serves 8.

Per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 135 calories, 6 grams fat, 4 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 358 milligrams sodium.

Variations: Top with a cooked chicken breast or salmon fillet for an entree salad.

— Recipe from James Boyer, Canyon Ranch Grill

CHICKEN COBB SALAD

Cooking spray

11/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

8 cups mixed greens

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup diced peeled avocado

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

1/3 cup fat-free Italian dressing

2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

1 bacon slice, cooked and crumbled

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Cut into 1/2-inch slices.

Combine greens, tomatoes, avocado and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle greens mixture with dressing; toss gently to coat. Arrange about 2 cups greens mixture on each of 4 salad plates. Top each serving with 4 ounces chicken, 11/2 teaspoons cheese and about 1/2 teaspoon bacon.

Serves 4.

Per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 263 calories (27 percent from fat), 8 grams fat, 38 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 99 milligrams cholesterol, 606 milligrams sodium.

— Recipe from Cooking Light

PAPAYA AND AVOCADO

CRAB SALAD

1 poblano chili, halved and seeded

1 medium jalapeno pepper, halved

1 cup diced peeled papaya

1 cup diced peeled avocado

2/3 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed

1 garlic clove, minced

6 (6-inch) pitas, split

Preheat broiler.

Place chili and pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined broiler pan; flatten with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and finely chop; place in a large bowl.

Add papaya and next 7 ingredients (through garlic); toss gently to combine. Serve with pitas.

Serves 6.

Per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 294 calories (17 percent from fat), 5 grams fat, 20 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 45 milligrams cholesterol, 746 milligrams sodium.

— Recipe from Cooking Light

Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.