When my husband and I first started dating (Clearly the downside of being married to me is that I share your food habits with the world. I’m like the Taylor Swift of health.), he would force himself to eat a salad of iceberg lettuce, carrots, cheese, croutons, and fat-free Italian dressing. I finally had to break it to him — the sad salad that he dreaded wasn’t even good for him.
So I asked him whether I could make him a salad one night. If he didn’t like it, he could always go back to his own. Enter, [drumroll] . . . the Longevity Salad! I called it that because we were just dating and I wanted to impress him; I didn’t have any other culinary skills at that point besides making salad. (Ask me someday about my fondue explosion or my “spaghetti meat tartare” . . . ) But the name fits: not only is it good for you and full of superfoods, it’s also rich in flavor and has a delicious good-for-you dressing (so, unlike the sad salad that makes you question life, eating the Longevity Salad actually makes you also WANT to live longer).
- Rule #1: There are no rules. Which makes that the only rule. Throw in anything from the list below; there are no required magical combinations or proportions. Experiment. Add what you like, leave out what you don’t.
- Use these items to make mini “salad bars,” so family members can make their own salads. Set everything out in the containers you prepped over the weekend, and let everyone customize their own salad, which young children particularly enjoy.
Start with a Base:
Spinach, romaine, iceberg lettuce, arugula, or endive
Add Your Veggies:
- Peppers (I love yellow, red, and orange)
- Tomatoes (mini grape tomatoes, large heirloom, or anything in between)
- Sugar snap peas or green peas
- Avocado (refrigerate the remainder along with the seed and a spritz of lemon juice to delay browning)
- Sprouts
- Beans (chickpeas, red beans)
- Corn (canned is fine)
- Carrots
- Beets (canned or jarred is fine)
Optional — Add Fruit:
- Small chopped apples, pears, or grapes
- Dried fruit (high in sugar, so use in small amounts)
Optional — Add Crunch:
- A (small) serving of nuts Water chestnuts
- Mung bean sprouts Jicama
Optional — Add a Protein:
Add a protein, like beans, chicken, or quinoa, if this is your full meal
Top Your Longevity Salad with a Delicious Homemade Vinaigrette
- 1⁄2 cup really good balsamic vinegar (my favorites are from the specialty food stores and are really thick)
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic (I outsource mincing by buying the jars of minced garlic, in the refrigerator aisle)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (I also like Dijonnaise)
- 1⁄4 cup water
- 11⁄2 tablespoons olive oil
Optional: 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice to taste
Optional: 1 teaspoon of dried basil, oregano, or parsley
Like what you see? This post was excerpted from the book Mom Hacks by Dr. Darria Long Gillespie, published on February 19, 2019 by Hachette Books, a division of Hachette Book Group. Copyright 2019 Dr. Darria Long Gillespie.
**This post first appeared in Medium.
Photo credit: Nadine Primeau for Unsplash
