Back to the salad. What makes a great salad? I am the designated veggie tray and salad maker at all of our family gatherings. Most of my family are not huge veggie eaters but they they love my veggie trays and salads. Sometimes I have a salad that I munch on all through the day- a bite here and a bite there. When a friend or relative shows up and sees a salad I'm eating for the first time, they remark about it- they've never seen a salad like that.
Here is my most favorite salad for alkalizing
- Romaine lettuce, baby spinach and spring mix. Spring mix is like eating weeds and can be strong tasting for someone not used to it. Mix small amounts in with the other greens at first until you get used to it- then add more until you get about 1/3 of each of the three types of greens listed here. I don't eat iceburg lettuce because it has no taste and practically no nutritional value.
- Cucumbers. I am extremely sad when the garden season is over and I have to resort to store bought cucumbers. They are just nasty. Usually I have to buy whatever is available and peel them due to the thick waxy coating- you know what I'm talking about. Now, however the larger grocery stores are carrying more organic foods so I occasionally go out on a trek for organic. I live in a small rural area so I have to drive minimum 30 minutes for decent organics. The best cucumbers I've found this winter are those baby cucumbers that come 5 or 7 to a package. I clean them off with my ionizer's 11.5pH water to strip off the pesticides (I haven't found these in organic yet). These cucumbers are to die for- a really good match for home grown.
- Radishes, grape tomatoes, bell peppers of all colors, bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, a few shredded carrots and anything else you can think of. I slice or chop these veggies except for the sprouts and tomatoes.
- Almonds, flax seed, sesame seeds, raw sunflower seeds. If I use all of these I am careful to go easy on them because seeds and nuts tend to be high in calories. Of course if you soak your seeds and nuts overnight they are much better for you because soaking allows them to release their enzymes- healthy, healthy, healthy for you. Almonds are the most alkaline nut by the way. Flax seeds are not only very high in fiber but also high in omega 3's.
- Small handful of raisins. I use raisins or dried cranberries. Why? Because I don't use salad dressings- salad dressings in a bottle are very acidic mostly due to the vinegar that is used, and they are processed and contain preservatives- all leading to more acid in your body. These little dried fruit add just enough natural sweetness to my salads to offset the lemon I squeeze on my salads.
- Lemons -though they are acidic, they metabolize alkaline in your body. Crazy as it seems it is true. Lemons and limes are the most alkalizing of the fruit family. Unsweet grapefruits are also alkaline. Squeeze some lemon on your salad to boost the alkalinity of your salad. Some people eat salad dressings made of vinegar and oil- I use lemon and olive oil. White vinegar is something you should stay away from except for cleaning purposes.
- Olive oil. Olive oil should be cold pressed. It is very good for you- boosts your good cholesterol. Though oils are fattening, what I've read is that you can use quite a bit of this especially if you don't eat meat- your body needs some fat so make sure its the right kind.
- Bacon bits occasionally in small amounts. This is where I cheat a little. I know bacon is not good for you, and I buy the cooked and packaged kind. All bacon has nitrates in it that is terrible for you. But I don't eat a lot of meat, I eat a lot of veggies and occasionally like a few times a week I will sprinkle just a little on my salad for taste. Occasionally I might also put some chopped chicken in my salad.
All of the other vegetables should be washed thoroughly, pat dry, chop and store separately by type in bowls. I do this because sometimes peppers or cucumbers will go bad quicker and I don't want to ruin the rest of my veggies. Keeping your chopped veggies dry and separated by type will last you over a week in a lot of cases. If you can't get them dry after washing them, put a paper towel in the bowl to soak up the moisture. A lot of times I leave a paper towel in the bowl.
Preparing this masterpiece can take a few hours out of your week, but by doing this you have a salad that will last you a week or more if you don't eat it all first.
Please share your salad ideas- I am always looking for new ways to shake things up. Let me know what you think of my salad.
To get an alkaline acid food list go to www.ZapYourTapNow.com and request the free ebook. This ebook will also tell you all about the acid alkaline balance and how you can get the best alkaline water right from your tap. This alkaline water neutralizes the acids your body naturally metabolizes, making alkalizing soooooo much easier. Any questions email me at meister.gn@gmail.com
It is inexpensive and attractive. It is also easy to clean. I just swish vinegar around it in once a day or every other day and it is just like new. If you decide to get one, please let us know how you like it.
