Fall nutrition: Hot salad recipes
Trying to think of creative ways to get in that daily dosage of fruits and vegetables? In fall, there’s more than just roasted root vegetables and harvest soup recipes to get the right amount of veggies into the diet. Crisp summer salads might be a little tired at this time of year and plus, outdoor workouts produce appetites for piping hot meals. In that case, a crisp, cool salad just won’t cut it… but a hot salad will (and no, we’re not suggesting you microwave yourself a plate of iceberg lettuce). Get out the skillet, and get ready to saute some dark leafy greens. Here are some great recipes to start off with:
Zucchini Ribbon Salad:
Get a vegetable peeler and whittle away at that zucchini until you have a bowl full of green ribbon. Either saute it in a pan or get it nice and crispy on the grill. The arugula that this recipe calls for bulks up the salad and adds a sharp taste. Load it up with all the pine nuts (or walnuts or almonds) and feta you want.
Hot Cranberry Spinach Salad:
When a recipe like this one calls for cranberries, you know it’s a smart fall choice. Remember when cooking spinach that it shrinks down quite a bit while cooking. Chances are, you’re going to need more than you’ll think so be generous. Hey, you’re just upping your iron intake here– no such thing as too much spinach for a runner. Throw the cranberries into the pan to get them nice and hot or just toss them in last minute.
Hot Skillet Bok Choy Salad:
Too often does bok choy get shafted in favour of spinach or kale (if you’re a runner, you’re guilty). This delicious dark leafy green is not to be overlooked though. Add more than this recipe calls for if you want. With beans, cabbage, carrots, onion, garlic and a sprinkling of your favourite Italian herbs, this salad is anything but boring and runners can be satisfied with a meal that scores major nutrition points. Add grilled chicken to bump up the protein value if you choose.
Sauteed Bucketwheat Noodle Salad:
Made with buckwheat noodles, this hot salad automatically beats out your typical pasta salad. This colourful dish will keep you cheery after a dull and damp evening run (sometimes we get out just to get it done, right?). Carrots are a runner’s secret weapon and since they’re in season, having many ways to use them is key. Also, this recipe puts coconut oil to good use and who doesn’t love that?
