How to make the best salad
• You need a big bowl to toss a salad; don't pack all the ingredients in a small one as the salad would end up looking disheveled.
• Use only fresh lettuce.
• Wash greens well to keep foodborne illnesses at bay. Also, dry greens well, as the dressing will cling to them better and the flavor won't be diluted.
• Don't add greens that are too cold or too warm.
• Use lots of colors for maximum nutrition. Add herbs and veggies such as peppers, carrots, tomatoes and radishes.
• Before you add any dressing, season the salad with salt and pepper.
• The best tools to toss a salad are your hands. Run your fingers down the sides of the bowl bringing the greens and vegetables at the bottom to the top. This way you won't crush them.
• Toss well with dressing. This uses less dressing and cuts the calories.
• Add ingredients that you can chew on such as canned beans, grilled chicken or tuna and robust vegetables such as beets.
• Make sure the salad has texture and is crunchy. Add roasted seeds, fennel, peppers, onion, nuts and cucumbers besides standbys such as celery and croutons.
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
