By Puja Rai Shetty
INDIA New England Columnist
If you think salads are boring, try experimenting with different combinations of vegetables , fruits ,greens and spices, you will be amazed by the taste and will get hooked on to salads.It is also comforting to realize that by eating raw vegetables and fruits every day, our diet is complete in all the vitamins and minerals it needs to remain younger, stronger and healthier.
Colorful and Nutritious Salad
Yield: 2 Servings if eaten as a whole meal or 8 to 10 servings if consumed as a side dish.
Ingredients:
1 cup sprouted green moong
1/2 cup red radishes thinly sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup green ,red or yellow pepper thinly sliced
1/2 cup spinach thinly chopped
1/2 cup celery thinly chopped
1/2 cup papaya cubes
1/2 cup ripe mango cubes
1 tsp grated ginger
Juice of half lemon
Chilli flakes according to taste.
A pinch of turmeric powder.
Black pepper powder according to taste.
Kala namak (Black salt) according to taste.
Mix everything in a big salad bowl and serve fresh.
Health Benefits :
Kala Namak (Black salt) : It is a type of natural rock salt that is full of minerals and natural. In India it is very popular for it’s use in making chaat items.It tastes similar to chaat powder .Kala namak has low sodium content than the regular table salt.You can spice up any salad with black salt. Kala namak is rich in iron and vital minerals and nutrients required for hair growth, try including it in your diet as often as you can. Kala namak is very good for treating gastritis .
Red pepper is a powerhouse of Vitamin C.
Mung bean sprouts are low in calories, have fiber and B vitamins, and deliver a boost of vitamins C and K.
Radish is high in Vitamin C. It soothes sore throats,a natural cleansing agent for the digestive system and prevents viral infection.
Pomegranate seed is good source of fibre,protein,Vitamin C,Vitamin K,Folate and Potassium.It has impressive Anti-Inflammatory Effects,helps Fight Bacterial and Fungal Infections.It may Help Fight Arthritis and Joint Pain, may Lower Blood Pressure and also helps fight against prostate cancer and breast cancer.
Mango is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds.
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, protein, and choline.
Celery is very rich in vitamin K and also contains folate, vitamin A, potassium, and vitamin C. Dietary fiber – despite being mainly water, celery also provides a fair amount of dietary fiber. The vegetable contains 1.6 grams of fiber
Papaya is a rich source of antioxidant nutrients such as carotenes, vitamin C and flavonoids; the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; and the minerals, potassium, copper, and magnesium; and fiber.
Ginger has been used for its medicinal properties for centuries among many cultures.Ginger has a long history of use for relieving digestive problems and reducing inflammation and treating inflammatory conditions.
Lemons contain vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, B-complex vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and fiber. Lemons contain more potassium than apples or grapes. Potassium is beneficial to the heart.
Just a few grams of turmeric per day either in the form of powder, crushed root or fresh root can provide enough nutrients to help you keep away from anemia, neuritis, memory disorders and offer protection against cancers, infectious diseases, high blood pressure, and strokes.
Black pepper is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin K, a very good source of copper and dietary fiber, and a good source of iron, chromium, and calcium.
(Puja Rai Shetty loves salads and experiments with it in all styles, Indian, South Asian, American, Italian and you name it. She will be writing about all types of salads with a twist. A daughter, a sister, a wife, daughter-in-law, a mom, a friend, an IT professional and now a columnist on Facebook with healthy cooking recipes and salads learnt from different sources.)
