Ingredients:

Preparation:

1. Clean the arugula, spin-dry and transfer to a salad bowl.
2. Wash and cut the strawberries.
3. Add the strawberries, the oil and vinegar to the salad bowl.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Toss lightly, garnish with the walnuts, the Parmesan shavings and serve.

Portions: 4

Alimentavie Servings (per portion): 2 Fruits & Vegetables, 1 Fat; 86 calories, 6 g Fat, 3 g Protein, 5 g Carbohydrates, 1.5 g Fiber, 3 mg Cholesterol

Tips And Basic Guidelines

• Wash the lettuce at the very last minute and with cold water.  Use a salad spinner to remove all the excess water or simply use a dry linen. Instead of using a knife to cut the leaves in bite-size pieces, simply tear the lettuce manually, this will prevent the oxidation which destroys its vitamin C content.
• Play with colors, taste and texture of various lettuces in order to prepare an original salad that adds taste and nutrition to the menu.
• Raw, grilled or blanched vegetables make great additions: green or yellow string beans, yellow, red, orange bell peppers, asparagus, snap peas, edamame (shelled soy beans), onions, etc.
• Dried, fresh or grilled fruits can also add a touch of color, as well as sweetness: peaches, pineapples, grapes, strawberries, oranges, pears, cranberries, apple, pomegranate, etc.
• For added crunch, proteins and good fats, why not add walnuts, roasted almonds, unsalted sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or even ground flax seeds!
• Fresh herbs are in full season right now and easily available in our home gardens or at the supermarkets.  Add a few leaves of fresh mint, spearmint, basil, cilantro, Italian parsley or chive to your salad to kick it up a notch!

Successful Combinations!
Preparing a salad like the gourmet varieties available at your favorite restaurant is much simpler than you would think.  Here are a few suggestions to put you on the right path.

• Radicchio, arugula, curly lettuce, grilles pears, walnuts
• Watercress, honeydew or cantaloupe balls, pecans
• Watercress, chicory, tangerine and orange quarters
• Chicory, red raisins, pine nuts, parmesan shavings
• Mixed greens, grilled goat cheese, beets
• Spinach, clementine quarters, red onions, pumpkin seeds
• Radicchio, sliced apples, gorgonzola, caramelized pecans
• Spinach, sliced pears, raisins, sunflower seeds, blue cheese
• Romaine, radicchio, pink grapefruit quarters, avocado
• Mixed greens, mandarine slices, beets, almonds, red onion
• Watermelon, light feta cheese, mint, arugula

What's A Salad Without The Dressing?
Whether it's a commercially bought salad, or one prepared at home, a salad drowning under any dressing becomes much less interesting.  In general, I always encourage people to eat as fresh as they can; this also applies to the salad dressing.   Commercial dressings often have a high sodium content, contain additives, lots of fat and these are not always "good" fats. Did you know that a tablespoon of Caesar dressing contains more fat than two slices of bacon?   Homemade salad dressing are quick to prepare and often much tastier and healthier than the commercial kind.  Here's how you can get started, simply combine at least one ingredient from each of the following categories:

1. Types of oils: olive, hazelnut, sesame, pistachio, sunflower, etc.
2. Types of vinegars: wine, balsamic, rice, cider, fruit flavored, Xeres, lemon or lime juice can also be used as vinegar, etc.
3. Fat-free natural yogurt, low-fat sour cream, low-fat cottage cheese that has been pureed, buttermilk, Dijon mustard or fresh fruits reduced into a puree, are all excellent additions to give the dressing a creamy effect without using cream or mayonnaise!
4. Seasonings: for extra flavor and diversity you can add pesto, tapenade, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, fresh or dried herbs, spices, etc.

A classic salad dressing is usually prepared with three part oil and one part vinegar.   However, reducing these quantities to one part oil and one part vinegar is also possible.  Especially when ingredients from categories 3 and 4 are include in the preparation of the dressing.   These ingredients are great for stretching the dressing and increasing its flavors!

Grab your forks!

Lettuce is an annual plant that has been cultivated for more than 4500 years before our era and is grown in more than 100 varieties.  Each variety offers a different color, texture and flavor to our everyday salads.  Red or green, crispy or tender, neutral or bitter, they add freshness and nutrition to our favorite dishes.  In Quebec, the most popular varieties are the Iceberg lettuce, Boston lettuce, curly red or green lettuce and Romaine lettuce.

When Buying...Think Nutrition!
When buying lettuce, nothing compares to truly fresh greens that have no rusty ends, isn't dried-out, nor wilted.  In general, most lettuces have high water content, are rich in vitamins and minerals (calcium and potassium) and contain very few calories.  They are also rich in antioxidants (vitamins A, C and E) and are a reasonably high-fibre food.  However, the darker or more coloured the leaves are, the higher their content in minerals, vitamins and trace elements!

Try A Different Lettuce
For the reasons mentioned above, avoid limiting yourself to Iceberg lettuce.   Instead, buy a bag of baby spinach, mixed greens, sprouts (Lucerne, watercress) and add them by the handful to your favorite lettuce.  These mixtures add variety to the menu, as well as color and bring a refined touch to an otherwise plain salad!   Something that is very appreciated by many restaurant owners!  Finally, when trying new varieties of lettuces, keep in mind that the darker the color, the more it contains nutrients.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Arugula (or rocket): its peppery flavor and strong taste are perfect to enhance the flavors of a mixed lettuce salad, a simple tomato and cucumber salad or a potato salad.  Its flavor also marries well with pasta that is simply prepared with olive oil, cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, and who doesn't love the combination of arugula and prosciutto on a thin crust pizza?   At home, we like to blanch a mixture of arugula and Swiss chard leaves and then quickly sauté them in a bit of olive oil and garlic.   Simply delicious!
• Radicchio: this lettuce looks like a small red cabbage and has a distinct slightly bitter taste.  It can be used raw in salads or chopped finely and added to a risotto, sautéed with pancetta (non-smoked Italian "bacon") and green onions or shallots then served on pasta.  One of my favorite ways of serving radicchio?   Simply grill a few leaves, along with a few leaves or hearts of Romaine lettuce, and then serve with grated Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice!
• Chicory: this lettuce can be more or less bitter depending on the variety.  It's the kind of lettuce that combines well with other greens or the sweetness of fruits to make a tasty salad (try this month's recipe or our Fennel, Chicory, Orange and Pomegranate Salad) in the Archives section.  It can also be added to a minestrone soup or braised with garlic, olive oil and chilli peppers.
• Dandelion: in French, its name "pissenlit" refers to its diuretic properties.  Contrary to popular belief dandelion greens are more than just a simple weed, they are edible.  Their use as a food with superior nutritious and medicinal properties dates back for centuries.  Dandelion greens, member of the chicory family, can be used raw to complement salads, as well as cooked (sautéed or steamed).

Storage                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    In general, lettuces don't keep very long in the refrigerator.  They keep longer when wrapped loosely in a humid paper towel and kept in a plastic bag that is either perforated or not fully sealed.   Lettuces that have crisp and firm leaves (romaine, Iceberg) tend to last longer than delicate greens, such as cress, chicory, arugula and dandelions.  These are very perishable and should be used as soon as possible!