The U.S. has a love affair with salads, and it’s not hard to see why when they combine such tasty, nutritious produce with such refreshing, crisp textures. You will notice that many of these salads feature fruits and vegetables that grow in warm climates or are harvested in the summer: cucumbers, watermelon, mint. Mother Nature has the perfect plan for providing food that your body needs for each season, and most of these salad recipes include cooling ingredients that are perfect to eat during hot, steamy days. I live in Los Angeles, which is no stranger to salad, but on the East Coast, there is a particular zest for salads in the summer, and you will see that many of the recipes in this section come from that region.
The salads I selected for this section were ones that I very much enjoyed eating, but I do want to mention that in traditional Chinese medicine, eating raw or chilled food is usually discouraged, as it is said to dampen your digestive function, which is discussed in more detail here. One other thing to consider about raw food is that it may potentially harbor microorganisms that could make you sick, so be sure to clean your produce well and follow proper prep methods, as outlined here. With those caveats in mind, savor the flavor of nature’s bounty in these salad recipes!
BENEFITS: HEART + IMMUNITY + BRAIN & VISION
When I was traveling in Vermont, I came across this salad at a small country inn that the whole family lived in. I loved it so much that I asked for the recipe. The family brought out their grandparents, who were in their nineties. Apparently this high-fiber salad had been serving the family healthy and happy benefits for a long time! And it makes sense. The citrus fruits are full of vitamin C and bioflavonoids. The apples contain pectin, which lowers cholesterol and gives your intestines a nice sweep. Pecans contain lots of essential fatty acids that benefit brain and heart health. Throw in the Vermont maple syrup, and you have a sweet, light fruit salad that is perfect for a hot summer day, satisfying but not too heavy.
SERVES 4
| 3 to 4 | navel oranges |
| 1 | green apple, washed, cored, and diced |
| 1 | red apple, washed, cored, and diced |
| ½ | cup freshly squeezed orange juice |
| 1 | cup plain soy or coconut yogurt |
| 2 | tablespoons honey |
| ½ | cup pecan halves |
| ¼ | cup maple syrup |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh ginger |
1. Peel 3 of the oranges and reserve 1 whole peel for garnish. Separate the sections and cut out any seeds and discard them. Cut the oranges into small chunks and put them in a strainer set over a pitcher or bowl to catch the juice while you prepare the rest of the fruit.
2. Put the diced apples and orange pieces into a bowl. Pour the orange juice into a measuring cup—you need ½ cup for the dressing. If you are short, squeeze the remaining orange until you have ½ cup. Whisk the yogurt and honey into the orange juice until smooth and pour it over the fruit. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend.
3. Meanwhile, line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the pecans, maple syrup, and ginger in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the syrup is sizzling and begins to turn sticky and golden brown. Keep a close watch as the syrup can burn easily. When the syrup is very thick and dark, pour the nuts out onto the lined baking sheet, separate with a fork, and let cool completely.
4. Cut the reserved orange peel into four ½-inch by 2-inch strips. To serve, divide the fruit salad among 4 serving bowls and top each with a few glazed pecans. Garnish each bowl with a twisted orange peel and serve immediately.
Oranges are famous for their high vitamin C content, one of the most powerful antioxidants and a well-known immune system support. This delicious citrus fruit also has a wide array of phytonutrients like flavanones, anthocyanins, and polyphenols. These antioxidant nutrients help protect you from the ravages of free radicals, thus protecting cells and DNA from the mutations that cause cancer. Vitamin C also supports the cardiovascular system, preventing the oxidation and hardening of cholesterol, risk factors in stroke and heart attack.
BENEFITS: HEART + IMMUNITY + ANTI-INFLAMMATION + DIGESTION + GOOD MOOD
This is a very pretty fruit salad recipe that I picked up on my travels to the East Coast. Grapefruits have so many benefits! Extremely high in vitamin C, grapefruit helps support the immune system. It contains natural salicylic acid, which helps with arthritis, and is full of free-radical-fighting phytonutrients like limonoids and lycopene, which help prevent aging and defend against cancer. Additionally, grapefruit can lower cholesterol.Traditional Chinese medicine finds them to be a great aid in digestion. The dark red skin of the cranberries contains flavonoids that are powerful antioxidants and have bacteria-fighting properties. One warning: eating grapefruit is usually discouraged for people taking certain medications, as it can interfere with blood pressure and heart medications.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS OR 4 SERVINGS
| 2 | medium Ruby Red grapefruits, peeled |
| ½ | cup honey |
| ¼ | cup orange marmalade |
| 1 | cup fresh cranberries |
| 2 | medium bananas or 1 large banana |
1. Using a sharp knife, section the grapefruit over a bowl, saving the juice and transferring the segments to another bowl. Pour the juice into a measuring cup and add enough water to the juice to measure ½ cup.
2. Put the juice mixture, honey, and marmalade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the cranberries, and cook, stirring, until the cranberry skins pop, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
3. Pour the cooled cranberry mixture over the grapefruit sections and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Just before serving, slice the bananas and stir into the chilled grapefruit mixture. Serve immediately.
The banana in this recipe helps balance out the tartness of the grapefruit, but anytime is a good time to indulge in this potassium-packed snack. Potassium is an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. In addition, bananas have long been recognized for their antacid effects, which protect against stomach ulcers. Very rich in B6 , bananas may help boost your mood, too!
BENEFITS: HEART + IMMUNITY + BRAIN & VISION
Nothing says summer like a juicy, cooling watermelon! My mother used to make this for my brother and me during very hot summers in Asia, and it would cool us down immediately. Watermelon is an excellent source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been associated with a reduced incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and macular degeneration. It is also filled with vitamins A and C, making it good for your vision, and it contains the amino acid arginine, which helps lower blood pressure through its production of nitric oxide.
SERVES 4
| 1 | cup chopped watermelon |
| ¼ | cup crumbled goat’s milk feta cheese |
| 1 | small red onion, thinly sliced |
| ¼ | cup chopped fresh mint |
| Honey, for garnish | |
| Combine the melon, cheese, onion, and mint in a serving bowl and mix gently. Drizzle a little honey over the top for a touch of added sweetness and serve immediately. |
Mint pairs perfectly with many summer salads. Considered one of the most versatile herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, mint is known to relax the intestines, settle the stomach, and alleviate gas. Additionally, mint is rich in antioxidants that support good vision, and it cleanses your liver, helping eliminate harmful toxins from your body. Sprinkle mint on your food for flavor or steep in tea and drink thirty minutes after mealtimes for untroubled digestion.
BENEFITS: HEART + IMMUNITY + ANTI-INFLAMMATION + DIGESTION + ANTI-AGING BEAUTY
This is a classic Middle Eastern recipe that is very cooling in the hot months, due in large part to the main ingredient. Cucumbers are a very popular vegetable, widely cultivated and used by many cultures. High in vitamin C and beta-carotene, cucumbers have anti-inflammatory properties and also anti-cancer properties, thanks to the lignans they possess. Radishes are high in fiber, which is particularly helpful with keeping digestion on track and fighting colon cancer. When paired with sunflower seeds, the complex carbohydrates of the vegetables are balanced out by the healthy fat and protein of the seeds. With veggie salads, you always want to achieve a nutritional harmony by adding beans, legumes, nuts, or seeds.
SERVES 4
| 1 | chilled English cucumber, diced |
| 4 | small radishes, sliced |
| ½ | cup lowfat, unsweetened yogurt |
| 2 | tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice |
| 1 | tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil |
| 1 | teaspoon sunflower seeds, toasted and cooled |
| 2 | tablespoons mint, chopped |
| Combine the cucumber and radishes in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, and olive oil until combined and creamy. Add the dressing to the cucumbers and radishes and mix well. Sprinkle the toasted sunflower seeds and mint over the top of the salad for an aromatic and nutty crunch! Serve immediately. |
It is no coincidence that one could be “cool as a cucumber.” Cooling in nature, traditional Chinese medicine considers cucumber helpful for quenching thirst, relieving irritability, and promoting diuresis. As a natural diuretic, cucumber will help hydrate and lower the pressure in the arteries. It is also helpful for reducing inflammation in the body and has incredible anti-cancer properties. Cucumber’s content of silica gives it the ability to soothe skin irritation and reduce swelling—so a slice on a bug bite can help minimize swelling. The cucumber is excellent in salads, as a snack alone, or pickled.
BENEFITS: HEART + ANTI-INFLAMMATION + METABOLISM + DIGESTION
A friend of mine from Peru grew up eating this salad recipe, which his grandmother used to make. His grandma lived to 104, so you can count this among one of the great tried-and-true longevity dishes and summertime favorites! Mango and avocados, very abundant in that part of the world, have many health benefits.
SERVES 4
| 1 | large mango, peeled, pitted, and diced |
| 1 | large avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced |
| 1 | cup peeled and diced jicama |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped, toasted almonds |
| 1 | tablespoon dried cranberries |
| 1 | tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice |
| 1 | tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil |
| Toss the mango, avocado, jicama, almonds, and cranberries together in a medium bowl. Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the fruit, toss gently to combine, and serve immediately. |
Originally from Asia, mangoes were brought to South America in the fifteenth century. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the mango regenerates the body’s fluids, stops coughs, and strengthens digestion. Indeed, they are especially rich in digestive enzymes and help detoxify the body. Mangoes also help strengthen the metabolism’s function, which encourages weight loss and benefits cardiovascular health, helping to prevent high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. Mangoes have been found to have incredible anti-inflammatory properties, hormone-regulating vitamin E, blood-building iron, and bone-strengthening minerals.
BENEFITS: HEART + IMMUNITY + ANTI-INFLAMMATION
I received this recipe from a Japanese doctor, who is also a nutritionist. He came across this recipe in a traditional Japanese cookbook, and began recommending it to his patients because it was full of so many health benefits. It is a light, low-calorie salad, yet highly nutritious. The seaweed helps reduce inflammation and is an important source of trace minerals. The real star of this salad is the edamame, which is filled with protein and cholesterol-lowering properties, and it has also been found to help prevent breast and prostate cancer.
SERVES 4
| DRESSING | |
| ⅓ | cup rice vinegar |
| 1½ | tablespoons walnut oil |
| 1½ | teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce |
| 1 | teaspoon grated fresh ginger |
| ½ | teaspoon toasted sesame oil |
| Small pinch cayenne pepper | |
SALAD |
|
| 1 | pound extra-firm tofu, cubed |
| ½ | small daikon radish, peeled and sliced into matchsticks |
| ¼ | ounce wakame seaweed, soaked in water for 1 hour |
| 1½ | teaspoons sesame seeds |
| 2 | cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed, rinsed, and patted dry |
| 1 | tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro |
1. To make the dressing, in a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, walnut oil, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and cayenne together until well combined. Gently fold in the tofu and radish until coated and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Meawhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and add the seaweed; boil for 15 minutes, until soft, and drain well. Put the sesame seeds in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat and toast, swirling the pan, for about 3 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Pour the seeds out onto a plate and cool.
3. Remove the tofu from the marinade and set aside on a plate. Add the drained seaweed and edamame to the dressing and toss well to combine. Gently fold the tofu back into the salad until evenly combined and transfer it to a serving plate.
4. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over the top, garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve immediately.
Often found floating in miso soup, wakame looks like slippery spinach, but as you see here, it can also easily become a salad. It is a diuretic, which means it helps reduce the amount of water in the body. Because it prevents bloating and is packed with osteoporosis-preventing calcium and magnesium, wakame is sometimes referred to as the “women’s seaweed.” But the wakame benefits don’t end there—this seaweed is also high in important trace minerals and is one of the few non-animal sources of vitamin B12.
BENEFITS: HEART + BRAIN & AMP; VISION + GOOD MOOD
I had a patient from Norway who used to travel there often to see her relatives. She shared this recipe with me, and relished eating this family favorite because it had been a part of her Norwegian background for as long as she could remember. Her grandparents and great-grandparents lived into their nineties. Cod, like most other fish, has many cardiovascular benefits because it is such an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. When compared to most other forms of protein, fish is much easier to digest—helping you to really take advantage of the wonderful nutrients.
SERVES 4
| 1 | (1-pound) skinless, boneless cod fillet |
| 2 | tablespoons coarse sea salt |
| 1 | cucumber, peeled and diced |
| 10 | cherry tomatoes, halved |
| 1 | avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed |
| 2 | tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice |
| 5 | tablespoons olive oil, divided |
| 1 | head butter lettuce, chopped |
| 2 | shallots, minced |
1. Put the cod in a dish and rub the entire surface with the sea salt; refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. When ready to cook the fish, in a small bowl, gently toss the cucumbers, tomatoes, and avocado until combined. Drizzle the lime juice and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over the vegetables and toss lightly to coat. Divide the lettuce among 4 serving plates and evenly distribute the cucumber mixture over the top of each plate of greens. Set aside while you cook the fish.
3. Rinse the cod fillet well under cold running water and pat very dry with a paper towel. Cut the fish into 1-inch chunks. Heat the remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cod and shallots and cook, turning and stirring frequently, until the fish is turning golden and is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Remove the fish from the heat and divide it evenly among the 4 salads. Serve immediately while warm.
Cod, like most fish, also has B vitamins, such as B12 and B6, which fight against inflammation in blood vessels. Numerous studies show that people who eat a lot of fish—especially cold-water fish like cod—have less risk of heart attack, because the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are good for controlling blood pressure and helping to prevent blood clots. These fatty acids also help support eye health, boost brain health, and can even help elevate your mood. People who eat fish generally have higher IQs and lower rates of dementia; it may even protect against Alzheimer’s. This tasty white, mild-flavored fish is available year-round. It is a good idea to get to know your local fishmonger so that you can get answers to any questions you may have about freshness and sustainability of their source.
BENEFITS: HEART + IMMUNITY + ANTI-INFLAMMATION
My lovely wife adapted this dish from a Canadian friend of hers, who said this recipe had been in her family for some time. Her friend’s family was from British Columbia, a place where salmon is abundant. My wife added an Asian flair with the ginger-miso dressing. Salmon has so many health benefits with its omega-3s, especially when combined with the leek, which is good for circulation.
SERVES 4
| 4 | (6-ounce) boneless, skinless salmon fillets |
| 20 | thin slices fresh peeled ginger |
| Salt | |
| 6 | small leeks, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch slices |
| Lettuce leaves, for serving | |
GINGER-MISO DRESSING |
|
| ½ | cup rice vinegar |
| ¼ | cup miso paste |
| 1 | teaspoon ground ginger |
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place a large sheet of parchment paper, large enough to loosely tent around all 4 pieces of salmon, on a baking pan. Rub the salmon pieces with a slice of ginger and season them to taste with salt. Place the salmon fillets in the center of the parchment paper on the pan and cover them with the ginger slices and leeks. Bring up the sides of paper, folding the top and sides to make a tent, enclosing the salmon completely. Bake until the salmon is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat until warm. Add the miso paste and ground ginger, whisking until dissolved. Remove from heat.
3. Line 4 serving plates with lettuce leaves. Take the salmon out of the oven and carefully remove the leeks and ginger pieces from the salmon. Divide and arrange the leeks on top of the lettuce and top each plate with a salmon fillet. Pour the dressing over the salmon and garnish with the cooked ginger slices. Serve warm or cold.
Considered a warming food, leeks perk up the immune system with their rich sources of vitamin C, potassium, chromium, and selenium. Additionally, they contain volatile oils that are antimicrobial and help stimulate immunity. Leeks guard you from diseases like diabetes, arthritis, heart diseases, and certain forms of cancer.