Superfood Salad: Beauty from the Inside, Out

I'm feeling rather impressed with my culinary prowess tonight. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I kind of came up with this combination on a whim, and it was pretty successful, so I figure I'd share it with you. To access the recipe of the chicken (and pseudo-dressing) used in this salad, view the post entitled The Slow Cooker Makes Food...Fast: Easy Chicken Teriyaki from June 26.

Made with various fruits and vegetables--and goat cheese, yum!--the Superfood Salad (created by yours truly only a few hours ago) is jam-packed with many essential nutrients, and tastes great, too! One of the other benefits of this salad is that it's tasty without salad dressing. Instead of using dressing, substitute the sauce from the chicken teriyaki.

Before I list the ingredients, I should tell you that I provide no amounts or ratios or anything because you can do all of this to your taste. For example, I like less greens and extra blueberries, goat cheese, and dried cranberries, but you may want to use a larger spinach bed and a few less berries. It's all in what you like. :-)

Listed below each ingredient, you can find information about the health/beauty benefit it provides.

Superfood Salad

baby spinach
According to the August 2013 issue of Runner's World, spinach is 92% water, and so can help keep you hydrated. Two cups of the uncooked leafy green also pack a powerful punch of your daily requirement for iron (10%). Spinach is also on WebMD's list of "superfoods everyone needs." You can learn even more about the many benefits of spinach at "The World's Healthiest Foods."

sliced radishes
Radishes are a very low-calorie root vegetable. According to livestrong.com, they can contribute to eye health, reduce the risk of developing certain cancers and asthma, and may provide nutrients that help reduce inflammation/

grape tomatoes
Grape tomatoes are full of Vitamin C and Lycopene, a Vitamin-A compound that can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer (see http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutritional-three-ounces-grape-tomatoes-1368.html).

blueberries
Most people know that the best time to consume any fruit or vegetable is when it is in season. Blueberries are in season June through August, so we are in the thick of blueberry season. Even though they offer only 84 calories per cup, these tiny berries contain tons of antioxidants that "may improve cholesterol, boost cardiovascular health, and build strong bones" (check out page 44 in the August 2013 issues of Runner's World).

dried cranberries
It's no secret that cranberries are good for urinary tract health. They are also a good source of Vitamin C. A 2010 study also revealed that cranberries can help prevent stomach ulcers and other diseases. Visit http://www.livestrong.com/article/385375-dried-cranberries-nutrition/ to learn more. Plus, they are a low-calories way to add a little sweet to your salad!

dried cherries
Like dried cranberries, dried cherries add a little sweetness to your salad without adding a whole lot of sugar, and, provided you use the unsweetened variety, all the sugar they do add is naturally occurring. In addition, as mentioned in the June 5 post, Beauty Sleep, dried cherries can help promote regular sleep patterns. To read more about this benefit, visit http://www.livestrong.com/article/385870-dried-cherries-nutrition/. Dried cherries also contain Vitamin A and potassium.

crumbled goat cheese
One of the benefits of goat cheese is that it contains less lactose than milk made with cow's cheese, thus making it a more viable option for those who are lactose intolerant. Goat cheese also contains less calories than does most cheese made with cow's milk. While goat cheese does contain less protein than, say, regular cheddar cheese, it contains more vitamins and minerals. Visit http://www.livestrong.com/article/402645-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-eating-goat-cheese/ to learn more.

cooked rice
According to "Organic Facts," rice can help keep you regular, provide immediate energy, and help regulate or stabilize blood pressure.

Chicken Teriyaki as posted on June26
This recipe, which you can find in the June 26 post called The Slow Cooker Makes Food...Fast: Easy Chicken Teriyaki, calls for pineapple juice, garlic, ginger, and chicken, among a few other health-promoting ingredients. Garlic, for example, is said to be anti-viral and anti-microbial, and can thus help support a healthy immune system. It is also good for heart health. Ginger is a known anti-inflammatory. It can also reduce nausea, and appears on the list of "The World's Healthiest Foods," as is garlic.

Aside from all the health benefits listed above, another bonus of this salad is that you can forgo the salad dressing, thus saving on fat content and calories. Instead of dressing, simply use the sauce from the teriyaki chicken. You can also drizzle the sauce over your cooked rice garnish, too.

Dig in! The Superfood Salad is delicious, nutritious, and satisfying!

Fast Fitness Tip: Did you know the colors red and yellow can stimulate hunger, while the color blue can suppress appetite? (Consider Wendy's red sign and the yellow arches of McDonald's paired with the red. Coincidence...?) Consider this fact when you choose the color of your kitchen walls, as well as of your dishes. (Yes, I know my plate above is yellow...I was hungry, anyway...)