Posted by Sidra Forman on Thu, Jun 03, 2010
This time of year, I start to do lots of non-cooking, meaning I make dishes that don't require heat—think cold salads and soups, chilled entrées and fresh fruit for dessert. This helps keep the house cooler (no extra heat coming from the stove or oven) and it also keeps me from having to eat something warm when it's warm out.
One of my favorite healthy non-cook dishes is a fennel salad (see the recipe below). Fennel is crunchy vegetable (similar to celery), with a fresh, slightly licorice taste. It's available year round, but right now it's just starting to show up at my local farmers market—and it's at its best. (You may even be able to find baby fennel right now, which is slightly sweet and even juicier than larger fennel.) I love the veggie because it's versatile—it adds flavor and texture to salads as well as it accompanies fish, meat and poultry. Plus, it's easy to use; simply slice the bulb and enjoy.
You can follow the recipe below exactly or feel free to experiment, incorporating other herbs and vegetables as you like. For instance, if you have your own garden and have some extra tomatoes or cucumbers, you could throw them into the salad.
Fennel Salad
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 large bulb fennel, sliced thinly
½ cup chopped mixed herbs (such as chives, basil, parsley, etc.)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and season with black pepper. Serve immediately as a salad or as a side dish that will pair well with pretty much anything. Or store in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours before serving.
Nutritional Information
1 serving
Calories: 49
Protein: 1 g
Carbohydrate: 4 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Sugars: 0 g
Total Fat: 3.5 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Calcium: 35 mg
Sodium: 322 mg