Recipe

• Two peppers (red, orange, or yellow – mix for nutritional variety), roasted and diced
• Three or four large handfuls of baby romaine lettuce
• A small bunch of grapes (about a dozen), sliced in half
• One small handful of sliced almonds
• One small handful of sunflower seeds
• A drizzle (2-4 tablespoons) of classic balsamic vinaigrette
• Freshly grated hard kasseri, to taste (parmesan or romano will substitute)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Roast peppers. If you have a gas stove, you can roast peppers right on the burners, directly above the flames. Turn the peppers every few minutes with tongs until the skin is thoroughly charred. Otherwise, set your oven to broil and place the peppers on the top rack, directly under the heating elements. Broil for 7-10 minutes one one side, then flip and repeat. Once the skins are charred, peel them off under cold water. The charred skin should come off effortlessly. Dice peeled peppers as you normally would into small pieces.

While the peppers are roasting, rinse and slice the grapes. Mix lettuce, grapes, almonds and seeds in a large bowl.

Add diced peppers and vinaigrette, and gently toss until ingredients are evenly distributed. Don’t toss too much or all the seeds will fall to the bottom.

Plate and top with cheese and pepper to taste. Pepper liberally for best effect.

Nutritional Info

Sweet peppers are one of my favorite foods, especially red peppers. They’re also extremely healthy. Sweet peppers are hydrating, low in calories, and high in nutrition. Red bell peppers are packed with vitamins A and C (more vitamin C than an orange) and a good source of fiber. They also contain lycopene and beta-cryptoxathin, which can lower the risk of cancer.

I’m also a big fan of nuts. IMO, one of the least appreciated foods. If you don’t keep a good stock of nuts in the kitchen, it’s time to start. Almonds are among my favorites. Not only are they sweet, they’re loaded with protein, iron, calcium, vitamin E, zinc, and B2. Almonds contain good for you fats, and can actually help lower your cholesterol. Almonds contain a healthy blend of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, so if you’re trying to reduce your fat and carbohydrate intake, almonds make a great substitute for the fatty foods you’re replacing. I prefer to buy my almonds pre-sliced from the grocery store bulk bins, because sliced almonds are great for sprinkling in salads, breakfast cereals, on yogurt, and even on the top of baked casseroles. In terms of raw nutritional value for money, it’s tough to beat almonds.

This recipe also contains sunflower seeds. Like almonds, sunflower seeds contain protein, healthy fats, calcium, and iron. They are also a good source of potassium and phosphorous. I buy them shelled and salted in bulk.

On Iodine and Salt

The salt from the sunflower seeds will most likely be iodized, which can help prevent some disease, including goiters. I usually buy non-iodized sea-salt to sprinkle on my foods, so I like to have iodized salt for most of my cooking and baking to make up for the lack of iodine in my diet. If you use sea salt and eat locally grown produce in land-locked regions, you might also think about adopting a similar habit. Too little or too much iodine can cause thyroid disorders. A teaspoon of iodized salt per day is plenty. If you eat out often, or eat produce from coastal regions, you probably have nothing to worry about. Most modern diets provide plenty of iodine, and heavy milk drinkers often get more than enough iodine from their dairy intake.

The Dressing Won’t Make You Fat

In salads, the biggest health concern is usually the dressing – but fear not! Balsamic vinaigrette contains about 50-100 calories per serving, only 5g-10g of fat, zero trans fats, and zero cholesterol. In other words, it’s good for you. Really!