Mark’s Daily Apple

Weekend Backsliding?8

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Slippery Saturdays

Researchers say Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the most productive days of the week. Monday tends to be “recoveryâ€� day from the weekend, and the rest of the week, well, we’re often coasting along waiting for the weekend to arrive, aren’t we? (Ah, the lure of the weekend: the free time, the social activities, special occasions, the chance to kick back…) But is our cherished refuge also our health’s downfall?

A study from the Washington University School of Medicine suggests that the tendency toward weekend backslide on health goals is a common problem. The researchers assembled daily weight, caloric intake, and physical activity data from participants both before and during assigned intervention programs. The participants included a total of 48 men and women, aged 50-60, whose BMI scores ranged from normal to obese.

Initial, “pre-intervention� data showed that participants ate an average of 236 more calories on Saturday than during the week. To top it off, activity levels on Sunday hit a slump. Researchers found the same pattern after assigning year-long weight loss intervention programs, which included a “caloric restriction� group (20% reduction in daily caloric intake) and an “exercise� group (20% increase in daily physical activity). Participants kept food diaries or wore activity monitors throughout the intervention programs. During this period, the caloric restriction group lost weight during the week but only managed to hold steady over the weekends. The exercise group also lost weight during the week but actually gained weight over the average weekend given the higher caloric intake.

Susan Racette, the study’s author, offered this perspective on the findings: “There is less structure on the weekend for a lot of people, and that can wreak havoc. …A little indulgence turns into a big indulgence. Being vigilant on the weekends is really important for people either trying to lose weight or maintain a weight loss.”

The study seems timely, given the responses of a few Primal Health Challenge participants (and other readers), who have noted that staying Primal on the weekend is tough. We would agree. As the study author suggests, weekends don’t go by the book. Weekends are, after all, about three hour brunches getting caught up with friends, long days at the beach with the kids, an afternoon of errands and home projects, long naps on the couch, movie theaters, dinners out, hosting guests. They’re packed, spontaneous, free form. And that’s the point of weekends really, don’t you think? A break from the day to day grind.

But we think that “grind� shouldn’t necessarily include a good diet and fitness program. Talk about throwing the baby out with the bath water! (Can you hear the siren song coming from the kitchen, the concession stand, or the weekend specials menu?) It’s hard to hold onto the regimen when life becomes, well, so unregimented over the weekend. Nonetheless, if you’re committed to sticking to your goals 100% (like the Primal Health Challenge), it’s clear you need to up your resolve on the weekends. Get up in time to make a decent breakfast. Pack your “lunch� the night before if you’ll be on the run all day. Call ahead or check online for restaurant menus to plan any dinners out. Have a hearty salad before heading out to Batman.

And then there’s the other side of the coin. Though the Primal Health Challenge dares us to go for the gold every time, settling into that personal, sustainable level of Primal can mean simply allowing for Sensible Vices on weekends as part of an overall health and wellness scheme. No, it’s not about letting everything go to pot, but it is about letting loose (guilt-free) to enjoy the best weekends life has to offer.

What are the tricks and treats behind your Primal weekends? Best strategies to share? Most frequent temptations?

Oh, and by the way, Happy Thursday, everyone. Back to the regularly scheduled grind…

Johnny Thirkill Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

How Our Eyes Deceive Our Appetites

The Original Sensible Vices

Sensible Vices: Round 2

The Art of Compromise

How to Eat More Chocolate and Drink More Wine Every Day

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Posted: Diet, Health, Nutrition, Personal Improvement, Prevention, Worker Bees' Weekly Bites

How to Make Your Own Jerky9

If Grok Can Do It So Can You

In the modern world it’s hard to get more “primal� than dried meat. Consider it one of Grok’s many talents and culinary achievements. Jerky is essentially strips of lean meat that have marinated and dried. The result? Tasty, rich, salty and pumped with about twice the protein gram per gram of regular “hydrated� meat. To boot, you’ve got a snack that travels well under circumstances as varied as weekend camping trips to NASA missions. Awesome, huh?

But when we say jerky we mean something so much better and healthier than the processed strips and sticks (e.g. “Slim Jimsâ€�) you find at the gas station checkout. The best jerky is made from whole-muscle meat, homemade or in small batch varieties. We’ll agree that there’s some great small label jerky out there. Meat shares from small farms often include it. To try out a few varieties, farmers’ markets are a great place to pick up some of the real deal especially if you’re new to the world of genuine jerky.

But there’s real pleasure and a very primal sense of accomplishment in making your own. But rest assured that the endeavor needn’t be the tedious, complicated effort many people think it is. Sure, the overall time commitment involves several hours, but most of it is plain old “dry� time when you have the liberty to go about your business at home, fixing the front steps, weeding the garden, watching the kids in the pool, catching a cat nap, etc. Consider it a great excuse to enjoy hanging out at home on a weekend afternoon.

But don’t I need a dehydrator or smoker? Nope. If you have an oven, consider yourself set. Many long-time jerky connoisseurs actually find oven-made easiest and on par taste-wise. If you’re, in fact, using a dehydrator or smoker, simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If you’re going the oven route, we’ve got some tips.

The Devil Is In the Details (of prep, that is)

Tip #1: Go for a meat with next to no fat. This is not the time to look for marbling. When it comes to jerky: fat just doesn’t work. It goes rancid – unhealthy and, well, downright unappetizing. Jerky can be made from beef, venison, bison, and (less often) pork, turkey, and chicken, ostrich, and salmon. Beginners might start with beef for simplicity and availability sake. An easy and common cut is flank steak. London broil cuts are a good option as well. (As always, we suggest clean, grass-fed meat if you can get it.)

To save time and frustration, you can always request that the butcher do the trimming and cutting for you. Go for long, ¼ inch strips cut across the grain for tenderness. A tip for trimming your own: put the meat in the freezer long enough to firm up but not harden and then get out the ginsu.

The next step involves the marinade. You’ll get a lot of advice on marinades. A million different opinions, actually. In addition to the marinade recipes themselves, there’s the marinade method. As the folks at Oregon State University tell us, the USDA recommends that jerky meat “be heated to 160 degrees F before the dehydrating process in order to destroy pathogenic microorganisms.�

Some people dry in the oven at this temperature, but another method for heating is the “hot marinade� option. Instead of letting the meat “soak� overnight in a plastic bag, you can boil your marinade mix and drop in your meat strips for a minute or two. Rest assured that a lot of people swear by this method just for the taste itself. If you’re using conventional meats, going the safe route is a good idea. Raised, grass-finished might present less risk. The safety of wild meats like venison often depends on factors as various as overpopulation to butchering mastery.

As for marinade recipes, chalk it up to personal taste. We’ll offer a humble suggestion to get you started in your experimentation.

For a 2-lb cut:

¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. liquid smoke
3 minced or crushed garlic cloves
2 ½ tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. hot chili powder
½-1 tsp. each of salt and black pepper

(Hint: For a hotter taste, add red pepper flakes or hot sauce. To add a hint of sweetness, include a Tbsp. of honey.)

The Heat Is On

Again, if you’re using an oven, you’ll use the power of the dry heat to dehydrate the meat over several hours. Lay the strips across clean wire racks or a broiler pan, and place in the oven. You’ll want to put a lined pan in the oven a couple rack bars lower than the strips in order to catch the drippings. If you don’t have racks that will hold the strips, line backing sheets with aluminum foil, and lay your jerky strips on the pans. Make sure the strips don’t touch. Particularly if you used a hot marinade, you can use a lower temperature (150 degrees is common) for 6-8 hours. Turn strips half-way through cook time.

Jerky is done when it’s darkened and cracks when bent. (It shouldn’t break apart.) Allow to cool completely at room temperature.

Call It Good

Once the strips are fully cooled, it’s time for storage. Homemade jerky (i.e. jerky without all the nitrates and preservatives) won’t store long at room temperature. Vacuum sealing is your best bet for this option. The packaging will allow you to bring the jerky with you on that longer backpacking trip minus the fuss and worries. In the meantime, your best bet is refrigerator or freezer storage. Wrap or vacuum seal in plastic, and store for 2-3 months in the refrigerator. (Freezer storage, provided you’ve wrapped the jerky well to prevent frostbite, will buy you a few more months.)

There you go. A nice big batch will give you plenty of portable protein nourishment for days walking on the trail or biding your time in the airport. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be a jerky convert, we guarantee it. It’s a subculture in itself, we tell ya.

Got stories, recipes, tips and trials in your own jerky-making ventures? Do share, we say. Enjoy!

alau2, lightsoutfilms Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

Definitive Guides to:

Homemade Condiment Creations

Top 10 Meat Questions Meet Answers

10 Delicious DIY Salad Dressings

DIY - Butter, Yogurt, Kefir, Oh My!

Tips on Foraging in the Modern World

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Posted: How To, Recipes

Calling All 30-Day Primal Health Challenge Participants!0

Yesterday marked the end of the 30-Day Primal Health Challenge. Don’t fret! You don’t have to fall back in to your old ways. Take a moment to reflect on all that you accomplished (weight lost, resolve strengthened, muscle gained) as well as the difficulties faced (the midnight cravings and peer pressure from co-workers you gave into). At the very least we hope you have learned something about the yourself and the Primal way of life.

If you’d like to share you experience please send in your story by the end of today. We will be publishing all results tomorrow morning.

Further Reading:

The Primal Health Challenge: Posts 1 and 2

A Must Read for All Participants: Making the Switch to Primal Living in 6 Easy Steps

Low Energy on Primal Challenge

Primal Health Challenge Week 1 Results, Week 2 Results, Week 3 Results

Athletes and the Primal Blueprint

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Posted: Announcements, Health, Health Challenges, Primal Health

The Definitive Guide to the Primal Eating Plan28

Do the Math

In my recent Context of Calories post, I explained how the different macronutrients we eat at each meal (fats, proteins, and carbohydrates) have different effects in the body. I suggested that, despite their raw calorie values, it’s far more important to get a lasting intuitive sense of how much of each macronutrient you need and when you need it (or not).

But how do you do that? How do you figure out the proper number of calories - and breakdown of fats, protein and carbs - to accomplish your fitness and health goals? To lose weight? Lose fat? Gain muscle? Maintain status quo? Run marathons?

In fact, most popular daily diets look at overall calories as the main factor in weight loss and weight gain. The age-old conservation of energy Conventional Wisdom says that “a calorie is a calorie.” From there most diet gurus generally prescribe some formulaic one-size-fits-all breakdown of fats, protein and carbs. A classically trained Registered Dietician will tell you that protein should be around 10-15% of calories, carbs should be 60% (and mostly from whole grains) and fat under 30%. This macronutrient breakdown stays the same regardless of how much weight you need to lose or what other goals you might have. Barry Sears has his 40/30/30 “Zone” diet. The USDA bases everything on a choice of between 2,000 and 2,500 calories a day. But, as I said earlier, it’s not that simple. Calories do have context.

The human body uses these macronutrients for a variety of different functions, some of which are structural and some of which are simply to provide energy - immediately or well into the future. Moreover, with regards to energy conservation or expenditure, the body acts as both an efficient fuel storage depot (and as a toxic “waist” site) as well as a potent generator of energy, depending largely on the hormonal signals it gets. It will store glycogen and/or fat and it will build muscle - or it will just as easily tear them all down and use them for fuel - based on input from you: what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, what you’re doing before or after you eat - even what you’re thinking when you eat. Yet because your body always seeks to achieve homeostasis over time, the notion of you trying to zero in on a precise day-to-day or meal-to-meal eating plan is generally fruitless (yes, Charlotte, some fruit is allowed). The good news in all this is that falling off the wagon once or twice this week won’t have the immediate disastrous effect that you might imagine - as long as you can keep your average intake under control and understand how the various macronutrients function over time.

Which brings me to the crux of today’s discussion. Not only is it nearly impossible to accurately gauge your exact meal-to-meal calorie and macronutrient requirements, doing so will drive you crazy. In fact, to accurately figure your true structural and functional fuel needs (and hence to achieve your goals) it’s far more effective to look at a much larger span of time, like a few weeks, and aim for an “average” consumption. Then you can review that average daily intake over weeks or months and adjust accordingly. Below, I’ll give you a way to figure a “jumping off” point to start with, but remember, our genes are accustomed to the way our ancestors ate: intermittently, sporadically, sometimes in large quantities, and sometimes not at all for days. Their bodies figured out a way to maintain homeostasis and preserve lean tissue and good health through all this and so can we. Our genes want us to be lean and fit. It’s actually quite easy as long as we eat from the long list of Primal Blueprint healthy foods and try to avoid that other list of grain-laden, sugary, processed and otherwise unhealthy foods. Realistically, we also want to allow for the occasional party-splurge, a pre-planned (or accidental) intermittent fast, an over-the-top workout or even a week of laziness. Where most people get into trouble is in miscalculating their energy needs over extended periods of time - not day-to-day. They don’t see the average amount of carbs creeping upwards, or they figure they need x amount of calories, but don’t have a clue as to what kind of food those should be coming from.

I start with these four basic principles to guide my Primal Blueprint eating style:

1) 80% of your body composition will be determined by your diet. Yes, exercise is also important to health and to speed up fat-burning and muscle-building, but most of your results will come from how you eat. I’ll write more on this later, so just trust me on this one for now. Suffice to say, people who weigh a ton and exercise a ton, but eat a ton, still tend to weigh a ton. I think I’ll have that made into a t-shirt…

2) Lean Body Mass (LBM) is the key to life. I’ve said it many times on this site: lean mass (muscle and all the rest of you that is not fat) is directly correlated with longevity and excellent health. Rather than strive to “lose weight”, most people would be better off striving to lose only fat and to build or maintain muscle. Since other organs tend to function at a level that correlates to muscle mass, the more muscle you maintain throughout life, the more “organ reserve” you’ll have (i.e. the better the rest of you will work). Refer back to rule #1 and eat to build or maintain muscle.

3) Excess body fat is bad. Most human studies show that being significantly overweight increases your risk of nearly every disease (except osteoporosis - because ironically it responds to weight-bearing activities). Fat just doesn’t look that great either. See rule #1 and eat to keep body fat relatively low.

4) Excess insulin is bad. We’ve written about it here a lot. Chronic excess insulin may be even worse than excess sugar (and we know how bad that is). All animals produce insulin, but within any species, those that produce less insulin live longer than those who produce a lot. Eat to keep insulin low.

Here is how I use these principles to guide my individual macronutrient intake:

Protein

Protein takes priority. If there is ample glycogen (stored glucose) and the body is getting the rest of its energy efficiently from fats, protein will always go first towards repair or building cells or enzymes. In that context, it hardly seems fair to assign it a “burn rate” of 4 calories per gram. It’s like saying the 2×4 studs that support the walls of your house can burn nicely if you run out of firewood. They will, but I prefer to burn other fuel first. At a minimum you need .5 grams of protein per pound of lean mass/per day on average to maintain your “structure”. If you are moderately active you need .7 or .8, and if you are an active athlete you need as much as 1 gram of protein per pound of lean mass. That’s at a minimum, but it’s on a daily average. So a 155 lb moderately active woman who has 25% body fat (and thus) has 116 lb of lean body mass needs 93 grams of protein on average per day (116 x .8). If she gets 60 or 80 some days and 110 on others, she’ll still be in a healthy average range. And even if she exceeds the 110, it’s no problem if she’s eating low carb because the excess protein will convert to glucose, which will reduce her effective carbohydrate needs (see below). At 4 calories per gram, that’s between 320 and 440 calories per day in protein. It’s not that much.

Carbs

If you’ve forgotten everything you ever learned in biology, just remember this and “own” it: Carbohydrate drives insulin drives fat (Cahill 1965, and Taubes 2007). The idea in the PB is to limit your carbs to only those you need to provide glucose for the brain and for some reasonable amount (certainly less than an hour) of occasional anaerobic exercise. And the truth is, you don’t even need glucose to fuel the brain. Ketones from a very-low carb diet work extremely efficiently at that task. Either way, ideally, we would like most of our daily energy to come from dietary or stored fats. Typically, (if you are at an ideal body composition now) I use a rule of thumb that 100-150 grams of carbohydrate per day is plenty to keep you out of ketosis (and ketosis is NOT a bad thing) but away from storing the excess as fat if you are the least bit active. Don’t forget that your body can make up to 200 grams of glycogen from fats and protein every day, too. On the other hand, if you are looking to lose body fat, keeping carbs to under 80 grams per day will help immensely in lowering insulin and taking fat out of storage. On the other other hand, if you are insistent on training hard for long periods of time, you would add more carbs (say, 100 per day extra for every extra hour you train hard). It becomes a matter of doing the math and experimenting with the results.

Ironically, it’s tough to exceed 100 grams of carbs even if you eat tons of colorful vegetables - as long as you eat like our ancestors and consume no grains, no sugars and few starchy vegetables (potatoes, yams, beets, legumes, etc). Even if you eat a ton of vegetables AND a fair amount of fruit, you’ll be hard pressed to exceed 150 grams of carbs on average per day. Our remote ancestors couldn’t average 150 grams of carbs a day if they tried, yet they had plenty of energy and maintained their lean mass. At 4 calories per gram that’s only between 400 and 600 calories per day. Add that in to the protein above and our sample girl is barely at 1,000 calories on the high end. So where does the rest of the fuel come from?

Fats

Learn to love them. They are the fuel of choice and should become the balance of your Primal Blueprint diet. Fats have little or no impact on insulin and, as a result, promote the burning of both dietary and stored (adipose) fat as fuel. Think about this: if protein and carbs stay fairly constant (and carbs stay under 150), you can use fat as the major energy variable in your diet. Feeling like you need more fuel (and you’ve already covered your bases with protein and carbs)? Reach for something with fat. Nuts, avocados, coconut, eggs, butter, olive oil, fish, chicken, lamb, beef, the list is a long one. 100 grams of fats per day would only add 900 calories to our girl’s daily average, putting her at between 1620 and 1940 calories a day. Even if she averages somewhere between 1400 and 2200 calories per day over a few weeks, as long as she pays attention to protein and carbs, her body composition will shift to lower body fat and more desirable lean mass. If she decides to do some walking, a few brief intense weight sessions and a sprint day here and there, that process would accelerate greatly. If she gets to a point where she’s content with her body fat, she can even add in a little more fat to provide energy that she previously got from her stored fat.

The main thing I’ve figured out from eating this way for years is that I don’t need nearly as many calories to maintain health, mass, and body fat as I once thought I did - or as the Conventional Wisdom says I do. I eat 600-1000 calories per day less than when I ate a carbohydrate-based diet, yet I maintain slightly lower body fat and slightly higher muscle mass on even less training. Remember: 80% of body composition is determined by diet. The best part is that I don’t ever feel hungry because I base my eating on exactly what my 10,000-year-old genes want me to eat.

Further Reading:

Definitive Guides to:

The Primal Blueprint

Grains

Fats

Cholesterol

Insulin, Blood Sugar and Type 2 Diabetes

Stress, Cortisol and the Adrenals

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Posted: Carbs, Definitive Guides, Diet, Health, How To, Nutrition, Weight loss

10 Classic DIY Salad Creations16

To honor National Salad Week (seriously… ) we’ve devised a list of our top 10 all-time favorite – and Mark’s Daily Apple-approved – salad recipes…

…and to think, you thought you’d never crave lettuce!

1. Cobb Salad

What’s not to love about this hearty (and protein packed) salad?

2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
3 bacon slices, cooked
1 head romaine lettuce, leaves separated and torn into bite-size pieces
4 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken (leftovers work best!)
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup of blue cheese

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Arrange lettuce in the bottom of a plate or shallow bowl. Feel free to get artsy arranging the rest of the ingredients (rows of vegetables are a popular method, but if you feel like just chucking it all in, go ahead!).

For the dressing, whisk together the wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Once combined, drizzle in the olive oil to form a thick dressing. Add to salad and serve immediately.

2. Chinese Chicken Salad

If you thought Chinese chicken salad was off limits because of the sugary dressing and oodles of noodles, you’ll love this quick and easy recipe!

1 large chicken breast, grilled or broiled
1 large bowl of lettuce
1 large tomato, sliced into wedges
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup snap peas
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup slivered almonds (with these, you’ll never miss the noodles!)
Hot peppers (optional)

Dressing:
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey (or 1 packet of Splenda or other sugar substitute of your choice)
1/4 tsp of ginger
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil, stirring continuously with a whisk until well blended. Allow to cool and then pour over salad. Serve immediately.

3. Mark’s 2 Minute Salad (The Kitchen Sink)

We’ve covered this one before, and it was a hit. Here’s the video one more time!

4. Greek Salad

This one will having you wanting to yell oopa!

4-5 ripe tomatoes
1 small cucumber
1/2 can black olives
1/3 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Dressing:
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
Oregano (if desired)
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl. Then, in a separate bowl, whisk together all salad dressing ingredients. Pour over and serve.

5. Steak and Arugula Salad

Another opportunity to have steak for a meal? Sign us up!

1/2 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large head Belgian endive, sliced crosswise
1/2 red onion, sliced into thin rings
3 cups fresh baby arugula
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces Gorgonzola, coarsely crumbled
1/2 cup walnuts
1 pound of steak (we recommend New York, rib-eye or filet mignon) panfried or grilled and then chilled

Dressing:
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, endive, red onion, arugula and tomatoes, walnuts and half of the cheese. Toss the salad with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad with salt and pepper and arrange on a platter. Cut the steaks crosswise into thin slices. Arrange on top of the salad, add remaining salad, drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

6. Grilled Salmon Salad

This is one of our favorites. How can you go wrong with fresh vegetables and a fillet of grilled salmon?

2 red bell peppers, sliced
1 yellow summer squash, sliced
1 red onion, sliced thin
4 8oz salmon fillets
6 cups mixed salad greens
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp yellow mustard (Dijon works best!)
1 tbsp vinegar
1-2 tbsp honey (or 1-2 packets of preferred sugar substitute)
Paprika to taste

Toss bell peppers, squash, and 1 tbsp. of the dressing. Place on grill, cover, and grill until crisp-tender, about 2-4 minutes each side. Then brush salmon with 2 tbsp. of the dressing and place on grill. Cook for 5-7 minutes until salmon flakes easily when tested with fork. Arrange mixed salad greens on plate, top with vegetable mixture and place salad on top. Drizzle with remaining dressing. This one serves 4.

7. Nicoise Salad

Although traditionally served with potatoes, with a flavorful recipe like this, you’ll never realize they’re missing!

2 8oz tuna steaks, grilled (in a pinch, canned tuna can also work!)
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
2 medium heads Boston lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
1 small red onion, sliced into thin rings
8 ounces green beans, timed and halved and boiled 3-5 minutes until crisp
1/4 cup niçoise olives
2 tbsp capers, rinsed or several anchovies (optional)

Dressing:
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
2 tsp minced fresh oregano leaves
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl. Season as needed with salt and pepper and toss about ¼ of mixture with salad greens until coated. Arrange lettuce on serving platter. Cut tuna into ½ inch thick slices, coat with ¼ of vinaigrette and arrange atop lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion in ¼ of vinaigrette and add on top of the salad. Toss cooked beans with vinaigrette and add to platter. Finally, arrange hard boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies in mounds on the lettuce bed. Drizzle with remaining dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if desired) and serve immediately.

8. Waldorf Salad

Yes, this one has a ton of fruit, but for a salad this good, even Grok would have made an exception!

1/2 cup chopped, lightly toasted walnuts
1/2 cup celery, finely sliced
1/2 cup red seedless grapes, sliced
1 medium apple, cored and chopped
3 tbsp mayonnaise (plain yogurt also makes a good substitute)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 cups of lettuce

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise (or yogurt) and the lemon juice. Mix in the apple, celery, grapes, and walnuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange salad on a platter or shallow bowl, spoon mixture over the top and serve.

9. Chop Salad

Similar to Mark’s 2 Minute Salad, this chopped salad can be adjusted at any point to include whatever’s in season (or stocked in your fridge!)

3 cups chopped romaine
1 English cucumber, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 strips crumbled bacon
1/2 cup brine-cured black olives, pitted and quartered

Dressing:
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Whisk together lemon juice, sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, then add oil in a stream, whisking until combined. Combine vegetables in a bowl, toss with dressing and serve immediately.

10. Insalata Caprese

A refreshing salad perfect for a lazy summer evening:

2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes (about 4 large), sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup fresh basil or arugula leaves, washed and patted dry

Dressing:
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (only if using arugula)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Arrange tomatoes, basil and mozzarella on large platter overlapping each other. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and add salt, pepper and oregano (if necessary) to taste.

wickenden, chotda, bmann, Another Pint Please…, ohdearbarb, paul goyette, key lime pie, Chris Campbell, lebovox Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

10 Delicious DIY Salad Dressings

2 Minute Salad

Choose Your Own Salad Adventure

DIY - Butter, Yogurt, Kefir, Oh My!

Modern Forager: What Exactly is Fat-Free Italian Dressing?

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Posted: Carbs, Diet, Health, Recipes, Videos