Discovering a Nutrient-Packed Delight: Russian Salad
Now that I have changed my lifestyle and eat a leaner and healthier diet, I am always on the outlook for good recipes and dishes to enjoy. I am especially interested in dishes that have a lot of fruits and vegetables, in them because of their high nutrient value. When I go to a restaurant or out to a friend’s house, I have my antenna up for just the right ones.
The Story Behind Russian Salad
Sunday night I attended a dinner party at the home of Nancy J. Miles, of one of my students. I teach publicity to aspiring authors, those who have already written a book and anyone interested in learning more about media placement. Nancy came out last year with a wonderful cookbook titled In Good Taste. Besides having over 600 of her favorite recipes, Nancy has developed a concept to encourage people to gather their favorite dishes from their relatives and preserve them. When you buy her cookbook, you also get access to a website that gives you templates to use to insert a photo of that person along with their recipe. Many recipes are in the person’s own handwriting. These become family heirlooms and treasures.
She served this recipe for Russian salad that meets all of my qualifications. It is very delicious and nutritious.
Nancy advises not to let this long list of ingredients stop you from trying this great salad. This is her own version but taken from a young woman who served a mission in Russia for 18 months – Kirsten Anderson. Use any fruits or vegetables together. That is what makes it so unusual. Dice all the ingredients the same small size, as this is what gives its pretty presentation.
Nancy J. Miles’ Russian Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
Use any combination of the following:
- Fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- Sweet red, yellow, and green peppers, diced
- Carrots, diced
- Green onion, sliced (including tops)
- Jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
- Fresh cilantro, parsley, and dill (optional)
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Fresh or frozen corn
- Black beans, drained and rinsed
- Celery, diced
- Cucumber, seeded and diced
- Fuji apple, cored and diced
- Fresh Asian pears, cored and diced (Asian pears are firm like apples; avoid regular pears.)
For seasoning:
- Drizzle of lemon juice
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Drizzle of olive oil
Instructions:
- Combine all the diced fruits and vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
- Add a drizzle of lemon juice, kosher salt, black pepper, and olive oil to taste.
- Toss the ingredients gently until well mixed.
To serve:
- Drizzle a small amount of Russian Salad Dressing over the salad. Be careful not to use too much dressing; the goal is to highlight the fresh flavors of the fruits and vegetables.
