Nutrition Snob
Originally posted on Kimmosiman.com on Feb. 10, 2017
I mentioned in an earlier post that I was recently in Arizona visiting family and friends.
On the last night of the trip, my husband and I drove around for a few hours, trying to capture the perfect sunset… he’s learned that nothing makes me happier and graciously indulges my silly need to chase it and take a million pictures.
After I captured the last few moments of color, we decided to indulge ourselves and go out for a steak and a nice bottle of wine. I ordered my standard- a 6oz. filet and a side of asparagus. He was craving prime rib but didn’t necessarily want all that came with it, so I offered to share his salad and enjoy a bite or two of his au gratin potatoes (didn’t have to ask me twice ).
His favorite salad is a wedge, complete with cherry tomatoes, bits of bacon and blue cheese dressing. I usually order a spinach salad and eyeball his delicious wedge as I pick through my nutritious greens.
I abandoned iceberg when I revamped my life 10 years ago, in lieu of “more nutritious” greens. Iceberg is certainly not BAD for you, but it isn’t a vitamin powerhouse like it’s dark green cousins. The nutrition snob in me forbid it from my plan because “why eat something that doesn’t do any good”?
Tonight, because Jeff was sharing part of HIS meal, we had the wedge. The first bite took me back to childhood when the grocery stores only sold one kind of lettuce… It was cold and crunchy… and so darn good.
I decided then and there to do SOMETHING to make room for this delicious vegetable in my weekly plan! Maybe it won’t provide me with 100% of any one nutrient, but it could really get me to groove on salads again!!
I stopped at the store on my way home from the airport and bought some groceries. For the first time in a long time, the iceberg was in my cart. My first thought was that I would just mix it with spinach or kale, but when the time came last night, I kept thinking about that wedge…
The result?? My wedge~ dressed up with things I love and nutrition I need.
Balance it with lean protein
I hope you like it!
The New Wedge
My interpretation of a classic wedge... amped up to provide a bit more of what your body needs!
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ tsp salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 8 pecan halves
- ½ cup water + more for thinning
- .75 oz. package fresh oregano (or basil), rinsed and dried
- 2 large handfuls spinach, rinsed and spun dry
- 3 TBS flavorful clean oil (see note)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ounces mild blue cheese, crumbled
- 1-pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 TBS. roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, outer leaves discarded and quartered through the core so that each quarter holds together
Instructions
- Add first 7 ingredients (garlic through spinach) to blender. Blend until liquefied.
- With blender on low, pour oil through the hole on the top of the lid. Increase speed slowly for 20 seconds to mix thoroughly. I used pumpkin seed oil. Avocado or walnut oil would be good as well. Taste dressing before adding additional salt or pepper.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon dressing on each plate. Arrange iceberg wedges on plates and spoon an additional tablespoon over lettuce.
- Garnish salad with tomatoes, blue cheese and pumpkin seeds.
