Awarded Best Cafe and Best Pizzeria
Herald Sun/Matt Preston Award 2021
7 Things You Didn't Know About Gourmet Salads
A lot of people want to start living healthy, and gourmet salads have played a huge part in that journey. As you start your exercise routine and change your diet, you want to find new dishes that help you lose weight. Salads are on top of that list.
Salads are equally appetising and nutritious. And it’s no secret that they significantly add nutrients and vitamins to your diet. A bowl of green leafy vegetables is already packed with all antioxidants to keep your body healthy. That’s why if you want to lose weight, you want to gobble up a bowl of salad and nothing else.
However, there are definitely a lot of things you didn’t know about gourmet salads. So, here is a list of interesting things about gourmet salads that are helpful to you.
1. They’re dubbed as “unhealthy healthy food.”
Well, this is honestly one of the most surprising things about salads. A nutritious bowl of greens can either be great or bad for your diet. If you’re wondering how that could happen, then we will explain the reason why.
It’s good to note that not all salads are healthy. Throw in the wrong ingredients or excessive salad dressing, and you can create a meal that has more calories than a burger.
Do not be fooled. Just because it’s loaded with vegetables, does not make it the healthiest choice. And so many people don’t realise this. They simply think that salads are great for weight loss. Unfortunately, they’re wrong. Salad dressings are usually filled with preservatives and unhealthy fat.
What’s more? Some salads have high-calorie mix-ins such as croutons, tacos, wonton chips, or even dried food. So, don’t make the mistake of adding them to your salads for you to enjoy a forkful that’s not only scrumptious but also nutritious.
2. Did you know that Caesar Salad is made in Mexico?
Caesar salad is probably among the most popular salads in the culinary scene, but its origin story is apparently not as famous as it is. Can you guess the person behind this delightful dish? His name is Caesar Cardini. He is an Italian restaurateur based in San Diego.
He ran a restaurant just over the Mexican border in Tijuana. And over a busy day during the Fourth of July in 1924, Cardini was running low on supplies. So, he started tossing any ingredient he could find in his kitchen: romaine lettuce, garlic, croutons, Parmesan cheese, boiled eggs, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce. And voila, Caesar Salad is born.
3. Rocket salads are among the healthiest salads.
Rocket, also known as arugula, is an excellent source of vitamin. In fact, 100 grams of rocket provides about 90% of the recommended intake. These vegetables are high in fibre and antioxidants, which decreases the risk of developing lung, prostate, breast and pancreatic cancer.
Like many high fibre foods, a bowl of rocket salad makes people feel fuller for longer. Whenever you are eating rocket salads, you don’t have to worry about overeating, which is good, especially if you’re on a diet.
4. Fat-free dressing may not be the healthiest option.
People often think that fat-free salad dressings are the best, but they’re not. On the contrary, richer, healthy fat-laden dressings help breakdown the nutritional potential of vegetables when digested. The fats block the ability to absorb the carotenoid antioxidants, which are important compounds that reduce the risk of heart disease. So, if you’re eating full-fat salad dressing, you can absorb twice the nutrients of those using fat-free dressings.
5. A Chicken Milano salad can be equally as healthy as other salad choices.
Depending on the ingredients you use, chicken salads can certainly be a nutritious choice. One of the things you have to be conscious about is the amount of mayonnaise or aioli you use. Since these dressings are high in saturated fats and calories, adding more than the recommended amount will make this salad painfully delicious because it can be unhealthy for you.
More than that, the kind of chicken also influences the nutritional value of the dish. If you use lean white meat like the breast, the salad will have a lot less cholesterol and saturated fat. Whenever you order a chicken Milano salad in a restaurant, you better ask about their ingredients and salad dressings.
6. Spinach is always an Italian salad staple.
Used in every cuisine across the globe, spinach is indeed a popular green vegetable. It’s also a salad staple. The leaves can be flat or slightly ruffled. They look bright green when young and deepens into a more intense colour when older. The distinct bitter flavour complements dairy products and eggs.
That’s why Spinaci Salata offers an appetising combination of fresh spinach, halloumi cheese, sun-dried tomato, and balsamic dressing topped with sauteed chorizo.
7. Greek Salad is also known as Horiatiki.
If you love Mediterranean food, you’d be fond of salads. Greek salad is not only popular in its country of origin, but has one of the world’s most loved salads, and that’s for a good reason!
Horiatiki translates to peasant salad or village salad. It is loaded with all the vitamins and minerals you need to maintain a healthy mind and body. Like many Mediterranean dishes, Greek salad has become so popular that there are so many variations to the original salad. However, an authentic Greek salad only features tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, olives, feta, oregano, and olive oil.
Outside Greece, Greek salad maybe a lettuce salad with Greek-inspired ingredients. However, the original dish is distinguished by the absence of lettuce. This delightful gourmet salad offers a low-calorie and nutrient-dense meal, providing a dose of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and iron.
Taste Your Favourite Salads Only Here at Cucina Dolce
There are more things to learn about gourmet salads, but we bet you are already hungry. Ready to tuck in your favourite bowls of salad? Start your healthy diet and indulge in Cucina Dolce’s tasty treat. More salad options await as you dine with us.
Interested to know more details and information about our meal deals and promotions? You can call us at 03 9772 9091 or send Fred an email at fred@cucinadolce.com.au.
