Salads are a versatile dish because they can be used as an appetizer, side, entree and even desert!  The trouble comes with the interpretation of salads, there’s a significant amount of people that think any item with salad in the name is healthy.  For someone concerned about calorie intake, this could be a costly mistake.   Some salads can be calorie bombs loaded with fattening dressings and toppings.  For other people the word salad makes them cringe because they think of some dull tasting plate that tastes like grass.

 

Kale, Prosciutto, Fig Salad is an excellent salad because it’s flavorful, loaded with nutrients, and filling enough to be an entree.

the ingredients are simple

– 1 c. kale

– (2-3) sliced figs (fresh or dried)

– 2 oz prosciutto

-1 oz walnuts

– olive oil (enough to get a light shine on the kale)

-lemon juice (as much as desired)

-1/4 c cherry tomatoes

salad nutrition data: 292 calories, 10 g fat, 22 g carbs, 21 g protien

=========================

salad health benefits: 

kale: high in vitamins (A, C, K) minerals (iron, calcium) antioxidants, and fiber.  The listed vitamins are good for vision, blood clotting, and the immune system.  And the listed minerals are good for bone health and hemoglobin formation which helps the body transport oxygen.

prosciutto: good protein source

walnuts: are a great neuroprotective food source linked to prevention of alzheimers/dementia as well as being linked to maintaining a stable weight

figs: are rich in fiber which aids digestion, high in potassium which helps regulate blood pressure, and have been linked to breast cancer prevention

tomatoes: are rich in vitamins/minerals and are famous for their anti-cancer properties

olive oil: are loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats