August Nutrition Highlight: Local Summer Salad
By Kristen Latteri
August's nutrition highlight is focusing on local, seasonal food.
For the past couple of years, I’ve been making a real effort to eat mostly local food. Trips to the farmers market this summer have left me with no shortage of wonderful, fresh options, but so often I’ve been finding myself with little time to cook. That’s when I turn to my current go-to summer salad, made with ingredients that are in season and easily accessible here in New York.
All of the ingredients are raw, so this really is an easy summer staple that tastes best when the ingredients are as fresh as possible. Feel free to swap out any produce with what’s available. There are no amounts listed for the veggies; use what you have in whatever quantities you like!
Go-To Summer Salad
Ingredients
Tomato
Corn
Cucumber
Scallion
1-2 tbs vinegar (any kind will do) or lemon juice
1-2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Step 1 - Shuck the corn and cut off kernels
Step 2 - Dice tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions
Step 3 - Mix together vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl
Step 4 - Combine veggies and dress to taste
Step 5 - Serve as-is or as a side with protein, use as a salsa, mix in some beans or grains, and enjoy!
These ingredients don’t just taste great together, they’re also packed with essential nutrients. Here’s some nutritional info about the stars of this dish.
Tomatoes:
One cup of chopped or sliced raw tomatoes contains
32 calories (kcal)
170.14 g of water
1.58 g of protein
2.2 g of fiber
5.8 g of carbohydrate
0 g cholesterol
18 mg of calcium
427 mg of potassium
43 mg of phosphorus
24.7 mg of vitamin C
1499 international units (IU) of vitamin A
Tomatoes also contain a wide array of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, including alpha-lipoic acid, lycopene, choline, folic acid, beta-carotene, and lutein.
Corn: (Source)
Calories: 96
Water: 73%
Protein: 3.4 grams
Carbs: 21 grams
Sugar: 4.5 grams
Fiber: 2.4 grams
Fat: 1.5 grams
Cucumbers: (Source)
One 11-ounce (300-gram) unpeeled, raw cucumber contains the following (1):
Calories: 45
Total fat: 0 grams
Carbs: 11 grams
Protein: 2 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Vitamin C: 14% of the RDI
Vitamin K: 62% of the RDI
Magnesium: 10% of the RDI
Potassium: 13% of the RDI
Manganese: 12% of the RDI
If you liked this blog, you may like:
April Nutrition Highlight: Strawberries
May Nutrition Highlight: Asparagus
Meet the Author
Kristen is a NASM certified personal trainer who also holds a masters degree in social work from Fordham University. She has a strong interest in the interconnectedness between physical health and mental well-being that led her to pursue a career in personal training. Kristen works to promote healthy and happy lifestyles by coaching her clients through safe and fun workouts designed to help them achieve their personal goals.
Growing up as a competitive figure skater and ice hockey player, movement and physical fitness have always played a central role in her life. Kristen is an avid snowboarder and enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and biking with her family.
“I love helping my clients reach their wellness goals by designing fitness programs that can be incorporated into a balanced lifestyle. My goal is to make working out a fun part of your routine!”
If you'd like to train with Kristen, shoot her an email at kristen@pongopower.com!
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