Find Inspiration with Simple Summer Salad Ideas, including this Summer Strawberry Salad with Feta and Balsamic.
We have so many different eaters come to CBH Energetics, also known as creating balanced health. Food philosophies are as varied as human beings! There are some commonalities among most of our community, and those are: plants, fiber, and phytonutrients. This is where simple summer salad ideas come in handy.
Most of us want lots of options that come with simple summer salad ideas, because of:
- Health issues
- Weight concerns
- Energy levels
- Constipation
- Digestive issues like absorption
- Need for minerals
Simple summer salad ideas SHOULD be exactly that SIMPLE! What is summer without ease, light eating in hot weather and RELAXATION?
Making our Summer Strawberry Salad, with Feta and Balsamic, hits concerns like weight loss, constipation, energy levels and lack of nutrients. With the added tang of balsamic vinegar, satisfies the taste buds. Don’t worry, you can make this vinegar free, dairy free, and even greens free, if you prefer!
With all our different eaters heres, we are happy to have a Registered Dietician ready to help out with various dietary needs:
- AIP (auto-immune protocol)
- Paleo
- Gluten Free
- Dairy Free
- Clean Eating
- WFPB (Whole Foods Plant-Based)
This seasonal summer strawberry salad with feta and balsamic includes feta for easier digestibility. Feta is traditionally made from sheep’s milk. Many cheesemakers add goat milk to the feta-making process, which alters the flavor and consistency.
For those who have a dairy sensitivity, both of these animal-based milk cheeses settle more easily on the Digestive System than traditional, soft, cow dairy cheeses might.
The reason you may feel digestive upset after consuming dairy is due to a low level, or lack of, hcl and/or lactase.
Lactase is the enzyme that helps break down milk sugar, which is lactose. If you are lactose intolerant, you know what it feels like to try to eat certain dairy foods only to end up with cramps and be in the bathroom. Nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, gas, and bloating can be symptoms of lactose intolerance. If these symptoms appear with many different foods, a bacterial imbalance, low digestive juices, or stress may be at the root. If you’re curious about any energetic sensitivities, our Dietary Scan, or Sensitivity Scan, are both great options to gain a new perspective on food on your quest to create balanced health.
With a simple summer salad idea like this one, it’s easy to switch up your greens, fruit, and even omit the cheese to match what suits you best!
For some, increasing the amount of greens in your diet is one way to feed your gut bacteria and give your body fiber, which is much needed for the foundations of a healthy gut. This promotes your natural detoxification pathways through supporting the liver and the gut.
More On Why These Simple Summer Salad Ideas Contain Leafy Greens!
Leafy greens are called superfoods due to their high nutrient profile.
Elson M Hass, MD, calls leafy greens “the richest in nutrients of any foods in the vegetable kingdom.” He’s quite right. Leafy greens contain iron, potassium, phytonutrients, antioxidants, as well as much-needed magnesium and Vitamins A and C.
Some people avoid leafy greens due to the presence of oxalates and the limited iron availability in the plant. Plant iron sources ARE different than animal iron sources. The iron in leafy greens is not as available to the body as in animal foods; however, pairing your salad with fruits like the strawberries here helps to liberate some of the plant iron for digestion.
Oxalates, or oxalic acid, are called an ANTI-NUTRIENT. This sounds scary!
Oxalates, or oxalic acid, (the names are interchangeable) bind to minerals to form things like calcium oxalate. This can take place in the digestive tract, and also in the kidneys and other parts of the Urogenital System. This is where kidney stones can form. The perfect storm for this is higher oxalates, plus low hydration and fluid, and you may have a higher risk for crystals or stones forming.
Making sure you are fully hydrated will decrease oxalate formation (1). Hydration is a risk factor for kidney stones!
Higher fluid intake was associated with an increased urine output and reduced stone formation.
The role of fluid intake in the prevention of kidney stone disease: A systematic review over the last two decades
Should this deter you from simple summer salad ideas like ours? NO!
Salads typically include a variety of greens, grains, and foods rich in vitamin C. Pair them with adequate hydration, slow chewing, and you will obtain so many nutrients from foods like this strawberry salad!
Make an Easy Strawberry, Blueberry, and Feta Salad
This recipe yields 4 servings, offering nearly 7 grams of dietary fiber and no trans fat.
For the salad:
- 4 cups arugula, spring mix, lettuce, or any green you enjoy. Wash and dry
- 2 cups blueberries, washed, stems picked off
- 2 cups strawberries, washed, hulled, and split in two
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
For the dressing:
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or any vinegar you prefer, or substitute vinegar for lemon juice)
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup good-quality olive oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
- 1 crushed clove of garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- dash pepper
Whisk all dressing ingredients in a jar (the garlic clove will be almost whole, don’t worry!). Assemble salad ingredients on a platter or bowl, and drizzle with dressing right before serving.
Trouble digesting raw foods like salads?
Many of us have trouble with raw foods from time to time. This can be due to SIBO, low microbiome diversity, low gut motility, and many other reasons that are so individual.
That doesn’t mean you can’t get the benefits from SOME raw foods. Popping some arugula or greens in a blender, with water to make a “juice”, or putting them in a smoothie, makes them more digestible.
If raw foods still bother your gut, cooking is fine too! This breaks down dietary fiber and makes things more digestible. We often talk about soups and stews, even in the summer months, during our consultations.
There are so many ways to diversify your diet, and this is just one of many simple summer salad ideas to try!
Other articles you may enjoy:
The Best Diets For Common Bioenergetic Food Sensitivities
Curb Your Sugar Intake with this ONE Tip!
