Tired of preparing and having the same old salad recipe? Spruce up your salad bowl with unconventional nutritious veggies to delight your taste buds.
Commonly savoured salad veggies—lettuce, peppers, spinach, cabbage and carrots—offer rich flavours and abundant nutrients. While these popularly used traditional veggies are good for your health, you should not limit your choices—as you could be missing out on some less familiar nutrient-rich options. There are many options to choose from, and below, we have listed six unconventional vegetables that will spruce up your regular salad recipe while boosting your health.
Kohlrabi, also known as ganth gobhi (Hindi), is a wild variety of cabbage. The culinary uses and nutritional value of this vegetable are many. It is rich in fibre, vitamin C, and plant compounds that can boost the immune system.
Kohlrabi is widely consumed in the eastern states of India—such as West Bengal—and also in some parts of North India. You can add boiled kohlrabi to your salad bowl or eat it raw.
In Hindi, Zucchini is called ‘turai’, a seasonal crop that grows during the warmer months and resembles cucumbers but is from a different family. Cucumbers are from the gourd family, while this veggie is from the Cucurbita family.
Zucchini is packed with minerals, vitamins, and many other antioxidants, nutritious plant compounds, and Carotenoids — like lutein, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin. These nutrients can improve your eyesight, and boost heart and skin health.
It contains soluble as well as insoluble fibres—which promotes better gut health and nourishes the gut cells. You can have raw zucchini in salads or stew it with other veggies, fruits or lentils.
Basil or Tulsi—as you may already know—is a leafy, flavorful herb that belongs to the mint family. It is chock-full of nutrients like Calcium, vitamins A and K, Manganese and Iron, and healthy plant compounds—rich in antioxidants.
In addition, basil can minimise cholesterol, boost alertness, and eliminate the development of bacteria that cause tooth decay. Add basil leaves to a bowl of fresh salad—and pair it with tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce, kale and olives.
Bok choy is a Chinese variety of white cabbage—full of health-boosting nutrients—such as a wide range of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that defend our cells from oxidative damage. Bok choy can also boost heart and bone health.
Every part of this veggie is edible—from the green leaves to the white stems. You can chop bok choy and sauté it with olive oil, ginger and garlic and pour it into your salad bowl. Another way of savouring it involves—adding diced or shredded bok choy to your salad bowl and pairing it with bell peppers, broccoli, chestnuts and carrots. Bok choy can also be used as a substitute for lettuce in your green leafy salad recipe.
Kale is a leafy green veggie—and is full of nutrients—offering numerous health benefits. It is packed with minerals, vitamins (A, C, K), and antioxidants. Kale intake can improve your vision, gut health, hair, skin and bone health.
If you want to reap maximum benefits, add raw kale to your salad recipe because cooking it will minimise its nutritional value. Top your salad bowl with raw kale for some crunch and texture, and sprinkle some brussel sprouts, celery and parsley for added flavour.
Bitter melon is a variety of gourd—that is grown and prized worldwide—for its exceptional medicinal properties. This veggie has a bitter flavour and is commonly used in curries and soups. Bitter melon has anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in plant compounds.
It also contains a chemical that has insulin-like properties and can help minimise sugar levels. People commonly consume bitter melon to treat osteoarthritis, and diabetes, and to improve athletic performance.
Bitter melon, bok choy, and kohlrabi are a few of the hundreds of lesser-known but nutritious veggies that can spruce up your salad recipe. Adding these unconventional veggies to your nutritious meal will help expand your culinary lexicon while adding new exciting flavours and ingredients that can potentially improve your health.
