If there's one item you will always find in my fridge, it's arugula. Nothing showcases arugula's unique peppery flavor like this salad. It's quick, nutritious, flavorful and pairs with any meal any time of day (even breakfast). This salad is a delightful balance of pepper, tang and nuttiness. High quality extra-virgin olive oil amps up the peppery flavor and turns this salad into a taste sensation.
Ingredients
For the salad
2 cups fresh Arugula, rinsed
Parmesan Cheese, for shaving over the salad
Pinch kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
For the dressing
Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
Drizzle freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
Preparation
In a large salad bowl, toss together arugula with a drizzle of olive oil. lightly fluff the lettuce with your hands to allow the olive oil to coat each leaf.
Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the arugula.
Sprinkle the lettuce with lemon zest and pinch of salt.
Shave the parmesan with a peeler and layer over the top of the salad.
Top with freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.
Serve this salad with grilled meat, fish, kebabs or roast chicken.
Try this salad with scrambled eggs for a healthy balanced breakfast that will kick-start your day.
Arugula is relatively high in beta-carotene (provitamin A), vitamin K1 and folate. These leafy greens are also good sources of vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and fiber. Arugula contains glucosinolates which which have been linked to health benefits including anticancer properties. Together with the antioxidants in arugula, these compounds also protect against oxidative stress and reduce inflammation.
Extra-virgin olive oil is a good source of healthy fats, predominantly monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) which are also known to support heart health.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice delivers a healthy dose of vitamin C.
Parmesan stacks up as one of the more nutritious cheeses. Just one ounce contains 10 grams of protein, 314 mg calcium. One ounce also contains a moderate amount of calories and fat (111 calories and 8 grams total fat of which 5 grams are saturated). Parmesan cheese is low in lactose due to its aging process but can be high in sodium. Parmesan contains short and medium chain fatty acids which are easily absorbed to boost energy levels and can have anti-inflammatory effects.
Did you give this recipe a try?
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