Garden salade

One of the herb gardens at the University of Washington

We’ve been reading a lot about the evils of processed foods, so I decided to make a post about my favorite uncooked meal that also happens to be very healthy. I assume it to be especially good for the immune system, for it includes olive oil and garlic in addition to all the antioxidants and nutrients in the lettuce. It is my personal belief and preference that at least a spoonful of olive oil is taken per day; many Mediterranean cultures have olives as one of their cornerstone foods. The French also used copious amounts of olive oil absent from the American diet, or poorly substituted with generic vegetable oil. Much like corn is to the American diet, olives can be taken in a variety of ways. Olive oil is eaten with bread; olives adorn certain dishes, especially pizza; olives make up pistou and tapenade, to name but a few. But olives are not usually processed and chemically altered like corn. Michael Pollan describes in The Omnivore’s Dilemma all the environmental degradations of monoculture corn production- but I saw firsthand the olive trees compliment the landscape and promote polyculture along with lavender or other crops. I was shocked tofind Pollan describe the way in which corn molecules are manipulated into being in everything from –surprisingly- cardboard to fiberglass to MSG. I naturally assumed most of these products to be petroleum-derived but was haunted to hear that they are made of the same thing that I happen to be eating right now in my Sun Chips.

I realized vegetable oil can be used on anything, I even saw some olive oil ice cream there. Another interesting tendency was the ability to make any meal compatible with bread. The Carrascosas thought I was quite unusual with my soft spot for plain baguettes. "No one eats their bread plain here," they would tell me. What they didn't realize is that like the anthropologist who traveled to Belize, the local foods they take for granted daily are of great pleasure to me.

The salad in my family is very often the solid dish; it is rare that we have a dinner without a salad. I suppose in many ways the salad is to my family what the baguette is in France, or rice is to Asian cultures. The lettuce, carrots, and -I suppose- garlic can all be homegrown.

Homegrown Salad
1 head lettuce
¼ cup grated Romano cheese
3 carrots, sliced
for one batch to toss a large salad for 6-8
1/4 C olive oil good quality extra virgin
2 T vinegar, can use balsamic, or raspberry, or rice vinegar for variety
1 clove garlic pressed
1 t to 1 T mustard, to taste, can use country style or French's style
dash Worcestershire sauce, optional (note this makes it non-veggie cause it has anchovies)
dash salt, to taste
dash sugar, to taste
blend and toss immediately before serving

Also, my mom wants me to add that she “never ever once gave [me] the dreaded lunchables.” Thanks, mom!