Watercress

The Best Green?

Watercress is extremely nutrient dense and very low in calories making it one of the best plants you can eat. It is very high in beta carotene, calcium, vitamin K, iron, iodine, fiber, you name it. It is probably as close to the perfect fat burning food as you'll find but don't ruin it with high calorie dressings.

Veggie Salad

2 cups watercress
1/4 cup alfalfa sprout
1/4 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup sliced cucumber
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup sliced mushroom
1/4 cup diced bell pepper
1 tablespoon sunflower seed (optional)
1/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese (optional)
Your favorite low fat / low calore dressing

Cut everything into bite sized pieces. Line a bowl with the watercress then top it with the vegetables. Add a bit of cottage chesse, if desired, then sprinkle cheese and / sunflower seeds on top if you'd like. (I'd recommend skipping the cheese becaue it has a lot of calories.) Serve with your favorite low calorie dressing.

Summer Garden Salad

Dressing

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/8-1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Or you may use your favorite low calorie dressing.

The Salad

2 cups green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces and blanched
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 bunch watercress, stemmed and chopped
1 bunch green onion, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
16 radishes, sliced

Whisk together the ingredients for the oil and set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the vegetables together.

Serve with either the dressing included with this recipe or your favorite low calorie dressing. Serve chilled.