Easy to make salads:

Salads using raw vegetables are very easy to make and are packed with nutrients. The important things to keep in mind while making salads are:

1. Washing the vegetables thoroughly before cutting them

2. Eating the salad when it is fresh. We all know that cut vegetables lose valuable nutrients if left for a long time. If at all you have to store the prepared salad, do so in airtight containers in the refrigerator and consume within a day or two.

Many people do not like the idea of eating sliced vegetables and green leaves as salads although those are the easiest to make. So here are a few slightly different types which you can try.

Carrot and Cucumber salad:

1 cup of sprouted green gram or ½ cup of green gram dal ( moong dal) washed and soaked for 1 hour and drained thoroughly

2 carrots , grated

1 small cucumber finely cut ( if you grate , it will become mushy)

1 tbs. chopped coriander leaves

1tbs. grated fresh coconut ( enhances the taste but optional )

1 chopped green chilly ( you can omit or add more depending on your tolerance for spice!)

Salt to taste

A few drops of lime juice.

Toss together all the above ingredients except salt and lemon juice which should be added just before serving.

( Instead of adding raw green chillies, you can also add it as seasoning. If so, heat a spoon of oil in a pan , add ½ tsp of mustard seeds and when they splutter,add the chopped green chillies , sauté for a few seconds and add to the salad)

Beet root and peanut salad:

1 Cup of grated fresh beet root

1/2 cup of raw peanuts ( ground nuts) washed and soaked for 8-10 hours and drained

1/2" piece of ginger grated

salt to taste

a few drops of lemon juice

Toss the first three ingrdients together and add the salt and lemon juice just before serving.