When we live primarily on preserved foods the fresh taste of salads
becomes especially attractive. No matter how hard we try to offer the
family a varied diet, canned and packaged foods all taste alike after
a while. We find ourselves craving the crisp, zesty crunch of a cool,
refreshing salad. The recipes in this section are probably some of
the best in the entire site.
Our first dilemma is to figure out what to use in place of the fresh
produce we're accustomed to using. We know that lettuce usually makes
up the foundation of regular salads, but lettuce obviously isn't
something that's readily available dried or in cans. Not to worry,
there are many interesting alternatives available that make storage
salads just as crunchy, fresh and delicious as their conventional
counterparts. The following chart of substitutions may help when you
find yourself stuck in a rut.
Instead
of this conventional
product
Use this alternative.
Lettuce & Other Leafy Greens
Fresh Sprouts or Fresh
Shredded Cabbage
Tomatoes
Canned No-Salt-Added
Tomatoes, very well drained
Crunchy Veggies like Celery
& Radishes
Water Chestnuts, sliced or diced
Cucumbers
Sliced or Whole Baby Sweet Pickles
Bitter foods like Radishes
Green or Black Olives,
sliced or whole
Fresh Carrot Chunks
Canned Whole Baby Carrots, no-salt-added
if possible
Fresh Mushrooms
Canned Mushrooms,
no-salt-added if possible
Frozen Peas
Canned Peas, 8 oz canned =
1 cup frozen; 15 oz canned = 2 cups frozen.
Fresh Potatoes
Canned Diced Potatoes, well
drained and rinsed if possible
Green Peppers
Sweet Cherry Peppers in
jars or other pickled peppers of your choice
Red Peppers
Roasted Red Peppers or
Pimento Strips
Fresh Onions
Cocktail or Holland Style
Baby Onions from a Jar
Fresh Onions
Dried Onions soaked in
water for 20 minutes to reconstitute and then well drained
Other Good Additions
Bacon Bits
Homemade or Store-bought Croûtons
Small Can Sliced Beets
Julienne Beets or Whole Beets
Pickled Beets
Green Beans, especially French Style & Italian
Green Beans
Small Can Peas & Carrots
Small Can Mixed Vegetables
Canned Bean Sprouts, rinsed if possible
Any type of Pepper from a jar, Pepperocinos, Banana
Peppers, Cherry Peppers, Jalapeños, there is an enormous selection
Giardiniera—picked vegetable
combination including cauliflower, celery, carrots and peppers,
packed in jars; usually found in the pickle aisle. These are crunchy
and refreshing. Try a few brands to find one you like, then stock up.
If they are too vinegary then soak in water for a few hours to
lighten up the flavor. Excellent in Antipasto, or by themselves when
you need a crunchy change of pace. Choose small jars and use them in
a day or two because they don't keep like conventional pickles.
Pickled Cauliflower or Brussels Sprouts (available
at Kroger stores)
Canned or Cooked dry beans, especially Kidney Beans
and Chick Peas
French Fried Onions
Nuts & Seeds, all of them
Dry Fruit, especially dried Cranberries (Craisins)
& chopped dry Apricots
Dried or Canned Apples. Soak to reconstitute if necessary.
Sun Dried Tomatoes, dry pack or oil pack, cut into slivers
Canned Fruit, especially Mandarin Oranges &
Pineapple. Drain well before using.
And above
all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall
cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another
without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so
minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold
grace of God.--1 Peter 4:8-10
