Arugula Salad

I got a decent size bag of arugula at the farmer's market last weekend for $2 and had to use it up.  Last night I made a salad to eat for lunch today.  I was just chopped arugula, pears, blood orange pieces, blood orange juice, a dash of coconut vinegar (I could've used apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar for a similar flavor), and crushed almonds on top.  It was actually quite good. 

Adding nuts, or seeds is a good way to add the healthy fat (which your body needs and the fat also helps you absorb nutrients from other plants), in particular the flavor of the fat, without adding too many calories such as if you used oil.  I would be using more avocados if it were easier for me to get some under $1/each.

The day I got the arugula, I made a salad with arugula, chopped apple, and a tahini dressing (tahini, lemon juice, garlic powder, water, and a bit of Bragg's liquid aminos) that was good as well.

Also the other day, I thought I'd be adventurous and try to make an almost-raw soup with arugula.  I blended arugula with water, miso, tahini, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and dulse flakes.  That was all, unless I'm forgetting something.  I'm going to work on trying to write up recipes as I go.  This is a challenge for me, which is why I don't have more complete recipes.

Arugula is a member of the cruciferous (Brassica) family, so it's related to all those nutritious veggies like kale, collards, cabbage, broccoli, brussells sprouts, etc.  It has a very distinctive taste that unfortunately isn't as versatile as the other milder greens.  At the same time, it adds to the variety of healthy foods available.  If you get a chance to purchase it for a low price, or to sample it somehow, take the opportunity.  It might be a bit hard to find, or expensive.