Salad is one of my favorite things about summmer, although this one is good all year round. If you’re like me, you may want to double this recipe just for yourself, or it makes a nice side for a brunch or lunchoen.
Before developing latex-fruit syndrome, I practically lived off of fruits and vegetables. In fact, for eight years of my life, I didn’t eat meat. Now that so many fruits and vegetables make me ill, I feel like I live off of animal products. The health implications can’t be good. So I’m making a concerted effort to create some salads that I can enjoy. I hope you enjoy them too!
Allergy Notes:
- Pecans
Although pecans are not on the list of foods known to cross-react with latex, they are frequently processed in the same facility with peanuts and walnuts, which can. Be sure to read labels carefully. - Feta
Many pre-grated, pre-cut, and pre-crumbled cheeses have starch or cellulose added to prevent the cheese pieces from sticking together. These may be from ingredients that cross-react with latex, so read the label carefully. You can also avoid this problem by buying blocks of feta and crumbling it yourself. - Olive Oil
Be sure to use pure olive oil, or if it is a blend, make sure that it doesn’t contain any oils that might cross-react with latex like soy or sunflower.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes (if you have the dressing and pecans ready) |
| Servings |
Lunch
|
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 1/2 Tbsp pure olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp honey vinegarette dressing (get the recipe)
- 1/4 cup butter-toasted pecans (get the recipe)
- 1 cooked beet chopped
- 3 Tbsp crumbled feta
Ingredients
|
|
- Place the spinnach in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil; then toss until evenly coated. Drizzle with dressing; then toss again. Place the dresed spinach in your serving bowl.
- Cut the beet into quarters; then slice each quarter into several thin slices.
- Spread the beet slices, butter-toasted pecans, and crumbled feta over the top of the spinach, and serve.
My recipes avoid all ingredients listed on the American Latex Allergy Association website, and on Japan's National Institute of Health Sciences website, as known for or suspected of cross-reacting with latex as well as a few other ingredients that I have discovered elsewhere. However, latex-fruit syndrome is still an emerging issue and poorly understood. There may be other foods that cross-react, and people with latex-fruit syndrome often have other food allergies independent of their latex allergy. Each individual is different, so be sure to discuss with your allergist the safest way for you to try out ingredients that are new to you before you cook with them.