By Donna V. Scaglione
If you’re cooking out this Memorial Day weekend, take a few minutes to rethink the usual ways you create your backyard meals. There can be more to side dishes than mayonnaise-laden potato salad, and more to the main course than hamburgers. Not only that, most dishes we traditionally eat at the picnic table or on the patio can stand a healthy upgrade. Here’s how to make one or several.
1. Salads
Take a traditional mayonnaise-based salad like potato or pasta salad and dress it with olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and fresh herbs. You’ll get terrific flavors and healthier fats. A great one to try is EatingWell.com’s Garden Pasta Salad made with garlic, peppers, and whole-wheat rotini.
If you’re going with a green salad, top it with toasted walnuts or almonds instead of croutons for a healthier crunch and better-for-you fats like omega-3s.
