Free The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook by Marla Heller Page B

salt. Add the arugula, peaches, and almonds and toss. Season with the pepper. Serve immediately.
    NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS
    (1 serving) 152 calories, 4 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 4 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 72 mg sodium, 431 mg potassium. Food groups: 1 vegetable, 1 fruit, ½ nuts, 1 fat.
Toasting Nuts
Nuts are valuable for adding crunch, flavor, and protein to meals, especially in salads. Toasting nuts makes a good thing better. Although nuts can be toasted in a skillet, you will get more even coloring by baking. You can use a regular oven or, to avoid heating up the kitchen, a toaster oven.
Spread the nuts on a baking sheet (or a toaster oven tray). Bake in a preheated 350°F oven (or toaster oven), stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
For hazelnuts, bake until the skins are cracked, about 10 minutes. Wrap the hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and let stand about 10 minutes to cool slightly. Rub the hazelnuts in the towel to remove as much of the skins as possible. (Don’t worry if a few skins remain on the nuts.)

 
    Roasted Beet Salad with Yogurt-Dill Dressing
    For years, beets were cooked by boiling, which doesn’t do much for their flavor. Roasting, however, brings out their sweetness, which is balanced here with a tangy yogurt-dill dressing. This recipe keeps well in the refrigerator, so you can have it ready to serve as a cool salad or side dish.
    MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1½ pounds beets (6 medium) without leaves or stems, scrubbed but unpeeled
½ cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, tarragon, or parsley
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed through a press
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
2 scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and thinly sliced
    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil.
    Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender, about 1¼ hour, depending on the size and age of the beets. Unwrap and let cool until easy to handle. Peel the beets and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges.
    In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, dill, salt, pepper, and garlic. Add the tomatoes, beets, and scallions and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. Serve chilled.
    NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS
    (1 serving) 83 calories, 4 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 4 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 325 mg sodium, 617 mg potassium. Food groups: 2 vegetables.
Roasting Beets
Uncooked beets can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. Get in the habit of cooking them when the oven is already on. Just wrap the beets in foil and bake directly on a baking sheet. Don’t worry about the oven temperature. If the other food is cooking at the common temperature of 350°F, use it for cooking the beets, too. When the other food is removed from the oven, increase the temperature to 400°F and roast until the beets are tender. Some people like to microwave beets in a baking dish with a little water, which is a time-saver, but nothing brings out the beets’ sweetness like the dry heat of an oven.

 
    Apple Coleslaw with Buttermilk Dressing
    Coleslaw is a cookout staple, but this one has a few twists to make a healthier version. Shredded apple gives it just the right amount of sweetness, and the dressing uses buttermilk as its base.
    MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 (14-ounce) bag shredded coleslaw mix
1 large red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced (a food processor with the slicing blade does the best job)
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, shredded down to the core on the large holes of a box grater
2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon celery seed (optional)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    Combine the coleslaw mix, bell pepper, apple, and scallions in a