I’m sitting at the dining room table trying to write this while Belle plays opposite me.

She made edible slime at summer camp and I’m trying to talk her out of ingesting a large dose of Kool-Aid and Red 40.

She also has three pots of glitter, some woodlice and a paintbrush. What could possibly go wrong? Hyperactive insects? I’m also discussing play-date dinner plans with a friend on text; we’re going for sound nutrition with minimum effort. Plans are evolving but I think we’re picking up fresh-roasted organic chickens from Supermart, organic oven fries and salad. That’s pretty low maintenance!

Fries are a classic example of something that can be terribly unhealthy or really not bad. Get them deep-fried from boiling hot, reused, genetically modified oil, and that’s about a 0/10 for nutrition.

But chopped organic potatoes, tossed in oil, seasoned lightly and baked in the oven? That’s simple and delicious. Just keep the skins on and stick to a small portion (one quarter of your plate) to bump up the nutritional value.

If you buy them pre-made, try the organic Alexia brand and do make sure your other veg are non-starchy — leafy greens or cauliflower would be a good option.

Salads are another example of dietary good vs evil. They can be so, so right or so, SO wrong.

I remember one famous restaurant in the UK having a salad with more calories than a pizza because of all the cheese and dressing. How annoyed would you be to order that, thinking you’d made a healthy choice? So, to make sure you’re picking options that rock your nutrition world rather than undermine your best intentions, take note of what follows. (I’ve also given you my favourite new salad recipe — it’s so delicious and easy, I’m making it on repeat.)

Golden salad rules:

1) Don’t drown it in dressing Some store-bought or café dressings are OK, but watch the sugar content of low-fat dressings especially.

Remember that four grams of sugar equals one teaspoon of sugar; some dressings have up to eight grams per serving. That’s way too much! Pick something with two grams tops. In a café, ask for your dressing on the side and then just use a tablespoon.

2) Avoid GMO oils

Salad dressings are often made with genetically modified oils, especially if they are American brands. Soy and canola oils are two of the cheapest and most commonly genetically modified oils. If you prefer non-GMO, your best bet is to ask for a little olive oil and lemon juice instead of regular dressing.

3) Don’t add too many fats

Fat can be good for you — especially plant-based options like nuts and avocado — but you do need to take it easy in terms of portion size.

Half an avocado and a small handful of nuts is OK if your salad is low carb (eg if you have a little fruit added similar to the recipe that follows). However if you are loading the salad with carbs, eg roasted root vegetables or lots of beans/lentils, then I would just stick to one serving of fats. Generally speaking, choose avocado OR cheese — but not both.

4) Avoid poor quality protein

If you are at a salad bar it’s very easy to forget (wilfully or otherwise) where the animal protein sources come from.

I’m a huge advocate of ethical animal choices, which is very tricky when you’re eating out. Unless something specifically says “organic”, then your eggs, chicken, ham, beef or cheese most likely comes from the factory farming system. This has obvious ethical implications, which admittedly don’t really affect your health in the immediate sense. Someone said to me recently “they all end up dead anyway”.

All I would ask you to consider is this …. if your child could get educated in a school where they are terribly bullied, or a school where they are not and still come out with the same education, which would you choose? The end result surely shouldn’t negate the means?

From a health perspective, factory-farmed animals are often fed GMO grain. GMO or otherwise, a grain-fed animal ends up with a higher ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fats than a grass-fed animal. From a consumption perspective, there’s research that suggests this becomes cumulatively inflammatory in the human body. Excess inflammation is now being linked to chronic disease (such as heart disease) and also to other inflammatory issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, endometriosis and some types of arthritis.

5) Don’t ditch the protein completely

Given the above, it’s tempting to pick a salad with veggies only. However you can add vegetarian protein with falafel, quinoa, hummus, nuts/seeds or a combination of beans (eg garbanzos and kidney).

You could also add tuna or salmon, which has other sustainability issues but is probably better than factory-farmed meat. Devil’s Isle has more ethically sourced protein options which you might be happier with. From a dietary perspective, adding protein helps to make a salad more filling, meaning you’ll be less likely to reach for chips or candy later!

Fresh Mint Salad

Ingredients per person:

5 fresh mint leaves

2 handfuls local or mixed leaves

½ avocado, diced

1 small orange, diced

1 handful shelled pistachios

Extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Black pepper

Cumin (optional)

Method:

1. Shell the pistachios and toss in a large pinch of cumin (optional). Set to one side.

2. Prep the avocado and orange and put in a large bowl. Save the juice from cutting the orange and add to the bowl (there’s a great technique for doing this which I will add to Facebook today).

3. Add the leaves and mint (torn)

4. Add a splash of extra-virgin olive oil and a little sea salt/black pepper.

5. Toss everything together, transfer to a plate and top with the pistachios.

NOTE: This is great by itself or as a side with grilled chicken or fish. If you don’t like avocado you could switch it for some Tucker’s Farm goat’s cheese!

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda