Yes, salad.
The poster child of healthy eating. Anyone who has ever embarked on a health journey has gone through the phase of having salads for lunch and dinner every day. Building a nutritious and tasty salad is harder than it looks. The classic iceberg lettuce/grilled chicken breast/ranch dressing combo? Been there, done that.
However, salad greens are powerhouses, rich in essential nutrients such as fiber, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. They contain cancer-fighting antioxidants and promote heart health.
If you’re interested in incorporating more greens into your life but need a little inspiration, Well Citizen has your back. Here are our top tips for creating salads you’ll actually want to eat!
Make Your Own Dressing
Do you ever wonder why restaurant salads taste so much better than the salads you make at home? It’s because they aren’t using dressings from a bottle!
As the main flavor source in your salad, dressing is the key to making a salad delicious. While there are lots of incredible bottled dressings out there, nothing beats the fresh flavors of a dressing prepared in your own kitchen. Free of additives and preservatives, it can also be a more nutritious option.
A quick Google search will give you thousands of recipes to try out. Our favorite quick and versatile dressing? In a small wooden bowl, crush minced garlic and salt together with a fork until it forms a thick paste. Add in a tablespoon of dijon mustard, with three tablespoons of olive oil. Slowly whisk in the vinegar of your choice, until the dressing emulsifies and thickens.
Prep Your Produce
Salad may not require you to fire up your oven but it is not a grab-and-go food. It involves chopping and preserving your produce, to prevent food waste. The good news is that with just a little extra planning, you can prep your vegetables for the whole week.
Start by chopping up a few heads of lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Using whole heads of lettuce might be a bit more work, but they are cheaper than buying prepared bags of lettuce, and it cuts down on plastic consumption, as well! Store chopped lettuce in an air-tight container, with a paper towel on top, to soak up extra moisture.
For pre-cut veggies like carrots and cucumbers, try storing them in a container with a bit of water at the bottom. This will preserve their freshness and keep them from drying out. Just be sure to switch out the water every few days.
Incorporate Cooked Foods
Many of us think of salads as a way to get in our raw fruits and veggies. But incorporating cooked foods into your salad is a great way to add new flavors, as well as make a salad more appealing during the cold months. You could add in a cooked protein, such as chicken, fish, or tofu. Try topping your salads with roasted vegetables, such as peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes.
Add An Exciting Ingredient
Salads may have a reputation of being a boring food but it doesn’t have to be that way! Have trouble getting your daily dose of veggies down? Try adding one special ingredient to take your salad over the top. Try adding burrata or a freshly grilled slice of halloumi cheese. Candied nuts and fruit are also great options for those of us with a sweet tooth.
Make Informed Portion Size Choices
So many people give up on eating salads, complaining that they feel hungry an hour after they eat them. Usually, this just means that you need to be eating a bigger salad! When portioning out plant-based meals, we often create portions that are visually similar in size to other meals, like pasta or a sandwich. However, salads are often less calorically dense than other foods, meaning that if your portion sizes are too small, you’ll be left feeling hungry and unsatisfied. Start by preparing bigger portions. Still having trouble getting down enough greens to feel full? Try adding in proteins like steak or shrimp, or adding in starches like rice and quinoa to increase satiety.
With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to making nutritious salads a part of your daily health routine.
