I love to make healthy salads that leave me full and gratified. Here are some tricks to making delicious salads that won’t leave you rummaging through your kitchen cabinets an hour later looking for a snack.
Add different colored fruits and veggies instead of just plain old iceberg lettuce. Try darker greens, red and yellow peppers, apple, fennel, radicchio, berries and avocado.
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Avocado, Brown Rice, and Shrimp Salad
My favorite thing to add to salads for protein is a poached egg. It's quick, easy and delicious.
I also love to add rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Some other ideas are salmon, shrimp, or beans, nuts, cheese and seeds for vegetarians.
I love to add bulgur wheat, freekeh, wheat berries, quinoa, or even leftover rice from a previous meal. It tastes great and keeps you feeling full.
My go-to salad dressing is simple and light. I add Dijon mustard, lemon, honey, and balsamic vinegar to a bowl and slowly add olive oil to the consistency that I would like. It's fresh, takes just a second to make and works well with everything.
Make sure it doesn’t only taste great, but looks good too. Try separating ingredients so you can see them all. Or putting the protein on top of the salad and add a garnish on top (cherry tomatoes, parsley, or lemon). You eat with your eyes before your stomach!
The Chopping Block's Wellness Chef Alia Dalal recently revealed her Go-To Salad Formula she uses for quick and healthy weeknight meals. She's got even more tips for cooking healthy on the go in our new Clean Eating: Eat to Live photo-rich guide, complete with a slew of new recipes for you to try at home. I especially love her beautiful Roasted Rainbow Salad which certainly meets the colorful food criteria I crave.
Want hands-on practice whipping up healthy salads? Join us for Clean Eating Boot Camp in April at Lincoln Square.