Salads are healthy but they don’t have to be boring. They can be inventive and bold, easy to put together and as hearty as any cooked dish. The most important thing is to use the freshest ingredients possible and change things up often. I feel I’ve done something good for myself when I’ve had a big salad for lunch or as a side dish to a cooked meal.
My criteria for putting a salad together is usually to use whatever I have in the fridge. I always have arugula, romaine or spring greens as a base although there are so many kinds of greens. Spinich is so healthy and full of vitamins, it can be incorporated into any mix of greens or used alone. Kale, an earthy green, is all the rage lately. Sometimes mixing all the greens up together makes a unique and delicious salad. I like to wash and dry my greens, tearing them up into bite size pieces then store them in a ziplock plastic bag with a piece of paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. This keeps the greens fresh and ready to use at a moment’s notice.
What I love about salads is that you can add just about anything you want. They can be savory or sweet but they are always healthy because you’ve got all those vitamin filled greens as a base. I love to add fruit to a salad such as raspberries, strawberries or blueberries. Something crunchy is always pleasing to the palate; toasted pine nuts, pecans or cashews. Nuts are filling and full of healthy fats.
Of course, a delcious dressing is also a big component of a good salad. I took a cooking class in France a few years ago. That was when I learned we don’t always have to top our salads with thick heavy based dressings. You know, the kind you see at salad bars in restaurants. They are not good for us on a regular basis and full of extra calories. The french like to use light dressings seasoned with herbs and lemon. I whisk together a mixture of good olive oil, a little apple cider vinegar , a big squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of salt, pepper and a few chopped herbs such as chives, basil or parsley. This is my go-to concoction for the perfect salad topping. Be creative: add capers, horseradish, balsamic vinegar or lime…see what happens! You might be the world’s next salad diva! You’ll certainly be healthier and…thinner!