I bet you thought a salad was all lettuce, croutons, bacon bits, and dressing. That sounds good for a side dish. But hear me out; there are layers to a good, fulfilling salad and each one serves a purpose. Come along on this salad-making journey and get your mind blown like mine when I realized why I was so mad and hungry after eating a salad. Learning how to make an actual meal out of the right ingredients changed my life.
Let's Build a Bomb-Ass Salad
I want to look forward to eating a salad, and some of the enjoyment for me comes from building it. The other part I enjoy about the salad is knowing that each ingredient serves a purpose and benefits my life.
Let's go...
Greens
The base and foundation of a typical salad start with the greenery. We've got a ton of options to choose from: there's lettuce, kale, spinach, bok choy, swiss chard, and mustard greens just to name a handful. Dark, leafy greens contain vitamins A, C, K, folate, iron, calcium, and potassium. The stuff we need. And...green is associated with a lot of good...think money, growth, newness, and health. Pile that bowl with some green.
Protein
We've got choices when it comes to protein as well. This is the fulfilling part of a salad. I lean toward meat, but there are beans, lentils, grains, nuts, and seafood options to explore. You can add any combination of grilled chicken, boiled egg, turkey, bacon, salmon, tuna, and chickpeas to your salad. The salad just got better right?
Carb
All carbs aren't evil. We just wanna cool off on the starchy kind as much as possible. Adding a nutritious carb to your salad also helps fill you up and gives you energy to later use. Some carb options are whole grains like quinoa, roasted and sliced sweet potatoes, and garbanzo beans or black beans.
Veggies
Yes, the dark, leafy greens ARE vegetables. But let's jazz the salad up with more veggies to add another layer of color if nothing else. So add your vibrant, plump red tomatoes (I know!), some yellow and orange sweet peppers, shredded carrots, and diced or sliced cucumbers. How about some onions or mushrooms? Cauliflower and broccoli won't hurt either. The salad is getting better.
Fruit
Now, I'll say this might depend on other types of toppings you add to the salad. Read: optional. Tomato is controversial because I grew up thinking it was a vegetable, but this "fruit" is a common salad fixture. It pains my brain to reserve the healthy fat avocado in this layer, but apparently, it's a "fruit" too. Should you want to include chopped apples, that is your right. Raisins are a common addition because they add a nice touch of sweetness. Feel free to sprinkle in other dried fruit if you wish. Sweet!
Texture & Flavor
I like a little crunch to my salad. This is where croutons, seeds, nuts, sesame sticks, and crisps come into play. Celery is another good crunchy topping to add. For a flavor change, pickled onions and artichoke hearts are a couple of tasty options.
Dressing
The good ol' creamy dressings like ranch- or caesar-based ones are comfortable choices and common go-tos. As delicious as the creamy ones are...vinaigrettes are better options and literally keep things light.
Salad Health Benefits
A major benefit of salad is it's a whole meal that allows you to knock out your daily nutritional value requirements at once. I like it for that reason. I don't have to go eating things here and there and forcing them down just because.
Salad can be as filling or as light as you'd like to make it. Hello to customization!
Jaz the Sag Foodie Tip
Ratio matters. As tempting as it is, you don't want to overload your salad. Everything's better in moderation. By all means, load up on the greens. A handful of protein is sufficient. A sprinkle of carbs and fruit is just right. Plopping the extra veggies in is a good move. And remember to drizzle, not douse your salad with dressing. This is where the art of tossing salad is so very appropriate to apply. *ahem* Toss it and toss it some more because dressing will permeate every bite you take once it's all well mixed.
How do you like your salads?
I don't
ALL the toppings and layers
Light and minimalistic
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