No one has ever had a spaghetti shortage. But vegetables can be harder to incorporate into your daily diet - so we're thankful for salads. Here's a loose formula that can help you put together a delicious and nutrient-rich salad in no time.
Start simply with a base of leafy greens. There's nothing wrong with light-coloured lettuce. A dark green or red colour - think spinach, kale or rocket - usually means more nutrients. By adding fresh herbs, you can create more flavour for fewer calories.
Now is the time to add colour and crunch. The more vegetables, the better. Whether raw or steamed, it doesn't matter. A variety of different coloured vegetables provides many good different nutrients.
Another very important component that your salad should definitely contain is protein. Different options are: Chicken, tuna or steak. Otherwise, two hard-boiled eggs are always a good change. Half a cup of beans can serve as both a source of protein and carbohydrates for those who prefer to avoid animal products.
Foods with complex carbohydrates that contain slow-digesting fibre are another way to make the salad more filling. Besides beans, half a cup of warm or cold cooked cereals such as barley or brown rice are good options. Half a cup of starchy vegetables like peas, corn or sweet potatoes, or a cup of fresh fruit are great ways to give your salad that extra something.
The right fats are also important in your salad. Avocado, cheese, nuts and seeds are not only tasty but also have health benefits. A serving of avocado provides lots of fibre as well as antioxidants and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Nuts and various seeds also provide good fats, plus protein. Cheese also contains a lot of protein and is an excellent source of calcium. Simply crumble or grate the cheese into your salad. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil helps you absorb more fat-soluble nutrients and is rich in heart-healthy antioxidants. To avoid adding too many calories, choose one healthy fat option, not all four ;)
As the saying goes, "The eye eats with you". That's why it can be helpful to dress the salad nicely. You can add oil and vinegar or freshly squeezed citrus juice separately or mix them first to make a vinaigrette. In either case, a good ratio is two to three parts oil to one part acid. For extra flavour, experiment with mustard, minced garlic, shallots or citrus zest. If you prefer a creamy dressing, simply toss an avocado in a blender with some garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.
Keep the salad healthy by avoiding bacon bits, croutons and bottled cream dressings. These can be a surprisingly high source of calories.
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No one has ever had a spaghetti shortage. But vegetables can be harder to include into your daily diet - therefore we are thankful for salads. Here's a loose formula that can help you put together a delicious, nutrient-rich salad.
Start simple with a base of leafy greens. There's nothing wrong with light-coloured lettuce. A dark green or red colour - think spinach, kale or arugula usually means more nutrients. By adding fresh herbs, you can create more flavour for a few calories.
Now it's time to add even more colour and crunch. The more vegetables, the better . Raw or steamed, it doesn't matter. A variety of different coloured vegetables provide many good different nutrients.
Another very important component that your salad should definitely contain is protein. Different options are chicken, tuna or steak. Otherwise, two hard boiled eggs are always a good change. A half cup of beans can serve as both a protein source and a carbohydrate source for those who prefer to avoid animal products.
Foods with complex carbohydrates that contain slow-digesting fibre are another way to make your salad more filling. In addition to beans, a half cup of warm or cold cooked grains such as barley or brown rice are good options. A half cup of starchy vegetables like peas, corn or sweet potatoes, or a cup of fresh fruit are a super way to give your salad that extra something.
The right fats are also important in your salad. Avocado, cheese, nuts, and seeds are not only tasty, but also have health benefits. A serving of avocado provides lots of fibre as well as antioxidants and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Nuts and various seeds also provide good fats plus protein. Cheese also contains a lot of protein and is an excellent source of calcium. Simply crumble or grate the cheese into your salad. A drizzle of olive oil helps you to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients and is rich in heart-healthy antioxidants. To avoid adding too many calories, choose one healthy fat option, not all four ;)
After all, they say "you eat with your eyes". That's why it can be helpful to dress your salad nicely. You can add oil and vinegar, squeezed citrus juice or mix them together first to make a vinaigrette. In either case, a good ratio is two to three parts oil to one part acid. For added flavour, you can experiment with mustard, minced garlic, shallots or citrus zest. If you prefer a creamy dressing, just toss an avocado in a blender with some garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.
Keep the salad healthy by avoiding bacon bits, croutons and creamy dressings from a bottle. These can be a surprisingly high source of calories.
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