Build The Perfect Salad

There are so many salad variations…seasonal salads, fruit salads. To me, the perfect, BASIC salad begins with only a few main ingredients, accompanied by a light dressing.

Pre-packaged salads, oily croutons and endless dressing can easily add up to 1,000 calories or more, not to mention countless grams of fat. Not quite what we’re looking for!

Here are some things to keep in mind to help you build the perfect salad:

Greens

Greens should serve as your nutritious base and should typically make up 70-75% of your salad. Pick greens like spinach, romaine lettuce, arugula, mixed greens, kale.

Vegetables

Add COLOR! Add red with tomatoes and peppers. Mix in magenta with beets, orange with carrots, white or gray with mushrooms.

Always choose seasonal produce. Look for: tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, carrots, bell peppers, beets, mushrooms.

Proteins

Lean proteins are a must. Cut-up chicken breast, turkey, fish or hard boiled eggs are all excellent choices. Chickpeas and beans are also great sources of protein to include.

Healthy Fats

Always choose healthy fats! Sprinkle small amounts of olive oil based dressing, avocado, nuts (almonds, walnuts) or seeds.

Now to prepare your salad, simply toss the ingredients of your choice in a bowl and enjoy!

Plan ahead so your salads can be thrown together quickly. You can prep early and reduce some of the legwork midweek by chopping vegetables, cooking up beans, or grilling chicken.