How to Prepare a Salad in 6 Steps
Get fresh!
Are you the very healthy type who doesn’t mind eating salad every day? Or are you the type who eats salad for your health but aren’t a big fan? Regardless of your answer, the fact is that no one likes to eat a boring salad. So it’s essential to build it in steps so that it is appetizing besides being nutritious.
#1 Choose your base
The base of a salad starts with the greens. Green leaves are what we usually leave out at most of our meals, so choose a base that you like. For example, I am not a fan of romaine, but I love mixed greens. If you don’t like kale, replace it with spinach. Thus, you will not only eat out of obligation and will have more pleasure eating your salad.
#2 Add more colors
It’s time to put that boring salad aside. So add more colors! Add shredded carrots, chopped cherry tomatoes, shredded beets, sliced bell peppers, sliced radishes, and anything that can add some color to your plate.
#3 Turn your salad into a complete meal
Often we do not have time to prepare a full meal, and a salad can bring more convenience to your day, make sure it includes all the nutrients needed for a meal. Carbohydrates, fibers, proteins are essential to maintain energy throughout the day. So add some grains, like rice, corn, barley, quinoa. You can also add beans, chickpea. And if you have an empty pantry and don’t have any grain, add pasta. Rotini, macaroni, farfalle, orzo are some types of pasta that you can add to your salad and bring more energy to it.
#4 The dressing will bring more flavor and complement your salad
For me, salad dressing makes me eat a salad until the end. It will make it tastier and also bring character. The main feature of Caesar Salad is its sauce. If you are craving some Asian food, you can add a sauce made with soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. If your salad ingredients are more Mediterranean, use a dressing with balsamic vinegar or even pesto. Want something healthier? Make a base with yogurt. Be creative!
#5 It’s time for some crunch and healthy extras
To further enhance your salad and bring more flavor, you can include crunchy foods such as seeds, nuts, and croutons. If you like sweet and sour dishes, you can include fruits, apples, pears, and even dried fruits will add more flavor to your salad. In this step, you can also add cheese of your preference. Parmesan, blue cheese, feta, fresh mozzarella are examples of cheeses widely used in salads.
#6 Power it up with protein
If you are a vegan or vegetarian, beyond the grains and beans that bring protein to your plate, you can add the many options of meat alternatives that are on the market today. And for those who eat meat, diversify. You can add chicken, salmon, tuna, shrimp, turkey breast, steak, bacon, egg, whichever you prefer.
A salad can be a complete meal and a convenient and healthy lunch or dinner option. You can pre-prepare everything and finish it when you are ready to eat or even do meal prep, leaving the sauce and crunchy items out.
