Start Making Friends With Salad!
Salad can be the best addition to any meal, and a side that shouldn’t be underestimated.
Before you laugh, hear me out.
Salad can be the best addition to any meal, and a side that shouldn’t be underestimated.
It is a fantastic low calorie way to fill up on protein and fibre while also getting in your daily nutrients.
When you think of salad, I bet you immediately think of boring and really bland combinations of leafy things that are unappealing and dull, am I right?
It doesn’t have to be that way though — in fact, building a better salad is a great skill, one you can master from this blog alone, so keep reading!
Superior Salad Step 1: Choose your base
This is the easy part — greens, greens, greens! You have so many options, and your base can set the tone for the rest of the salad.
Stick to the traditional leaves, like iceberg lettuce, cos or romaine — or branch out into spinach, chard or arugula leaves. Some leaves are more dense than others, with an intense earthy flavour, so keep it in mind and choose to your own tastes.
Superior Salad Step 2: Grab some protein
You can opt for the traditional protein — chicken, fish, lean beef, but why not branch out into prawns, tofu or even lamb. Choosing a lean protein will beef up your salad (no pun intended), and help keep you fuller for longer.
It is quite easy to turn a salad into a meal by doubling the protein too, so it really depends on what you feel like.
Superior Salad Step 3: Add crunch
It is a simple as finding the crunchy veges; like carrot, snow peas or even lightly steamed broccoli.
That added crunch will assist you in eating your salad at a slower pace (because no-one wants to choke!) but it also makes a salad more interesting.
Superior Salad Step 4: Add a lil bit of sweet
Fruit can be added to any salad, so don’t discount it. The best and more creative flavour combos in a salad usually include a fruit.
My favourites are green apple, grapefruit and mango — more of a Summer vibe, but fruit in combination with protein and nuts, doesn’t even warrant a dressing. Don’t be afraid to try it.
Superior Salad Step 5: Sprinkle in the fats
The final piece in the salad puzzle, it fats. The options are endless — with nuts, seeds, avocado, oils all at your fingertips. Add extra crunch with some slithered almonds or pine nuts.
Slice an avocado for added depth in salad texture, or even a tablespoon of flaxseed, olive or avocado oil to lift the salad to life. Options are up to you, but there are so many, you won’t get bored!
It’s as easy as that, and the combinations are endless.
One thing to remember is that, when you start throwing in all the extras (like avocado, dressing, meats), calories can start to add up.
Be mindful of what you add to the basics, and eat for your goals. We’re all different, but a few tweaks here and there can make ANY salad perfect for you. Throw out the boring, and be creative!
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