An Easy 5-Step Process to Making The Perfect Salad
Salads often get a bad rap. Whether because they’re a symbol of diet culture or because they can feel time-consuming and complicated, salads don’t get the recognition that they should.
The truth is, a big salad is a great way to incorporate, and even sneak in protein, fat and fiber, and there’s a lot of room for creativity. It can make the perfect lunch or dinner, but there are some tips that can help make it tastier, more satisfying and a lot less daunting to make.
Below are 5 tips to make a delicious (and hearty) salad that doesn't take much time or effort:
> Buy pre-chopped or shredded lettuce and pre-prepped veggies
Take the added work and time out of cutting, chopping, shredding and prepping vegetables, like carrots, cabbage, celery, mushrooms, and lettuce. Buying the food is the first step, but if it’s not ready for you when you want it, there’s a good chance you’ll reach for something else that is. Having your veggies and salad ingredients ready to go is key for making the salad quick.
> Have easy-to-access protein on hand
This could be feta or Parmesan cheese, edamame, tuna fish, sliced turkey, tofu, rotisserie chicken, or hemp seeds. These are just a few options, but again, you want to focus on options that don’t require prep work- or that you can easily prep.
> Add simple accoutrements to spice things up:
Salads don’t have to be just veggies and protein. Additions like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sprouts, avocado, crushed tortillas, rice, quinoa, etc. will give it some added texture, flavor and nutrients.
> Prep a large salad that you can pull from throughout the week
You can meal prep a salad just like any other meal to have it accessible when you need, but wait to add your dressing until you’re ready to eat, so that the lettuce doesn't get soggy.
> Keep a healthy but tasty salad dressing at home for the final piece
Dressing can come with a lot of sugar and refined oils, turning a healthy salad into a processed one. Luckily there are healthy options that are made with oils like avocado oil and simple ingredients like seasonings for flavor. This ensures a delicious but healthy dressing that provides a nice boost of healthy fat. Here is one of my favorites.
