I love salads, somehow though, they always taste better when I am eating them out. But since I have done more cooking at home, I’ve found easy to make recipes that make me feel like I am eating out. Making a quick salad for lunch, snack or dinner is easy and as delicious as you want it to be, since you are the creator.
Other than salads being healthy for the obvious reasons: they are also filled with heart healthy, cancer fighting, cell rebuilding nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Not to mention, they are super low-calorie and filled with fiber that aids in digestion, helps clean the gut out and makes you feel more full and satisfied; lessening your craving craze. Of course if you are loading your salad with tons of cheese, croutons and fattening dressing, just because it is a salad does not mean it is healthy.
Low fiber diets are the leading cause of colon cancer and gut issues like Diverticulitis; so adding real fiber with real food instead of the spoonful of Metamucil in the morning, will help with constipation and a preventative for future disease.
Some high fiber and antioxidant ingredients that are beneficial in adding to your salad are:
- apples
- dried cranberries
- sunflower seeds
- beans
- broccoli
- spinach
Also it is good to note that not all cheese is made the same and some over others are more beneficial because of aging and lack of processing. Keep your salad ingredients on a rotation, meaning, try to use the rainbow of produce that is available to you to give your body with a multitude of nutrition.
Here are a few of my picks…
QUINOA SALAD WITH BLACK BEANS, AVOCADO AND CUMIN-LIME DRESSING from Eating for England
French Bean Salad from The Law Student’s Wife
Blueberry Peach Chicken Salad from Peanut Butter& Peppers
Kale Salad with Warm Cranberry Vinaigrette from Gimme Some Oven
Mandarin Beet Salad with Mandarin Poppyseed Dressing
from Taste Love and Nourish