01 Mar How to Make a Tasty Salad

Sometimes it feels like we are in the food wars: paleo vs vegan, low carb vs low fat, fasting vs snacking, and so on. Can we agree on anything that’s good for us to eat?

Yes. Salad. Salads are an acceptable, and actually really nutritious, part of any diet.

Many people say they love to get a salad at a restaurant but never like ones they prepare at home. We can fix that. I’ll share some tips for making delicious and filling salads.

I have said many times that I eat delicious and healthy food. You probably didn’t believe me. But I am a New Orleans girl and we eat well here. So I choose to prepare or order foods that taste good and support my health. You can too.

Is it Possible to Enjoy Kale in a Salad?

Yes. And it’s so worth it. Dark leafy greens like kale, collards, bok choy, mustard, and so on, are way better for you than iceberg, or even romaine. The trick is to remove the stems, and then slice the leaves into thin strips. Make your dressing first, and stir the kale in, and it will marinate while you get the rest of your meal ready. The other trick is to balance the bitterness with a sweet vegetable, like carrots or beets. Sweet is relative of course. Also consider adding fruit like blueberries, apple slices, strawberries, or dried cranberries. Another idea is to add cheese, if you tolerate dairy, or homemade yogurt/sour cream to the dressing. And finally, honey in the dressing will help.

How to Not Feel Like a Rabbit When You Eat Your Salad

That’s how I feel if I’m eating mostly lettuce. A lot of chewing and not much food. Here’s a formula to prevent that. If you need help making choices, see here.

Step One–Make the dressing. See recipe below.

Step Two–Choose your greens. Be adventurous. Go to a farmers market and grab something you’ve never eaten, like arugula or oak leaf lettuce.

Step Three–Choose your produce. This is the heart of the salad in my mind. Try any veggie you can think of, like cauliflower, peppers, avocado, squash, pea pods, green onion or red onion, or sprouts. Choose as many colors as you can.

Step Four–Choose your protein. This is optional if you’re making a side salad. Try cooked and cooled beans or peas, hard boiled egg slices, or meat like chicken, tuna, or steak slices.

Step Five–Choose some toppings for flavor. Nuts and seeds are great; also olives, bacon bits, and sundried tomatoes. Consider adding fruit. You can add cheese like blue cheese or parmesan.

Step Six–Toss right before serving.

Salad in a Jar

This is a working person’s dream lunch. You can make 5 on a Sunday. It also helps make sure you use up your veggies and they don’t go bad sitting in the fridge. Take your chosen ingredients and layer them in a mason jar in this order: dressing, hard vegetables, soft vegetables, protein, greens. Keep upright until ready to eat.

Dressing on the Bottom

I take my salad bowl and mix the dressing in the bottom. Then I add any vegetable that might need some marinating, like mushrooms or kale, and stir it in. Then I add the rest of the ingredients on top. I toss the salad immediately before serving so there’s no worry about wilted leaves. Here’s the recipe.

Nancy’s Vinaigrette

Makes enough for a large salad for one or two small side salads

1 tablespoon vinegar (choose from apple cider, balsamic, red wine, or others)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon mustard (brown or yellow)

Dash worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon herb (choose from tarragon, thyme, herbes de provence, basil, or others)

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash honey (optional, I use this when the greens are bitter)

Add all ingredients in the bottom of your salad bowl. Whisk together. Layer the salad on top, toss just before serving.

Detox Salad

This is a crunchy salad made with mostly root vegetables and no lettuce. A food processor makes the prep go fast and you can keep it in the fridge for more than one meal.

Detox Salad

Makes enough for 2 to 3 meals

4 cups of 4 or 5 different crunchy vegetables, like cabbage, celery, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower

1 cup of 1-2 seeds or nuts, like almonds or sunflower seeds

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger

Small bunch of parsley

¼ cup dried fruit, like raisins

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Double batch Nancy’s vinaigrette dressing, honey optional

Process all ingredients except seeds. Mix all ingredients, including dressing, in a large bowl. Make at least an hour ahead for best results.

I made this with beets once so I had a RED detox salad. It was yummy, and colorful. And if you want an easy-peasy version for a side salad, you can make a classic French carrot salad using only the carrots, parsley, and dressing.

Eating vegetables is one of the best things you can do for your health. I have plenty more ideas for supporting your health. I’m a National Board Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach. Contact me.

What’s your favorite salad how-to? Share in the Comments below.

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