Follow these simple techniques to build beautiful—and healthier—salads.
You only have to remember three rules to create salads that will delight your taste buds and give you a nutritional side or main dish.
- Mix Your Greens
By mixing your lettuces, you combine the vitamin and mineral power of different greens, creating a meal packed with nutrients and flavor. Try this: Buy two different lettuces at the store (romaine and mesclun, for example). Wash and tear or cut them into pieces, and mix them and place in zip-lock bags for lunches.
- Layer Flavors and Textures
Add chopped herbs like mint, parsley and cilantro to your mix of greens, so that you get a bit of subtle flavor and added nutrients in every bite of your salad. Parsley adds vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron and fiber. Toasted nuts like walnuts (high in Omega-3s) and pine nuts add extra crunch and protein without the empty calories of croutons.
- Make Your Own Dressing
Once you’ve made your own dressings, you’ll never turn back! All you have to do is follow these basic equations for a simple vinaigrette or a creamy dressing.
Simple Vinaigrette
3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar
To your oil and vinegar mixture, add: salt and pepper to taste, and other seasonings like Dijon mustard, garlic or fresh herbs. Try different oils: Olive oil is fruity, grape seed oil is light and clean, and walnut oil is slightly nutty. Also try different vinegars: apple cider, rice or balsamic.
Creamy Dressing
2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar to 1 part yogurt
Add salt and other seasonings to taste. Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt is perfect for this dressing because it’s thicker than regular yogurt. For your vinegar, try rice or white wine vinegar.
