When the word salad comes to mind many people think ”diet” and that’s all I’m going to eat for the next month. UGH! So, let’s get one thing straight, eating healthy foods such as vegetables makes for a healthy nutrition plan, not a diet. Vegetables provide us with lots of fiber that helps to keep us full longer while keeping calories down to help us maintain a healthy weight. Vegetables also provide our bodies with the vitamins that we need to keep our energy up, without added sugars and caffeine.
Before we get into the mix, have you used a Salad-Spinner? Check them out here!
I do love a good salad, but I also know that it’s not always the healthiest food on the menu. That’s right, at many restaurants ordering a salad with ALL the fixings can be more calories than the hamburger. So in honor of Salad Month, yes that’s a legit thing, I am offering some tips to keep that salad healthy and anything but boring. Use the chart below to build a salad by choosing one item from each column.
How to build a salad
| Step 1: Pick your Greens
(2 cups) |
Step 2: Add a lean protein
(3 ounces) |
Step 3: Chop up some veggies
(1/2 cup) |
Step 4: A touch of sweetness
(1/4 cup) |
Step 5: A spoonful of healthy fat | Step 6: Dress it up! |
| Spinach | Chicken | Shredded Carrots | Cubed
Apple |
¼ Avocado | 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
| Kale | Low Sodium Deli Turkey | Diced Tomatoes | Sliced
Strawberries |
2 Tablespoons Almond, slivered | Fresh Squeezed lemon juice |
| Romaine Lettuce | 2- Hardboiled Eggs | Cucumber Slices | Blueberries | 10 Walnuts | ¼ cup salsa |
| Spring Mix | ½ cup
Black Bean |
Jicama
Sticks |
2 tablespoons
Dried Cranberries |
2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds, unsalted | 1 Tablespoon each of Balsamic Vinegar and EVOO |
Tips for eating salad on the go:
- Choose grilled meats, fish, or beans
- Ask for salad dressing on the side
- Avoid crispy toppings like tortilla strips, wontons strips, and croutons
- Skip on the candied nuts and ask for raw (unsalted and not roasted) nuts instead
- Get your salad without the fried tortilla bowl
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