Mastering the salad is, truly, one of the best ways to make sure that you can eat healthy, getting all the fruit and veg your diet needs, while reducing your reliance on meats. However, if your idea of a salad is simply tossing some vegetables into a bowl and drizzling them with dressing from a bottle, you are missing out. Here, we’re going to look at how you reintroduce flavor to your life while still eating healthily.
Get seasonal with it
Tired of seeing the same old ingredients time and time again? Then why do you keep using them? Instead of going with the chilled veg available in your grocery aisles, you should look a little closer to home. Find your nearest farmer’s market and pick up the foods that are in season. Be willing to get a little experimental with a seasonal salad. Not only are you likely to discover some tastes that you’ve never tried before to become fast favorites, but veg that’s that fresh is always going to be more flavorful and nutritious.
Make your own dressing
It is true that salad dressing tends to add a little guilt to your salads. However, if you have a really good one, you don’t need to add that much to bring the flavor that half a bottle of storebought would add. To that end, the right salad dressing recipe can make all the difference. From a roasted garlic dressing to an Asian sesame dressing, get used to making your own and you can create all kinds of taste sensations.
Get some protein in there
We’re not talking about adding meat to your salads. While a slice of ham or some chicken chunks can certainly work, if you’re trying to reduce your meat intake, then there are plenty of great plant-based proteins that can still add that savory touch to your meals. Cooked grains such as rice, lentils, and beans can be a great addition to your meal. If you want to bring out the flavor in its fullest, then going with a refried beans option is going to make for an excellent and filling side to your salad.
Lock some flavor into your veg
For vegetables that are great at absorbing flavors, such as carrots, peppers, and most kinds of cruciferous greens, you should consider roasting them to make them more palatable. You’re not going to lose too much nutrition by roasting them lightly, and it also gives you a great opportunity to add some seasoning to them, as well. Herbs and species such as parsley, thyme, mint, dill, and cilantro aren’t too expensive to buy and last on your shelves for a very long time. A pinch to go with the right veg can make all the difference.
There is a much wider variety of salads than you might realize at first. Get to know which vegetables you like, then look at the many tastes that you pair them with, as well as the different ways you can prepare and season them.
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