Salads don't have to be the boring iceberg lettuce ho hum concoction. Add a little panache, a little spice, a little flair. Be creative; don't be afraid to try different things. Chop raw vegetables; add different spices and various vinegars and dressings. Pick up a salad book and see all the possibilities. There are numerous books out there that will tell you how to make creative salads that are filling, satisfying, fun and might even help you lose weight. You can pretty much just look through your pantry and fridge, grab whatever catches your eye and throw it all together!
Greens
Don't limit yourself to iceberg lettuce. There are so many other exciting and delicious greens out there! Baby spinach, heart of Romaine and dandelion leaves all make great greens for your salad. You can even throw several different types of greens together to make an awesome salad. Check your local farmer's market or the produce section of your local grocery store and browse the selections available.
Vegetables
Vegetables are great in salads. Throw in some raw squash, zucchini, onion, garlic, bell pepper and carrots and you will have an awesome salad. You can also roast the vegetables with some seasoning and toss them in with some greens or pasta. Jicama is also a great addition to a salad. Similar to a turnip, a jicama is large, crisp and sweet. Cube it or slice it and add it to your salad for a healthy, low fat, crunchy kick!
Meat
Meat is often added to salads. While bacon bits are probably the most popular, it isn't necessarily the healthiest. Try poached, chopped chicken or fish to your salads. You can also drain and rinse a can of tuna and add that to your salad with a little lemon pepper and vinegar. Shrimp and crab also pack a nice punch of protein to your salads. Ham is also good, but it can be high in sodium. Season your chicken or fish well and toss it with your greens and vegetables.
Pasta
Pasta can turn a salad into a meal. Fettuccini, spaghetti, angel hair pasta, rotini and other pastas are all wonderful for pasta salads. The great thing about pasta salad is that it can be served hot or cold. You can toss it with some vegetables, meats, cheese and whatever else strikes your fancy. Sauté your vegetables in a little olive oil and add some basil and sea salt. Once your vegetables are tender, toss them with the pasta. The olive oil sticks to the pasta (don't rinse the pasta in cold water, warm pasta holds the oil and seasonings better) and blends all the flavors. You can also cook your pasta and roast your vegetables then mix well.
Dressings
Regular bottle dressings are OK, but there is a whole world out there of vinegars and concoctions that you can make yourself. Try drizzling a little raspberry balsamic vinegar over raw, chopped vegetables. Some apple cider vinegar, mixed with a little cold-pressed olive oil, garlic and the seasonings of your choice can make an awesome dressing. Think about the flavors that you like, the spices that you enjoy. Do you like basil? It makes a great dressing if you use some olive oil and rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. For an added kick, splash in some white wine or red wine. Just play with it and see what flavors turn you on!
Eating enough greens in your diet can really boost your immune system and overall energy, as well as help you to maintain a healthy body shape.
Spencer Hunt is a glyconutrients consultant who helps his clients to buy glyconutrients supplements at an affordable price so that they can stay on the product long enough to see real results, such as an energy boost and an immune system boost.
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