How to build a healthier, more filling salad
Not only are salads packed with vitamins and nutrients, they also make excellent one-dish summer meals. Beci Falkenberg, a chef at Cancer Wellness at Piedmont, shares her tips for building healthy, filling salads.
“You can customize your salad or bowl to your tastes and dietary needs with whatever you have on hand,” says Falkenberg. “Start with greens and grains or noodles; add vegetables, protein, dressing or healthy fat, and fun add-ins for more flavor, crunch and nutrition. Incorporate leftovers, be creative and experiment.”
Start with your base
Start with a base layer of green and grains or noodles.
Greens: Spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, kale, mixed greens or shaved Brussels sprouts
Grains/noodles: Quinoa, rice (brown, black, wild), oats, sorghum or buckwheat
Add vegetables
“Think color and pick at least three vegetables or one from each category below,” she says.
Raw: Shredded carrots, radishes, purple cabbage/cabbage slaw mix, sliced fennel, bell peppers, tomatoes, celery, sugar snap peas or cucumbers
Cooked: Roasted broccoli, onions, cauliflower, eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, green beans, Brussels sprouts, or red and golden beets
Complex carbohydrates: Sweet potatoes, pumpkin or squash (acorn, delicata and butternut)
Pick your protein
Protein helps build lean muscle and keeps you full. Try four ounces of one of the following:
Beans like black, chickpeas (hummus), cannellini or adzuki
Chicken
Edamame
Eggs (over easy, soft boiled, or chopped hard boiled)
Lean beef
Lentils
Reduced fat cheese
Seafood (sardines, tuna, shrimp, salmon)
Tempeh
Tofu
Turkey
Yogurt
Add healthy fats
Healthy fats are essential for good health and help keep you satiated.
Try adding avocado to your salad or drizzle on one of these dressings:
Maple mustard vinaigrette
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon stone ground or Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a wide-mouth jar with a lid. Secure lid and shake well until the vinaigrette is thick and creamy.
Ginger almond dressing
Ingredients:
1/4 cupalmond or peanut butter
1/4 cupwater
1 tablespoon olive, avocado orsesame oil
2tablespoons tamari or coconut aminos
1 tablespoonlemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon mincedginger
1 clove minced garlic
Hot chili sauce to taste or cracked black pepper for less spice
Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl; adjust seasoning and water to suit your taste.
Add some fun toppings
Depending on what you’re craving, add a few yummy toppings, such as:
Something sweet, such as apples, pears, grapes, pomegranate seeds, oranges, bananas, unsweetened dried cranberries, fresh berries, pineapple or mango
Something crunchy, like toasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, peanuts, slivered or crushed almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, chia or flax seed, or cacao nibs
Fresh herbs, such as basil, mint, dill, chives, cilantro or parsley (try mixing two)
Something fermented, like sauerkraut, a drizzle of yogurt or kefir, miso (add to dressing recipe), tempeh or kimchi (fermented vegetables)
Finally, when preparing your salad ingredients, Falkenberg recommends making enough for three meals to maximize your time in the kitchen, giving you more time for summer fun.
Check out more recipes and nutrition tips from Cancer Wellness experts.
