Ever wanted one of those fancy restaurant style salads at home? Have your attempts at mixing varieties of lettuce, veggies and dressing still not added up to the extravagance you had on your last dinner date? If you are like me you want to replicate these lovely bowls of greens because not only do they look amazing, they TASTE amazing. This helps keep me motivated to eat healthy. Try some of these tips to step your salad game up!
1. Fresh Ingredients
Making sure you only get fresh ingredients that are IN SEASON is imperative to a beautiful tasty salad. This may seem obvious, but some people don’t know where to begin. The best place to go for fresh in season ingredients is your local farmer’s market. This is not only guaranteed fresh, it usually supports local organizations!
2. Salad Spinner
You do know that even pre-washed lettuce has to be cleaned, right?! This is an important step, but what’s equally as important is the drying process. Let’s just face it, the old paper towel pat dry trick just isn’t working out. Invest in a salad spinner, as it will get all of your chosen veggies quickly and thoroughly dry. This not only keeps your salad from being mushy, but also allows for your dressing to stick better.
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3. Experiment
Who says you MUST stick to the traditional lettuce base topped with carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes? If you’re not a big lettuce eater, try using quinoa or faro as your main ingredient instead. Try any random combo of ingredients that satisfy your taste buds. Salads are simply just that, a mixture of good, hearty ingredients. You can even try tossing some nuts, seeds and/or roasted veggies in the mix. Go ahead and try it…this is the FUN PART!
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4. Flavor
Play around with fresh herbs and spices for that extra punch of flavor. Something as simple like a drizzle of lemon or lime on top or even a dash of fresh cracked pepper or Sriracha can take a basic salad to a whole different level of taste.
5. Texture
This is an important cooking tip to remember in general. When you use a softer chewy ingredient in a salad such as feta or avocado, make sure you pair it with something crunchy like nuts or croutons. The contrast will keep the textures of the salad interesting.
6. Protein
Be mindful of how you prepare the protein you add to your salad. It can either add more to the salad or take away from it. Instead of adding just plain baked or rotisserie try marinating the meat before you cook it. If all else fails, grilled chicken’s charred flavor adds a great touch of flavor to your salad.
Visit the BlackDoctor.org Healthy Weight Loss center for more articles and tips.
For more salad making tips,visit KissTheChaos.com.
