9 Simple Ingredients for creating a Delicious and Satisfying Salad

Eating healthy can be a real challenge for me. I like healthy food, but I don’t like to cook. I prefer to eat things that are easy to prepare with little to no cooking involved.

Bring on the salad! I love salad, but they can be such a boring meal with little flavor. Especially when I make them at home. I throw some lettuce, tomato, and cucumber in a bowl, mix in a little salad dressing, and dinner is done. But it’s boring, lacks flavor, and is unsatisfying.

I eat out a lot. It’s social and I don’t have to cook or eat a boring salad. However, eating out can be fattening and unhealthy. First, I don’t make the best choices when I eat out and second, they’re putting something in the food to make it so tasty!

I can always order a salad when I eat out, but I rarely do. I usually order a half order of nachos or a couple tacos at Mexican restaurants because I want to eat the chips and salsa. Naturally.

I am on a quest to eat at home more and find ways to make healthy meals without having to spend an hour or more cooking. So, I started researching ways to make salads that taste good without the heavy, fattening salad dressing to give it flavor. Let’s face it, those veggies need something to boost the flavor!

I was pleasantly surprised to find how easy it is to make salads that have lots of flavor without unhealthy, fattening things added! I am sharing this information so you too can make salads that are tasty, satisfying, and healthy.

9 Ingredients for Making a Delicious and Satisfying Salad

Greens

Mix them up! Not a bag of mixed greens, but a variety of fresh ones. Here are several.

• Arugula

• Butterhead

• Iceberg

• Kale

• Radicchio

• Romaine

• Spinach

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are loaded with nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that boost the flavor of many foods, including salad. Use crumbled/crushed, shavings, halves or whole nuts.

• Almonds

• Cashews

• Macadamia

• Pecans

• Pine Nuts

• Pistachios

• Sunflower Seeds

• Walnuts

Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs add an unexpected boost of welcome flavor and fragrance, as well as health benefits. Experiment with different herbs. Lavender might sound strange but it does add flavor. I had lemonade that had lavender included and it was good! A little goes a long way.

• Basil

• Chives

• Cilantro

• Dill

• Lavender

• Mint

• Oregano

• Parsley

• Rosemary

• Sage

• Thyme

Roasted Vegetables

This is one I never would have thought of! I love roasted vegetables and they add different flavors to a salad. They can also add some color to make the salad look more appealing and they taste good!

• Asparagus

• Bell Peppers

• Brussell Sprouts

• Mushrooms

• Squash

• Sweet Peppers (Red and Yellow)

• Zucchini

Cheese

Cheese is not a no, no! As a heart patient, I need to watch my sodium intake, but cheese adds protein and flavor to just about anything! And the nutrients in cheese are good for bone health, muscle contraction, and blood clotting.

• Blue Cheese

• Cheddar

• Feta

• Gouda

• Mozzarella

• Parmesan

Beans and Legumes

Beans and legumes offer plant protein as well as flavor and texture to a salad. It’s okay to use canned beans, but you might want to check the sodium content as canned vegetables can be high in sodium. You can also buy them fresh and prepare them yourself.

• Black

• Garbanzo

• Green

• Kidney

• Lima

• Pinto

• Wax

Whole Grains

I never considered adding whole grains to a salad, but they make it a more balanced meal. Grains add vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. They’re also good for fueling our brains! I admit, the three with an asterisk are new to me.

• Barley

• Brown Rice

• Bulgur*

• Corn

• Farro*

• Flax Seeds

• Freekeh*

• Quinoa

Fruit

Fruit can add color, sweetness, and additional vitamins and minerals. The fruit can be fresh or dried. You might want to limit the fruits to no more than one or two.

• Apples

• Apricots

• Avocado

• Blueberries

• Cranberries

• Lemon

• Lime

• Mango

• Oranges

• Peaches

• Raisins

• Raspberries

• Strawberries

Meat/Poultry/Seafood

Meat, poultry, and seafood are packed with protein and make a salad a complete meal and definitely more filling.

• Chicken

• Crab

• Hamburger (for a taco salad)

• Tuna

• Salmon

• Shrimp

• Steak

• Tuna

• Turkey

Additional ingredients to boost the flavor of your salad.

• Beets

• Carrots

• Celery

• Cucumber

• Edamame

• Eggs

• Olives

• Onions (green, red, even caramelized)

• Peas

• Radishes

• Sweet Potatoes

• Tomato

Add anything you can think of that isn’t on the list. Mix them up and try a variety of salads that are flavorful, healthy, and a full meal!

You can also add salad dressing. Top it off with oil and vinegar (white, red wine, or balsamic), or click here for some easy, healthy, homemade salad dressings.

Researching for this post made me hungry for a good salad! So, I placed a grocery order online of ingredients that I will pick up in the morning so I can guiltlessly indulge.

Are you ready to mix up some ingredients and start enjoying more salads?

Until next time,

Melanie