If you are trying to cut calories, a great way to do it is to eat more salads. Leafy greens fill you up fast, are packed full of nutrients, and are very low calorie. But eating salads doesn’t have to mean choking down bite after bite of boring spinach. You can spice your salads up and add even more nutritional value with a variety of toppings. Try these combinations, or mix and match to make your perfect salad.
Table of Contents
You can also add interest and variety to your salads by the type of dressing you choose. If you are trying to lose weight, make sure to pick a lowfat or fat free dressing. These will add plenty of flavor without all the fat and calories of an oil based dressing.
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Sunflower Seeds
The combination of seasoned, roasted veggies and fresh greens is delightful! The sunflower seeds add crunch and flavor, as well as extra protein. The brie cheese is optional, but provides a great contrast to the vegetables.
- 3-4 handfuls of mixed greens
- Grilled onions
- Grilled mushrooms
- Grilled green peppers
- Grilled zucchini
- Roasted sunflower seeds
- Cubed Brie cheese (optional)
Avocado Salad
This is a simple recipe using a mix of vegetables not often found in salads. The corn and beets bring a sweet flavor that is rounded out nicely by the richness of the avocado. If you like an extra crunch in your salad, you could add nuts or croutons.
- 3-4 handfuls of mixed greens
- Sweet corn
- Beet cubes (pre-cooked)
- Avocado slices
Grape and Pear Salad
This salad is great to serve guests or to bring to a potluck. It’s very healthy, but it also tastes wonderful and has very sophisticated look. The combination of fruit and greens gives it a lot of interesting flavor. Bleu cheese really brings out the sweetness of the pears.
- 3-4 handfuls of baby spinach
- Halved grapes
- Pear slices
- Almond slivers
- Sliced hard boiled egg
- Crumbed bleu cheese (optional)
Smoked Tofu Salad
A great way to add healthy protein to a salad is by topping it with cubed or sliced tofu. You can buy tofu to bake and season yourself, or you can buy pre-seasoned varieties. The prepared versions will save you time, but be sure to check the label if you are worried about sodium or fat content.
- 3-4 handfuls of mixed greens
- Sliced smoked tofu
- Blanched snow peas
- Shredded carrots
- Chopped cashews
If you are bringing pre-made lunches to work, the easiest way to pack a salad is to throw the greens and all the toppings together in a piece of tupperware. If you put the dressing on too far in advance, it will make your salad soggy. So bring the dressing in a separate container and add it just before you eat.
