What’s for dinner? Salad!

A salad can be an appetizer, a main course, or a side dish! Eating a well-balanced salad can be a healthy meal!

A salad is not just iceberg lettuce and some ranch dressing with croutons. A salad can be the star of the meal with flavors and nutrient dense ingredients. Your boring greens can be an exciting dish with added ingredients that are loaded with vitamins and minerals. Salad can take over as the main dish and can be filling!

A salad has a base, which the first layer this can vary from greens to pasta. This can also be grain such as rice or quinoa. The body of the salad is the main part, which can vary from veggies to fruits. Garnishes are added to a salad such a cheese and nuts and seeds to add flavor. Antioxidants, which fight free radicals, are found in fruit and vegetables! A salad can be low in calorie and packed with vitamins and minerals! Salads can be prepared in a mason jar with stacked ingredients for portable travel for work. Adding olive oil with a fruit and herbs in a blender can be made for a healthy dressing. Salads have a variety of options and flavors and can and the recipes are unlimited and are easy to prepare.

Here are some ideas on how to dress up your greens and add a little sparkle to your plate!

Salad Base:

This is the foundation of the salad it can be greens or a grain or even a pasta… Here are some ideas:

• Kale

• Spinach

• Arugula

• Quinoa

• Brown Rice

• Noodles

• Romaine

Garnishes:

The garnishes add texture and flavors and can consist of a variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs and nuts.  Garnishes can be cheese or a protein. Here are some ideas:

• Sunflower seeds

• Carrots

• Red Cabbage

• Nuts

• Strawberries

• Roasted butternut squash

• Basil

• Cheese

• Legumes

• Seeds

• Nuts

• Your favorite lean protein