I used to avoid salads because I thought they were boring and lacked flavor unless I poured a whole bottle of ranch dressing on them. But I’ve learned that making salads at home is different than buying them at a restaurant. I make sure mine have great flavor and taste fresh.
A salad can be made 1,000 different ways. You can add pretty much anything. I like salads with a good amount of protein that helps keep me full. Here are 3 salad recipes I make often.
- Strawberry + Chicken + Avocado Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup of Spinach Lettuce
2 large strawberries, cubed
1/2 cup of cubed or shredded chicken. (Depends on how you like it)
1/2 Avocado (Can do less depending on your preference)
1 Teaspoon of Chia Seeds
Handful of Almonds
Sprinkle of Feta Cheese
Garlic Powder, Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar + Olive Oil Dressing (I’ll cover this at the end)
This is one of my favorites. The only thing that takes some time is cooking the chicken. I usually cube and cook some to keep in my fridge throughout the week. That way I can pull them out and add to my salad.
This recipe is based on one serving. Honestly, I don’t measure what I put in my salad. I throw stuff in. For this I would use a regular size bowl that you would normally eat cereal from.
2. Chicken + Bell Pepper + Tomato Salad
Ingredients:
1 Cup of Spinach Lettuce
1/2 cup of Grilled Chicken, Cubed
1/4 Cup of Bell Peppers (I like to use orange or red since they have a lot of Vitamin C)
3 Cherry Tomatoes, sliced
1 Green Onion
Sprinkle of Shredded Cheese
Garlic Powder, Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar + Olive Oil Dressing
Another easy salad that takes no time to make. If you have your chicken already made, then just drop the ingredients in the bowl. I made this recipe by mistake. I was trying to use whatever I had in my fridge.
3. Simple Super Kale Salad
Ingredients:
2 Cups of Kale Lettuce
2 Teaspoons of Coconut Oil/Olive Oil
Splash of Apple Cider Vinegar/Lemon Juice
Handful of Almonds/Walnuts
Handful of Dried Fruit (Cranberries are what I usually add)
Sprinkle of Feta Cheese
Dash of Salt
I made this salad after eating the Super Food Salad from Chic-Fil-A. I love it, but it’s so expensive for a small container.
This salad is one where you get your hands involved. If you notice, Kale lettuce is bulky and hard when you pull it from the bag. Put the 2 Cups of Kale lettuce in a large bowl. Add the oil, Apple Cider Vinegar and pinch of salt.
Then, start massaging the lettuce with hands. You’ll also be mixing the ingredients. The lettuce will begin to get smaller after a few seconds.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together. You can always add as much Garlic Powder and Pepper as you want. Especially if it is a little bitter from the Apple Cider Vinegar.
Another tip, I usually make a large batch of this. It’s really great as a side salad for lunch and dinners. If you want it as a meal then you can always add chicken or some other meat.
Balsamic Vinegar + Olive Oil Dressing
1 Teaspoon of Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons of Balsamic Vinegar
This is the only dressing I now use for salads. I really wanted something with great flavor without a bunch of sugar. It’s easy to control how many calories you are putting on your salad with this stuff. Super easy to make and tastes great.
The best part is that I go ahead and put this on my salad when I’m packing my dinner for work. It never makes my salad soggy. When I open my container at dinner time, the smell is amazing. It’s as if this dressing enhances the smells and flavors of my salad.
The olive oil helps give you the healthy fats which are known to keep you full longer.
If you are watching your calories, I would suggest to read the back of the bottles for exact numbers. Like I said, I rarely measure. I just sprinkle a little bit of both and go.
I hope you guys enjoy these salads. Let me know what you think. You can always alter them to your liking. That is the best thing about salads. I plan on posting a new recipe each Wednesday.
What are some of your favorite salads to make? Leave comments below.
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