You might hear “salad recipes” and think of dull greens and boring veggies. But this roundup is NotYou don’t want to eat poor-quality healthy food. No, this article is for those who don’t particularly like salads, who don’t believe anything healthy can also be delicious, and who are struggling to keep up with a healthy diet. The key to staying healthy, according to the true experts, is Not You don’t have to eat boring foods like chicken or broccoli.—You have it figured out—a plain salad.
The actual key to sticking to a healthy lifestyle is to turn good-for-you foods into delicious meals that you’ll crave all the time (read: “salad pizza”). I quizzed some of my favorite nutritionists, doctors, and all-around wellness gurus for the salads that not only pack a nutritional punch but are also so good that they can’t get enough. Here are some great salad ideas. Your meals are about get more green.
1. McKel Kooienga MS. RD, LDN. Author and Founder Nutrition Stripped
“My favorite go-to salad is my Eggs, Beans, and Greens Salad Bowl. Salads can leave you feeling hungry or unsatisfying. This salad uses my Foundational Five system for creating a balanced meal, ensuring you’re consuming the nutrients you need to support digestion, steady energy, sound sleep, clear focus, and long-term health. This salad is easy to make and has a delicious homemade dressing. Get the full recipe here.”
2. Berrion Berry, period educator, practitioner, and founder of The Flo Academy
“I’m obsessed with Caesar salads, but they’re not always the most nutrient-dense, so I’ve jazzed it up to be a lot more Flo-friendly and liver-loving. Instead of using romaine leaves as the base, I prefer to use Kale. (Top tip: Massage the Kale to aid digestion). Add nutritional yeast for cheese and swap the croutons in for roasted chickpeas. I prefer a dairy-free Caesar salad dressing made with Dijon mustard (lemon, water, and honey) Mix it all together and it’s the best of both worlds: classic but packed with nutrients.
A Caesar salad is not only customizable, but you can do so much with it. For example, I have recently been adding Loona Seeds (which are perfect for seed cycling) and it’s taken my salads to the next level. Click here for the full recipe.”
3. Dr. Mona Vand, Pharmacist & Digital Creator
“Whether you’re fully plant-based or not, getting in your raw greens just does the body (and skin) good. Because I grew up eating Persian food, I have a sour taste. So this salad has a salty and sour taste—it’s so yummy! Find the full recipe here and my favorite salad dressing here.”
4. Dr. Alejandro Junger MD, Cardiologist, and Bestselling Author
“The Superfood Rainbow Salad is perfect for summer! It is bursting with fresh colors and has a rainbow of colors. This salad can be eaten as a standalone dish or paired with your favorite protein. For the full recipe, click here.”
5. DJ Blatner, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and NOW Wellness Expert
“My favorite salad is a salad pizza with lemon-flax vinaigrette dressing. This super summery salad pizza features thin raw zucchini, fresh basil, tomato and ricotta. It is topped with lemon-flax vinaigrette dressing to provide healthy vegetarian omega-3 fatty acids. Whatever salad doesn’t fit on the pizza, I eat on the side. For the full recipe, click here.”
“This refreshing Cucumber and Hijiki Salad is a delicious alternative to the traditional seaweed salad. Hijiki, a Japanese black seaweed, is included in this salad. Hijiki is considered a food that enhances beauty, strengthens hair and adds shine. It’s the most mineral-dense of all seaweeds and the highest in iron and calcium. I love this salad because it’s easy to make, highly nutritious, and has the most yummy crunch. You can add dried hijiki, a large cucumber, half of an red bell pepper, and green onion to this salad. Combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, finely minced ginger, olive oil, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and salt and pepper for the dressing, and enjoy!”
7. Brigitte Timlin, MPH. RD, CDN. Health Coach and Founder, BZ Nutrition
“My favorite salad is the Insalata Verde from Via Carota in the West Village, NYC. It’s such a simple green salad, and yet, it is so flavorful and filling. I aim to eat two to three cups of green vegetables each day, raw or cooked. This salad does the trick and is full of filling fiber to keep my stomach happy. The variety of greens provides extra hydration for hot summer days and is a great source for folate for mommas-to. This is thanks to this NY Times recipe, I can recreate the salad at home.”
“This Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad combines a few of my favorite things: buffalo sauce, fresh veggies, and cilantro ranch. This salad is a favorite of mine because it features some of my favorite flavors. The air-fried chicken nuggets add protein that elevates this salad to a whole new level. Salads that only last a few moments are no longer a good idea. This salad will leave you feeling full for hours with the protein from the chicken nuggets, healthy fats from avocado, and fiber from all the delicious vegetables.
To make, fry chicken nuggets in buffalo sauce in an air fryer. Next, combine chopped romaine lettuce, cabbage, carrots and diced celery. For a dressing, pulse together Bolthouse Farms Ranch Dressing and cilantro into a food processor until well-combined.”
9. Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, Cookbook Author
“I love this salad because the pairing of sweet, sour, and tangy flavors of in-season ripe tomatoes with peach and strawberry is just perfection. It’s also quick and easy to prepare and bursting with nutrients. You can find the complete recipe in my book. The Southern Comfort Food Diabetes Cookbook: More than 100 Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle.”
10. Dr. Steven Gundry MD is a Cardiothoracic Surgeon and best-selling author
“A Green Mango Lectin-Free Salad is so fresh and tangy and has a delicious vegan salad dressing. Once you make this salad, you’ll never go back to boring old lettuce and ranch dressing again. For the full recipe, click here.”
“Caesar salad is one of my favorite salads, thanks to the the crunchy romaine and flavorful dressing. My favorite recipe is made with a delicious Brazil Nut, dairy-free Parmesan, and creamy eggless Caesar dressing. Click here to check out the recipe!”
12. Dr. Poonam Desai
“I love what I call a ‘balanced’ salad, which includes veggies, protein, carbs, herbs, and even fruits. I make about eight to twelve vegetables (kale and spinach, onions, sugar snappeas, radishes. celery, carrots. beets. tomatoes. avocados.), a protein (chickpeas, lentils, bulgar wheat, tofu, etc.), carbs (sweet potatoes or quinoa), herbs (dill, parsley, mint, basil, etc.), seeds and nuts (pumpkin, sunflower, walnuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds), and fruit (strawberries, dried cranberries, oranges). Many store-bought dressings contain artificial flavors and sugars. I prefer to make my own dressings. My go-to dressing is simple: apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, a dash of Celtic sea salt, and a little black pepper.”
“This Warm Salmon Citrus Salad is one of my absolute favorites because it hits all three of my salad criteria: balanced nutrition, full of hearty textures, and packed with flavor. It’s a great balance of proteins, fiber, and leafy greens. The salmon and edamame provide high-quality protein that will keep you satisfied for hours. Once the salmon is cooked, the salad can be made quickly. It’s also versatile enough for those who are vegan, too: Swap in tofu using the same marinade or take it out completely since the edamame has enough plant-based protein. For the full recipe, click here.”
Source: The Every Girl