With the warmer weather, salads make a nice lunch option. Grilled cheese sandwiches don’t travel that well, but a nice fresh salad does. That makes it an excellent option when you are choosing food for delivery. Most people probably think of a boxed lunch as a sandwich, chips, and a cookie, but Vmeals has some pretty creative salad options that make the boxed lunch a little more interesting. How about a salad tray or buffet? That makes feeding (and pleasing) a crowd even easier.
If you are worried that a salad won’t be hearty enough, then you have to think beyond the stock “garden salad”. For the perfect salad – one that is hearty and healthy – just follow these guidelines:
Start with the right greens.
Iceberg lettuce has virtually no calories, but it also has virtually no flavor or nutritional value. You might as well be making your salad with shaved ice. Keep in mind that, as with most veggies, the more color the better. Deep, dark leafy greens are an ideal choice. Try crunchy romaine, super-food spinach, or a tender spicy spring mix.
Go crazy with colorful fruits and veggies.
Cucumbers are great. Really, I love them, but is that the best you can do? Try some crisp apples, dried cherries, shredded carrots, grated beets, mandarin oranges, red onion…you see where I’m going. If you like it, throw it in. Try something unexpected.
Add some protein.
A chicken breast is a great lean addition to a salad, but thinly sliced flank steak, pork tenderloin or shrimp make a salad a meal. Not a meat eater? Throw some chick peas or black beans or edamame in there to “beef” it up.
Add a little fat.
Don’t be afraid, just do it. Fat is going to slow down digestion and make your meal stick with you longer. It will, of course have the added benefit of making it more delicious. A tablespoon or two of a pungent cheese like blue, feta, or shaved parmesan or nuts like almonds, walnuts or pecans will give you a dose of flavor, protein and fat. Your best choice for topping it all off? An olive oil based dressing. Fat free dressing is just going to leave you feeling hungry an hour later. With plenty of flavorful additions, you won’t need to drown your salad in creamy dressings.
If you are like me, the only thing that could make the perfect salad more perfect is a little bit of bread. Go ahead and treat yourself to a beautiful roll from your favorite bakery. It is the perfect accompaniment.
I’ll be hitting the farmer’s market this weekend looking for the ingredients for one of my favorite spring salads:
- Baby spinach
- Sliced strawberries
- Crumbled goat cheese
- A drizzle of high quality olive oil
- A few shakes of balsamic vinaigrette
What’s in your favorite salad?
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