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July 20, 2015 Kitchen How To's

How to Build a Healthier Salad

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Learn how to build a healthier, tastier salad with five quick tips. Use this guide to make your salads low-calorie, nutritious and more flavorful.

Just because this is my second vegetarian post in a row, it doesn’t mean I’m turning into one. As much as I love my veggies, not in the least bit tempted. But when you receive a gorgeous bagful of greens from your favorite zero pesticide farm company, you make your salad and eat it too. The problem with salads is that, if not done right, they can be deceptively high on calories. And most salads you eat at restaurants, drenched in cloyingly, thick dressings probably are. You’d be surprised that a Cobb’s Salad, however delicious, can set you back by as many as 700-800 calories. So today, I’m going to give you my quick tips on how to build a healthier salad.

It’s important to choose the right greens. While it may be tempting to reach out for the popular ice berg, try a darker lettuce instead, like the Oak Leaf or Romaine. Mix things up with some spinach or even kale. These will help build a good base for your salads, and get lots of fiber into your system. The best part – lettuce has very few calories; as low as 10 calories per cup, and are great sources of vitamin A and potassium.

CRUNCH IT UP WITH VEGGIES

Add some color and crunch to your salad with lots of vegetables. Cucumbers, capsicum, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots and peas are great additions. Just make sure they are either raw or steamed. No frying please.

ADD SOME PROTEIN

We sometimes forget how important protein is for us. Carbs just taste so good, don’t they? Salads are a great way to amp up the protein. If you are vegetarian, choose between tofu, cottage cheese or even kidney beans and chickpeas. Otherwise there is always chicken, fish and eggs. If you are choosing meat, make sure you stick to the lean varieties and have them boiled or poached.

ADD IN EXTRAS

Extras like fruits, nuts or seeds can add more flavor and crunch to your salad. I love adding walnuts, almonds, oranges, pomegranate or even pumpkin seeds to my salads. You could even sprinkle a small portion of goat cheese or feta if you are feeling particularly fancy. But remember, a little goes a long way. My Apple Walnut Summer Salad is a regular at home.

DRESS IT UP

Now this is where it get’s tricky. Up until now, you were building a wholesome, flavorful and nutritious salad. But if you are going to douse your salad in creamy dressings like mayonnaise or ranch, you just undid everything. Stick to lighter dressings like mustard, lemon or balsamic vinaigrettes or even a squirt of lemon juice with some olive oil. I have three great salad dressings for you.

Now that we’ve listed down the 5 commandments of building a healthier salad, go get started! Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter if you are looking for salad recipes or healthy eating ideas.

Look out for my favorite salad recipe in the next post!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Richa Gupta says

    July 29, 2015 at 2:41 pm

    Thansk Krish

    Reply
  2. krish recipes says

    July 28, 2015 at 9:07 pm

    Very informative post on Salads

    Reply
  3. Richa Gupta says

    July 27, 2015 at 11:29 am

    Haha totally Howie! My husband detests an all veggie salad.

    Reply
  4. Richa Gupta says

    July 27, 2015 at 11:29 am

    Glad it helped Byron! Thanks for stopping by πŸ™‚

    Reply
  5. Richa Gupta says

    July 27, 2015 at 11:28 am

    Wow, that’s great piece of trivia. I had no idea that a vinaigrette can help with digestion. I’ll keep that in mind.

    Reply
  6. Richa Gupta says

    July 27, 2015 at 11:27 am

    Thanks for stopping by Paul!

    Reply
  7. Paul says

    July 26, 2015 at 12:27 pm

    Great picture and brilliant formula for building a salad

    Reply
  8. Elizabeth says

    July 25, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    Good post! I used to forgo the dressing or get it on the side (just in case). Then I learned that vinegar and oil dressing actually helps you digest the salad better and absorb the nutrients. So now I am learning to make better vinegar based dressings! Get some good vinegar, not the stuff from the grocery store- the taste difference is amazing!

    Reply
  9. Byron Thomas says

    July 25, 2015 at 7:03 pm

    We eat so many salads in the summer. It’s too hot to cook or bake anything, so we turn to cold, crisp veggies. This will help me put together some new salads and keep some variety. Thanks for posting!

    Reply
  10. Howie Fox says

    July 25, 2015 at 5:21 pm

    Awesome tipps, thanks a lot! I personally think with a good dressing you can save almost any salad! But deffo, you’ll also need some carbs and protein to attract the male audience πŸ™‚

    Reply
  11. Richa Gupta says

    July 25, 2015 at 12:54 pm

    Wow! What I wouldn’t give to have fresh greens I can pluck and use directly in my salad! Thanks for stopping by Jenn πŸ™‚

    Reply
  12. Richa Gupta says

    July 25, 2015 at 12:54 pm

    I love grains in my salad too. Just makes it so wholesome and a full meal.

    Reply
  13. Richa Gupta says

    July 25, 2015 at 12:52 pm

    Thanks Vidhya! That’s where it should be πŸ™‚ Unfortunately, pinterest has spoilt us πŸ˜›

    Reply
  14. Vidhya says

    July 25, 2015 at 12:50 pm

    Neat compilation! Quite a salad formula, Richa. I’m going to pin it in my mind πŸ™‚

    Reply
  15. KC the Kitchen Chopper says

    July 25, 2015 at 12:52 am

    Great ideas. I would add just a 1/4 cup of grains/seeds like quinoa or brown rice. I love the photo, it’s an excellent illustration!

    Reply
  16. Jenn says

    July 24, 2015 at 8:46 pm

    This is pretty much the way I build my salads too. I LOVE crunch in my salad! Always lots of fresh raw veggies, nuts and seeds! We have different greens growing like crazy in our garden, so fresh salad is always on the menu!

    Reply
  17. Richa Gupta says

    July 24, 2015 at 8:37 pm

    Thanks for stopping by Mira

    Reply
  18. Mira says

    July 24, 2015 at 8:01 pm

    Love making salads! Great tips! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  19. Richa Gupta says

    July 24, 2015 at 7:07 pm

    Totally, especially when it’s so hot, salads can be so refreshing.

    Reply
  20. Richa Gupta says

    July 24, 2015 at 7:07 pm

    I know what you mean. There are days when you just don’t care.

    Reply
  21. Kathryn Doherty says

    July 24, 2015 at 3:08 pm

    Great formula here for making a killer salad! Especially timely with all the yummy summer veggies we have right now here; combined with the hot weather, I just want to eat more salads! Thanks for the ideas!

    Reply
  22. Bridget - The Recipe Wench says

    July 24, 2015 at 10:42 am

    Thanks for this post. Salads are one of my favorite meals. I don’t kid myself about the calorie content! Sometimes I go all out with creamy dressings; other times, I’m more calorie-conscious and use fresh lemon and a drizzle of high-quality olive oil. I find that salt and pepper are key too — especially if you’re omitting the (delicious!) creamy dressing! Looking forward to your next recipe!

    Reply
  23. Richa Gupta says

    July 23, 2015 at 6:16 pm

    Thanks Kirsten! I am the same way πŸ˜€ I love my dressing on the side, or a little drizzled on top.

    Reply
  24. Richa Gupta says

    July 23, 2015 at 6:14 pm

    Thanks Hadia πŸ™‚

    Reply
  25. Hadia says

    July 23, 2015 at 6:13 pm

    Richa, loved your composed salad! Pinning!

    Reply
  26. Kirsten says

    July 22, 2015 at 2:20 am

    Richa,
    This photo is terrific–what a great choice to showcase this post!
    We get a big bag of salad greens from our farm share, and adding some protein–usually chick peas, some cheese, some crunchy–often radishes, and all the veggies we can use up. My spouse doesn’t like any dressing at all, but I like a bit on the side.
    Thanks!

    Reply

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I’m Richa, the cook, writer and photographer behind this little blog. I’ve grown up in the kitchen along side my mum and grandmothers and conversations in my family are always about the next meal. I’ve picked up their love for food along the way, and with this blog, I share my food story with you. I live in Bangalore, India with my husband Denver, who looks after the tech behind the blog, and happily samples everything you see on it! Read More…

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About My Food Story

I’m Richa, the cook, writer and photographer behind this little blog. I’ve grown up in the kitchen along side my mum and grandmothers and conversations in my family are always about the next meal. I’ve picked up their love for food along the way, and with this blog, I share my food story with you.

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