When it comes to salads you want to include these 4 main ingredients:
- Greens /Veggies (base) – you can’t overdo this part. Go nuts!
- Protein (meat, eggs, beans, tofu etc)
- Carb (roasted root veggies, quinoa, brown rice)
- Fat (dressing, avocado, seeds, nuts)
There are so many options but I love to stick with what is ripe during the season. I crave what is fresh at that moment, and as a bonus it’s usually affordable and easy to find local stuff!
Summer Salads can include a wide variety of things. Start with your base…GREENS! You just need to buy 1 bunch/box of greens per week and then switch it up with a different type of green the next week. 5oz is enough for an individual. If you are feeding a family you can go for the 10oz box if you’re confident you will use it.
Types of Greens:
- Organic Spinach
- Organic Lacinato (Dinosaur) or Curly leaf Kale – you’ll want to massage these guys to start breaking them down before you eat them with a little lemon juice and some olive oil.
- Sprouts – these are easy to find during the summer months and are fantastic source of nutrients. I like a good texture in my salad so I love crunchy sprouts and sunflower sprouts.
- Mixed Greens are great too – but I find they don’t last as long as the other options so eat these first if you have them on hand
Toppings for the Salad:
- Raw Veggies:
- Tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, celery, bell peppers, onions, jicama, jalapeños (I like the pickled ones), summer squash, green beans, radishes. Really anything works!
- Roasted Veggies:
- Squash (butternut, acorn, or summer), sweet potatoes, beets, eggplant, zucchini, brussels sprouts (prep these on Sunday and they’ll last you the week. Just cut in half, brush with coconut oil and roast at 400 degrees)
- Use ¼ cup, ½ cup, or whatever you are feeling…there’s no real limit
- Protein of choice:
- Eggs, Lean meat (chicken/turkey/tuna/salmon… not processed from store), Beans /Lentils (black, chick, red, white)
- Use 1 -1 ½ servings (roughly the size of the palm of your hand) – this will help you feel fulfilled all the way to dinner!
Fat/Dressing: **You’ll want to stick to ¼ cup per day for your ‘healthy fats’ and 2 Tbls for dressings/seeds.
- Avocado
- Hummus
- Sunflower seeds, Pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds), other raw chopped nuts you have on hand (pecan, walnuts, almonds)
- Olive oil & Balsamic are my favorite for summer so you don’t over power the flavors of the salad
- Pink Himalayan Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper to top it off
A Note on Dressings: I’m not a huge fan of prepared dressings from the grocery store because they have a ton of additives to keep shelf life. If you must buy one, I’ve found Tessemae’s dressings are a little more expensive but they are as clean as you can get. You can also easily make your own dressing! See below for some quick ones you can make and use throughout your week!
Home-Made Salad Dressings:
1) Dijon Vinaigrette: Makes 8 servings
- 3 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 3 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 3 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 6 Tbsp of olive oil
Whisk first 6 ingredients together and then slowly add in olive oil as you continue to whisk. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for a week. (dressing recipe is from beachbody 21day fix)
2) Asian Citrus Vinaigrette: 6 servings
- ¼ cup of 100% orange juice – I just get an orange and use my lemon juicer so I’m not stuck with a carton of orange juice at my house
- ¼ cup of rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp of tamari / soy sauce / coconut aminos (you choose)
- 2 tsp raw honey
- ½ inch of fresh grated ginger (peel it first)
- 1-2 Tbsp of sesame seed oil (depends on how strong yours is, mine is STRONG so it overpowers sometimes…)
- 5 Tbsp of olive oil
Whisk first 6 ingredients together and then slowly add in olive oil as you continue to whisk. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for a week. (dressing recipe is from beachbody 21day fix)
3) Tahini Dressing: 5 servings – I like to use my blentec to get this to right consistency!
- 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp Water
- 2 Tbsp Tahini Paste
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1/2 inch of fresh ginger grated
- ½ tsp salt
If you are stuck and don’t have all the ingredients basic dressings consist of 1 part acid to 2 parts base (oil) and then feel free to add in flavors you have on hand…you can’t go wrong just taste before you pour on your salad!!
These are some of my favorite salads and can be found in the recipes section:
1. Fancy Cobb Salad with Dijon Dressing
2. Roasted Root Vegetables with Tahini Dressing
3. Classic Vegan Falafel Salad with Tahini Dressing
