Authored by Karen Schebaum
I used to think that salads were boring. In fact, the only salads I really enjoyed were fancy/creative salads I bought at restaurants. Then a couple of years ago the penny dropped–I could easily make salads as varied and yummy as I was buying, it would just take some advance planning. Now I stock up on what I’ll need, vary salad ingredients, and switch back and forth between sweet and savory salads . It’s great way to enjoy working toward getting my “5 a day!”
Here is what I keep on hand…
On the kitchen counter:
- tomatoes (in season)
- avocados (tip: refrigerate when ripe)
In the pantry:
- canned mandarin oranges, peaches and pears (no syrup/no sugar added)
- dried cranberries
- can of chickpeas
In the freezer:
- slivered almonds
- chopped walnuts (or pecans)
- sunflower seeds
- shelled edamame
In the fridge:
- what ever fruit is in season and looks good
- salad greens (tip: a local store carries a baby kale, baby chard, baby spinach combo)
- bag of slivered carrots
- apples
- tub of crumbled reduced-fat feta
- tub of crumbled reduced-fat blue cheese
- bag of low-fat shredded cheddar
- hard boiled eggs
- various dressings
Here are a couple of good combos you may not have tried. Just remember to keep your salad “topper” amounts reasonable (ex. cheese, nuts):
- shelled, cooked edamame, canned or fresh oranges, slivered carrots, slivered almonds, ginger-soy dressing (with or without salad greens)
- chickpeas, grated low-fat cheddar, slivered carrots, salad greens, balsamic dressing
- fresh strawberries, raspberries or blueberries, reduced fat feta or blue cheese, walnuts, salad greens, balsamic, raspberry or blueberry vinaigrette
- dried cranberries, walnuts, reduced fat feta, salad greens, balsamic dressing.
- canned or fresh pears, walnuts, reduced fat blue cheese, salad greens, balsamic dressing