A Salad a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Any way you toss it, a main dish green salad is an easy, nutritious meal – – especially on a hot summer’s night where the thought of turning on the oven or stove might make you melt! National Salad Week kicks off today, and summer is a great time to fill up on fruits and veggies in salad form!

So in honor of National Salad Week, here are some tips on how to make your salad scrumptious!

Growing Greens: Salad greens are easy to grow in your home garden and an important source of vitamins and minerals. Dark green leaves are good sources of vitamins A and C, iron, folic acid, and calcium. While iceberg is very popular especially in restaurant salads, it doesn’t offer as many nutrients because of its lack of dark green color. In general the darker the green, the more nutrient dense your choice. Branch out this week and make the base of your salad spinach, arugula or romaine.

Fresh Herbs: Adding in fresh herbs is a wonderful way to get more flavor in your salad without needing to load up on dressings. Garnishing with fresh basil and parsley provides an elegant touch in salads inspired by Italian flavors. Dill goes great with citrus and legumes, while cilantro brings out Mexican and Asian flavors. When herbs are fresh, a little goes a long way. If you buy a big bunch of a fresh herb and are worried you won’t use it all at once, simply freeze it and thaw for fresh flavor that’s always at your fingertips.

Don’t Forget Fruit: While summer is a perfect time for fruit salads, fruits add a nice sweetness to vegetable salads as well! If you’re using fruits in your salad, toss a citrus juice like lemon or lime on cut fruits, like apples and pears, to keep them from turning brown. Fruits and vegetables can also share the stage in a savory salad. Using cubed watermelon or avocado as a base for vegetable toppings can lead to creating a fun, new salad to add to your menu!

Super Salad Toppers. There are lots of nutritious ways to top a salad. Unfortunately there are a lot of unhealthy ways as well. Try and minimize your use of fried toppings such as onion rings or tortilla strips, and stick with vinegar based dressings in opposition to cream based ones. If you do have a creamy dressing, make sure you keep to an appropriate serving size which is usually 1-2 tablespoons. Enhance eye appeal and nutrition by adding colorful fruits and vegetables. Some more nutrient dense salad toppers that add a nice look and texture to your meals are artichoke hearts, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds, but watch portion size!

Kabob Kickers. Try kicking up your salad by adding kabobs! Including protein-rich foods helps promote a feeling of fullness after meals and may help you eat fewer calories throughout the day. Kabobs with grilled chicken, lean beef, or pork with a combination of vegetables such as peppers, onions, and zucchini would be the perfect topper for a mixed green salad.

Salads can be so much more than just a plate of greens, so use these tips to take your salad to the next level this National Salad Week!

Your turn to take action: What new salad-making technique will you try this week?