Six Keys to Prepare a Perfect Salad

Not all salads are the healthiest or freshest, we believe that because they are a combination of vegetables they always are, but sometimes we do not prepare them properly; we also have the false concept that if we only eat salads we will not be satisfied, which is another big lie.

So if you want to prepare a balanced salad, rich in nutrients and that satisfies your appetite, follow these steps that the specialist and nutrition blogger Ashley Thomas recommends. The expert explains that it is important to look at the foods that are in season in your area, since not only will you be able to prepare a fresh and delicious salad, but you will also likely discover a lot of foods whose flavors combine well.

Thomas also says that to prepare the perfect salad you don't have to follow a recipe, so feel free to experiment with the following steps and suggestions and create your favorite salad.

Step 1. Base of green leaves

Fill half your cup with dark leafy vegetables. As a general rule, in the realm of green leafy vegetables, darker colors mean higher nutritional content. There are many vegetables to experiment with, not just lettuce. You can mix as many green leaves as you want.

Here are some options you can add:

Romaine lettuce, red or green leaf lettuce, spinach, kale or kale, arugula, watercress and Swiss chard.

Step 2: Put a lot of color

When it comes time to add toppings, choose raw, roasted, or dried fruits and vegetables for the perfect flavor combination. dulce and salty.

Here are some options you can add:

• Vegetables such as broccoli, peppers, mushrooms in all their varieties, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, turnips, beets, avocadopickled vegetables, olives, cherry or grape tomatoes, corn or jicama.
• The best way to add a sweet touch to your salad is with fruit, such as berries, grapes, oranges, pears, strawberries, tangerines, or peaches.

Step 3: Something Crunchy

A salad is boring without an extra crunchy touch. Of course, vegetables like carrots, apples, cucumbers, jicama and broccoli add some of this texture, but according to Thomas, the best salads have an extra crunch.

Here are some options you can add:

Croutons, tortilla strips, crispy baked edema or chickpeas, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, peanuts or pine nuts, sunflower, pumpkin or sesame seeds or any other crispy ingredient that is not a fruit or vegetable. Be creative and use what you have on hand.

Step 4: Add protein and grains

Choose the protein of your choice, it can be salmon, tuna, ham of any variety, grilled chicken breast, shrimp, boiled or poached eggs. You can also opt for grains like chickpeas, black and pinto beans, lentils, couscous, quinoa, brown rice, cooked edemames, and even pasta.

Step 5: Drizzle with a healthy dressing

Instead of opting for an overly processed dressing, in minutes you can prepare your own, we recommend a honey mustard vinaigrette dressing that goes well with everything. Mix honey, grain mustard, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. If you like a dressing with a less liquid consistency, we suggest the following recipe: natural yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, spring onion, salt and pepper, and to give it an extra flavor you can also add grated asiago cheese. To give your dressings more flavor you can also use the following ingredients: basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, tahini, ginger, coriander, sriracha or jalapeño.

Step 6. Creaminess

There is nothing more delicious than a salad with a creamy touch. For this you can opt for cheeses, which give it that delicious texture.

Here are some options you can add:

• Feta, goat, bleu, gorgonzola, grated parmesan, fresh mozzarella, cojita, cubed or grated cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack and colby.
• For those who don't like cheese, Thomas recommends adding avocado to your salad to make it extra creamy. You can mash the avocado until its consistency is creamy and stir with the vinaigrette you prepared. It will be an explosion of delicious flavors!

Take a look at these recipes proposed by several chefs on their social networks and go ahead and prepare them:

Salud,Salud: Nutrición,
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