Salads!!!
Salads don't need to be complicated and this isn't going to be a long post, I want you to read it and be inspired to start making salads! It is summer and the supply of produce is abundant and fresh, maybe the freshest all year, especially if you live in the northern hemisphere.
While I like packaged lettuce mixes, they are after all a staple in the winter months. And Costco keeps me supplied in spinach all winter for my breakfast sautés. But we'll go there another time.
I am not going to tell you the only way to eat is by buying all your produce at the farmer's market or the produce stand down the street. Buy your veggies wherever you shop, because honestly, I am not trying to complicate your already busy and budget sorted life. Just simply encouraging you to eat more veggies because it's good for you and it's fun and your body and mind will thank you.
Currently I am using red leaf lettuce in abundance because it's fresh and inexpensive. I rinse and dry the whole head and then chop and place it in a plastic bag with a couple of paper towels to absorb moisture and help it last a little longer. It's fair to say that I eat a large head of lettuce every two to three days. But really, it's just the delivery system for all the awesomeness that is a real salad.
I don't meal prep and any of you that do, you are my HERO! I make our lunches and my salad first thing in the morning. It works for me and I am more likely to eat my salad than if it's been sitting around in a mason jar half the week.
I'll give you a few recipes and also encourage you to explore your own fridge and tastebuds. And a few friends have complained that eating salads just take too long. Yes, a big salad is way too much chewing for the reward and it's also big. I prefer not shoving my belly full of very low calorie foods or else I will be ravenous and down any blueberry muffin in sight.
Rules of salad making:
1. Pick storage container(if it's traveling with you) or bowl that's about the same size
2. Greens! They are low calorie, high in fiber and full of vitamins. They take up 70% of the available space.
3. Accessorize! pick 3 of any other veggies you have around. Cherry tomatoes, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, chopped carrots, broccoli and then an herb like basil or cilantro.
4. Fat! or protein or both, but don't go too crazy. Pick 2 and neither bigger than half the size of your palm. Cheese, hard boiled eggs, pumpkin seeds, miso chicken, bbq chicken, steak, walnuts, avocado.
5. Dressing! If you do not like dressing, then skip this. By combining the fats and the vegetables, your body will be able to get plenty of the vitamins out of the produce. My favorite dressing right now is Primal KitchenLemon Turmeric.
*I don't make money from my blog (yet), so feel free to use the links or not
Greens, basil, carrots, fresh mozzarella, pumpkin seeds, Primal Kitchens Green Goddess dressing
Greens, basil, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, pumpkin seeds, Primal Kitchen Lemon Turmeric dressing
Greens, turkey pastrami, mixed cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, mozzarella stick, pumpkin seeds, Primal Kitchen Green Goddess dressing
