Since Sean’s been out of town, I’ve really been trying to make small changes to my eating habits to be healthier. One of the biggest things has been that I (try to!) eat a salad for either lunch or dinner every week day.
Yuck, right? Well, it’s really not that bad. I’ve gotten it down pat so that I can make some pretty healthy, tasty salads. I usually make 4 at a time & package 3 of the 4 up for lunches to take to work throughout the week.
This salad is great because it is hearty yet still light enough to be healthy. I start with a big bed of romaine lettuce. I like to chiffonade my lettuce- that is, I slice it into really thin ribbons. Smaller lettuce measn I can fit more toppings into every bite!
Next I add toppings. For this salad, I added grilled chicken, feta cheese (low fat, crumbled), crasins, walnut pieces, and sliced apple. For salads prepared in advance (like for the next day’s lunch at work), I place the sliced apple in a bowl and toss with lemon juice. I let them soak while I assemble the rest of the salad. This keeps the apple from browning. I have had apples stay good for 5 days using this trick!
I like to top my salads with a homemade vinaigrette. For this salad, I like a slightly fruity balsamic. I blended olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, brown mustard, and a splash of balsamic vinegar with spices including onion powder, salt, and pepper. I mix mine in a mini blender and taste it often. If it is too sour, you can sweeten it up with honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar.
I store the dressing separately in a jar but pre-mix everything else in the salads in tupperware containers.
This makes an awesome, filling salad that you will love!
What are your favorite salad recipes?
