Amplify your Salad

Salad

Continued from our Retreat & Renew Daily Tip.

Melissa Wiliams, Freelance Writer | Co-Owner, Yoga Junction

If you’re wanting to kick start your year with a healthy new you, a salad can be both your best friend and your worst enemy. When building a salad you want to find out how to amplify the nutrients while minimizing calorie-dense, nutrient-void foods (i.e. croutons).

Here’s our cheat sheet for building a better salad.

Mix In:

Almonds, sesame and sunflower seeds or Walnuts– These nuts/seeds contain healthy fats and vitamin E. Stick to 1-2 tablespoons.

Pumpkin Seeds- Pumpkin seeds are excellent for prostate health and also have skin-boosting powers. Containing fiber, some protein and healthy fats, stick to one tablespoon (and choose between nuts and seeds).

Avocado- This healthy green fruit is rich in monounsaturated fat and helps you feel full. Plus it has heart and skin benefits. One avocado should serve 5 people, so stick to 1/5 or so.

Add protein to your green salad with an egg or lean meat. Eggs contain vitamin D, while fish contains omega-3 fatty acids. If you choose chicken, look for a lean, organic cut.

Apples or Pears- Both contain fiber and offer a nice sweet crunch to complement more bitter greens like arugula.

Seaweed- This iron and magnesium-rich algae is sustainable and loaded with nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Toss Out:

Light lettuce.-Iceburg and other light-colored lettuce pales in comparison to its richer-hued cousins.

Bacon bits- Bacon adds fat and salt and nothing more.

Croutons- Sorry to burst your salad bubble, but croutons can contain more fat than the aforementioned slice of bacon. If you like crunch, turn to nuts, cucumbers and seeds instead.

Cheese- You can have cheese but go light. You want to use less than a tablespoon, or choose a lighter cheese like mozzarella or feta.

Dressing- The biggest diet disaster comes in a Ranch bottle. Make your own dressing using olive or avocado oil, fresh lemon juice, vinegar, honey, garlic and mustard. A little dab’ll do ya with these ingredients so you can use sparingly.