Salad hacks-plus 4 delicious recipes

Top 10 tips

1. Use a ceramic knife when doing salad and veggie prep. This will slow down the browning of the lettuce and vegetables due to oxidization from a metal knife.

2. Always add some form of protein to your salad. This will ensure your salad is satiating as well as balanced nutritionally. Vary your protein sources between cheese, beef, chicken, fish and vegetable sources like nuts, seeds and legumes. For the best flavour keep your protein separate from your salad, warm it slightly before you eat it and mix it in at the last minute (slightly warming it will greatly enhance its flavour and texture).

3. The perfect salad contains the following components: 

• Something crunchy

• Something creamy

• Something tart or acidic

• Something fatty and rich

• Something sweet

• Something salty

• Something spicy

4. Make a base 'master dressing.' Then separate into 2-3 portions and flavour further to add variety.

For example, take the base dressing and add a splash of sesame oil, lime juice, and ginger for an Asian flavour. Add smoked paprika, roasted peppers, onions and chilies for southwest taste.

5. Add seeds. Hemp seeds, flax seeds and Chia seeds help make your dressing thicker while adding fibre, nutrients and protein.

6. Always include some type of hearty lettuce. Romaine, iceberg or kale are great options, then mix it with more delicate tender leaves like arugula, spinach or spring mix.

7. Purée in fruit and veggies into your dressing. This will reduce its caloric density and add unique flavour and textures. When you're roasting vegetables to put in the salad (like roasted peppers and onions), make extra and throw a handful into the dressing.

8. Pick a flavour profile. When you choose a profile, you can use it all the way through the salad (like southwest flavours). Add it to the base dressing, season/marinate the protein source with it and season any vegetables that are cooked for the salad.

9. Add fresh herbs. Adding garlic, ginger, green onion and spices to the dressing adds tons of flavour, therefore reducing the need for excess salt, fat and sugar.

10. Add texture, nutrition and fibre. Variety is key and you can get that by adding some of the following: bell peppers, shredded cabbage, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, olives, chopped celery, shredded carrots, avocados or mandarin oranges.

Now take these tips and this core group of ingredients and turn it into 4 completely unique salads:

 

Greek Salad

• Lemon, oregano and red onion were added to the master dressing
• Fresh ingredients: cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, olives, goat feta cheese and a lettuce blend

 

House chef salad

• Master dressing with no additions

• Fresh ingredients: shredded purple cabbage, shredded carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted pecans, sunflower seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds and a lettuce blend

Southwest steak salad

• Cumin, and puréed roasted peppers and onions were added to the master dressing

• Fresh ingredients: grilled flank steak, roasted peppers, onions and chilies, cumin, salt, black beans, avocados, cherry tomatoes and a lettuce blend

 

Asian inspired

• Sesame oil, grated fresh ginger and lime juice were added to the master dressing
• Fresh ingredients: grilled chicken breast, mandarin orange segments, chickpeas, green onions, toasted sesame seeds, shredded carrots, cucumber and a lettuce blend