Build A Better Salad

Eating salads are great ways to incorporate more vegetables into your meal plan.

“That doesn’t mean every salad is build the same, or meet nutritional recommendations,” said Franciscan Health registered dietitian Amanda Crosby. “You can easily eat through your budget for saturated fat, sodium, and calories in a large chef salad.”

So how can you eat half a plate of vegetables and get a better result?

What's Underneath

The building blocks for a delicious and filling salad include a variety of greens – look for dark green leafy lettuces like romaine, spinach, kale or arugula.

Herbs

If you have access to fresh herbs like basil, thyme, oregano or mint, they add zest and extra nutrients to your salad bowl.

Proteins

Whether you enjoy your protein or prefer a plant-based meal plan, there are plenty of protein options to choose from.

• Add more satisfaction to your salad with skinless poultry or fish with Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout and herring. 
• Mix in a chopped hard-boiled egg or a small amount of cheese such as mozzarella or Swiss. 
• Toss in a can of chickpeas, kidney, navy or black beans (choose low-sodium varieties). 
• Unsalted nuts, like almonds and walnuts, or seeds like pepitas or sunflower seeds give your salad extra crunch and a dose of healthy fat. 

All these protein foods will keep you feeling fuller longer.

Fruits

Slice up fresh fruit that is in season or on sale – choose a rainbow of colors!  Dried fruits without sugar or frozen, no-sugar added is another option.

Extra Veggies

Raw vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, tomato, peppers, onion, broccoli and cauliflower add crunch and color. 

Grains

Warm or cold whole grains add bulk and satisfaction.  Try whole wheat couscous, barley, quinoa, bulgur or wild rice.    

Lighten Your Dressing

Making homemade salad dressing is simple, takes 1-2 minutes to make, and typically uses ingredients you have on hand. All of these dressings can be refrigerated in a covered container for at least 3 days.  Whisk or shake well before serving.

Check out these recipes for easy, homemade, healthy salad dressings.

Honey Mustard Dressing With Cumin

Ingredients

• ½ cup fat-free or low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 2 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

2 tablespoons = 45 calories; 3 gm fat, 0 sat fat, 2 gm mono fat; 52 mg sodium, 4 gm carb, 0 fiber, 1 gm protein

Cider Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoon water
• 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 2 medium garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a jar. Stir well with a fork or shake in a tightly sealed jar.

Notes

2 tablespoons = 45 calories; 3.5 gm fat; 2 gm mono; 1 gm poly; 0.5 gm sat fat; 59 mg sodium, 0 fiber, 2 gm sugar

Citrus Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon grated orange or grapefruit zest
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice
• 2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 2-3 finely chopped shallots
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients by whisking in a small bowl or shaking in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Notes

2 tablespoons = 33 calories; 1.5 gm fat, 1 gm monounsaturated fat; 22 mg Na, 5 gm carb, 0 fiber, 0 protein

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

• ½ cup nonfat Greek-style plain yogurt
• 1 cup low fat buttermilk
• ½ teaspoon dried dillweed
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoon dehydrated minced onion
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well. Refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving for the best flavor.

Notes

2 tablespoons = 21 calories; 0 gm fat, 56 mg Na, 3 gm carb, 2 gm protein

Ingredients

• ½ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 ½ teaspoon sugar
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoon no-salt-added tomato paste
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion, minced

Directions

Whisk all ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Notes

2 tablespoons = 45calories; 3 gm fat, 52 mg Na, 4 gm carb, 1 gm protein

Salad dressings can be the downfall of many well-intentioned mea plans. Commercial salad dressings are often a high-sodium, high-sugar condiment, even if you are using a low-fat dressing.

Here is a comparison of some commercial versus homemade salad dressing. For 2 tablespoons salad dressing: