When you hear the word “salad”, you may think of a boring bowl of cucumber, raw carrots and tomatoes to go with. But do you know you can pep-up your daily salad bowl into something so much more fun & colors, and its not at all time & pocket consuming! With a few simple hacks & additions, you can create that magic bowl of salad & be the star chef of the party today!!
A salad should always be a small, wholesome bowl of goodness, but should never be a meal replacement. Also it should not have too many flavors added which will kill or mask the natural flavors of greens and herbs added to it! Come let’s see some very easy combos which will not only look yummy but taste as healthy as it should be!!!
Adding punch of fruits
Slice up fresh seasonal, locally available fruit in the bowl – choose a rainbow of colours! Pairing sweet fruits like pear, apple or pomegranate with a dash of lime juice, rock salt, fresh herbs like mint, lemon zest give you a great punch at lunch times. Mixing dried fruits like black raisins, apricots, sultanas will enhance & balance the tanginess to make that super salad bowl.
Clubbing with wholesome Grains
Warm or cold cooked whole grains add bulk and satisfaction to a salad. Try boiled dalia, plain puffs (rajgira/makana/popped rice) or red rice to give that Mediterranean effect to your salad. Whole wheat boiled pasta is another inexpensive way to add bulk & texture to any basic salad. Team up with fresh mint, fresh dill, cucumber, lemon juice, spring onions & back salt to make the best companion with warm soups at evenings.
Load with best portion of Proteins
Recently there has been a wave of adding proteins to all meals. Using protein rich foods in salads is just another healthy and safe way to add good bulk & texture to your daily food. Use of cottage cheese (panner), boiled egg, tofu, tuna & salmon, boneless chicken can make the salad bowls weigh & look healthier. Toss in some chickpeas, kidney, black beans with cucumber, tomatoes, salt, lemon juice, cumin powder, black salt to make a wholesome bhel. Unsalted nuts, like peanuts, almonds and walnuts, give your salad extra crunch and a dose of healthy fat. All these protein foods will keep you feeling fuller longer.
All time pack of goodness: Veggies
Raw vegetables like cucumbers, radish, tomatoes, onion with lemon juice, pepper & rock salt are the all time favourite siders. A twist with boiled broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots in olive oil with pinch of pepper, salt add great crunch and color to the palate. Stir-fry veggies like beets greens, spring onion, spinach and radish greens with garlic & turmeric add terrific flavor and crunch to the plate. Boiled pumpkin, bottle gourd with curds compliments any spicy curry or gravy.
Add flavours with easy fix Dressings
With lemon juice or oil or vinegar or curds or butter and spices in your pantry, you are minutes away from a simple, healthy homemade dressing. Flavor it with tasty ingredients like chopped mint, dill, fresh coriander, a squeeze of citrus juice and diced veggies with lots of flavour, like onions & garlic. Even a mild tadka or vaghar using ghee, cumin seeds, hing, coriander leaves gives the normal raita a crisp, fresh flavor full of goodness & taste.
So just go ahead and attempt to try this quick-fix, home-made delicious salad recipes to keep your body & salad plate both healthy. Don’t let that bowl of raw, cut & unflavoured salad bowl ruin your Goal of staying & being healthy. Think out of the box & load your salads to keep them healthy!!!
Stay tuned to our PulSay programme and get personalized, diet charts & customized menu options from our team of experts. Go-ahead make your health & salad bowl both healthy.
Author:
Mrs. Shruti Prashant Kulkarni
B.Sc. (Foods & Nutrition), M.Sc. (Public Health)
Clinical Nutritionist, Diabetes Educator & Counsellor, Ph.D. scholar
Research & Product Domain Expert (Atreya Innovations Pvt Ltd)
Chief Nutrition Counsellor (Germany)