I’ll admit it, I am just not that big a fan of salads!  I know they are so healthy for me, and my whole body loves them, I just don’t really find them tasty.  Often, they leave me a little hungry in almost no time.  I’m just not a salad kind of guy.  My digestive system is really happy when I eat them, though.

Yet I know I must eat salad, preferably daily, so I’ve learned how to make it tasty, satisfying and filling.  Here’s my secret: I load the salad up with healthy food items that are lovable.  I’d like to share my recipe with you, to help you make your salads more enjoyable.

Pick one or several choice favorites from each category.

Greens:
Start with a great lettuce. I like the kinds with a lot of flavor, texture and vitamins (not all lettuces are nutritious and tasty). Mixed spring lettuces are my favorite such as Mesclun or Arugula (a.k.a. Rocket).  There’s also Red Leaf, Bibb, and Boston that are flavorful.  Some spinach is a good addition too, but just a little because it can overpower the balance, because of its iron content. Or how about a few kale leaves?   You can go conventional or organic.  There’s a helpful article on spring lettuce at Beliefnet’s “Fresh Living,” check it out here.

Vegetables:
Something crunchy and delicious is good. If you like sweet: try carrots and beets, preferably pickled. Spicy: go for peppers, radishes, or even a little jalapeño.  You could go really wild and adventurous with almost any raw vegetable. Consider some green peas, or snow peas, a bit of turnip, or cooked yams or potato (from last night’s dinner?). Celery for a raucous crunch?  Olives? Sprouts? Water chestnuts?  Sautéed onion is quite divine, or crispy onions (although they have some fat).

Tomato:
If you like tomatoes, add them. I do. I especially like little cherry tomatoes. Romas, the long narrow kind usually sacrificed for sauce, are a new flavorful twist.  Here’s another secret: many tomatoes you get in the produce aisle are not yet ripe. They need a few days on your windowsill to get their entire matured flavor. Also, the supermarket tomatoes on vines may look pretty, but often they’re really overpriced and not that flavorful.  You also might like the intense concentrated flavor of sundried tomatoes, found dried or bottled.

Fruit:
Add some fresh or canned fruit to your salad. There’s no law against it.  Pineapple is great. So is citrus: orange, mandarins, and tangerines. How about grapes?  Raisins? Currants?  Kiwi fruit?  You might chose to go “tropical” and add sliced mango or papaya, as long as it is ripe and delicious.  Or do a berry medley: raspberries, blackberries or strawberries are an excellent choice: they have lots of anti-oxidants in them and are great.  You only need a few.

Protein:
This is key for me. Protein makes the salad have some substance and helps keep me from feeling hungry. I’ve also learned that I need far less protein than I think I do.  A little bit of protein is the key.  Toss an ounce or two of cooked chicken, kidney beans, chickpeas, tuna, beef strips, or some leftovers from the last meal. If you want to stay vegetarian go with tofu, beans, or nuts. Walnuts are very delicious in salad. So are peanuts. It depends on the mood you are in, and what you have available.

Dairy:
Cheese in the salad also adds protein, along with calcium. A thumb size portion of natural cheese, or two slices of processed cheese is considered a serving.  I love small cubes or shredded gouda, cheddar, Edam, or mozzarella for an Italian flare. Or you might like a more pungent crumbled blue, Roquefort, or Stilton. What’s your favorite?

Carbs:
Croutons, crushed tortilla chips, crackers, bread sticks, are all crunchy additions that can make salad exciting.  Use sparingly to save calories!

Dressing:
Last but not least, some like their salads “dressed” for success. Be careful, though, fatty dressings can pack the salad with tons of calories.  There are lower-calorie alternatives that are satisfying and delicious: some like just a little fresh lemon juice. Others only a tablespoon of olive oil. Some both. There are those who like all three. Or a combination of vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice. Here’s a tip: add some fresh herbs such as mint, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Pick one or two.  (Makes you want to sing a song of salad!)

Or go for a good bottled salad dressing, one without preservatives, artificial flavors and colors, or chemicals like “stabilizers,” or “emulsifiers.”  Tip: try flavored vinegars, such as raspberry or pear-infused.  They are inexpensive, a little goes a long way, and have virtually no calories or fat, but lots of flavor.

By now, I think you realize that I am suggesting making salad a whole meal.  Why not?  Use all the food groups and be really nourished with not so many calories and fat as in other meals, as long as you remain sparing on the proteins, carbohydrates and fat-laden dressings.

Please write about what your favorite salad-fixings are, by posting a comment below.  Here’s to your health, and to your full satisfaction with salad.