Preparing and having healthy meals can really be a difficult task for busy people. They look for quick solutions to keep a good care of their health while they enjoy something yummy. Grain salads can help with this issue. Customizable healthy salads not only make meal planning easy, but also guarantee delicious, healthy and filling meals every day of the week.
Let's take a look at seven delicious grain salads that will tantalize your taste buds and help you stick to your healthy eating goals.
1.Chickpea and Quinoa Salad
Quinoa is often referred to as a superfood, and for good reason. Quinoa is rich in protein, fiber and other important nutrients. If you want to include even more proteins, you should turn to chickpeas and mix quinoa with them.
You can also add hot peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and spicy lemon tahini for enriching the taste of the salad. You can go for this healthy and hearty salad and you will be energetic throughout the day.
2. Kodo Millet Salad
Kodo Millet is an ancient Indian grain that is grown across states like Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and even parts of Maharashtra. Boiling this nutrient-dense millet and then adding it to a salad is a great way to include this Indian grain to your healthy diet. You can add seasonal Indian vegetables and herbs to make the salad more filling, and add a simple dressing of lemon juice, salt and pepper to keep things nutritious.
3. Indian Black Rice & Prawn Salad
Black rice is grown across the Northeastern parts of India as well as states like Tamil Nadu, where it is known as Kavuni Arisi. To make this simple yet delicious salad, boil the black rice and add boiled prawns to it along with an easy tempering of curry leaves, mustard seeds and cumin seeds instead of a traditional dressing. You can also add vegetables, herbs and lemon juice to the salad.
4. Wild Rice Cranberry Salad
Wild rice has a unique earthy flavor in addition to being a source of dietary fiber and antioxidants. Cooked wild rice, toasted pecans, diced celery, dried cranberries and a honey mustard vinaigrette make a colorful wild rice salad. With contrasting textures and sweet and savory flavors, this salad is a delicious addition to your weeknight menu.
5. Barley & Roasted Vegetable Salad
Boiled barley is a good combination with roasted vegetables and Indian spices. Roasted capsicum, zucchini, red onions and cherry tomatoes are served with boiled barley to make a nourishing salad. You can add some fresh coriander leaves and curry leaves to the salad bowl. This salad is a great choice for busy days and has a simple elegance.
6. Bulgur and Spicy Lentil Salad
This spicy and satisfying salad is made by combining bulgur and lentils. Bulgur and lentils are cooked separately and mixed with diced red peppers, red onions, jalapenos and hot lime-cilantro sauce. The mix of grains and lentils give the salad a protein-rich flavor, while the spicy sauce adds a kick that awakens the palate.
7. Couscous and Chickpea Salad with Tzatziki Sauce
Couscous with chickpea and tzatziki sauce is a quick-cooking grain which is ideal for busy days at work. By combining cooked couscous with chickpeas, diced cucumbers, red onions and cherry tomatoes you can make a light couscous salad. Mix Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic and dill to create a unique taste with a delicious homemade tzatziki sauce. This cool, creamy, delicious salad is influenced by Mediterranean cuisine.
Tips for Successful Meal Preparation
Now that you know that you can make these easy and quick grain salads for your daily meals, you should also keep some tips and tricks in mind to keep them fresh and sustained so that you could have them anytime.
1. To keep your salad fresh all week, invest in a set of high-quality airtight containers.
2. Use batch cooking to cook proteins and grains in batches and store them separately. This makes it easy to mix and match ingredients for different salads.
3. When you are not ready to eat, put the salad dressing aside. By doing this, the salad will not become soggy.
4. To enhance the taste and aroma of your salad, add fresh herbs such as coriander, basil or mint before serving.
5. To help control portions and make it easier to grab and remove, divide the salad into individual portions.
6. Labeling the containers with the production date will help them to be used safely. Don't forget to do it.
Grain salads are a delicious and healthy way to be incorporated into your weekly meal prep routine to simplify your busy life and maintain a healthy diet. You'll start to realise how good they are for your body and you.