By Devi Poojari
The beginning of any salad starts off with a healthy serving of greens that add fibre and form a solid base to whatever else goes on top of it. Make sure to pick from a range of lettuce, kale, spinach, roquette or even fresh herbs, if you want to shake things up.
Vegetables of different kinds are such a great way to add colour and flavour to a salad bowl. You could make a choice between adding raw veggies like carrots, baby radish, red cabbage, cucumbers or cooked ones like sweet potatoes, blanched broccoli or cauliflower.
Whether it is chickpeas, tempeh, chicken, eggs or turkey, adding a hearty portion of plant-based or regular protein is important for holistic nutritional value. Proteins are necessary to add not only because they are an essential component of your daily diet but also to keep you full for longer, without odd cravings.
Essentially obtained from nuts, seeds or dry fruits or pita chips, croutons and crackers, adding some textural diversity to your salad bowl is a nice way to include superfoods or carbs within limits. A crunchy texture offers some variety from the veggies and proteins as well as accentuates the overall taste of your meal.
A simple and classic olive oil, mustard, honey, salt and pepper dressing with a spritz of lime juice works well on almost any salad and is healthy as it is wholesome. Avoid adding mayonnaise or gloopy sauces that overpower the flavours and taste of your salad and make the purpose of eating one redundant. A balance between sweet, tangy and salty in your dressing can be altered according to your preferences and adds an extra dimension of freshness to your bowl.