SALADS, EAT THEM NOW!

Hello my friends! Eating is one of my favorite topics! Today we are going to explore some easy ways to build a great salad. I know it is winter and salad may be the furthest thing from your mind but trust me, we need quality raw vegetables in our diet daily. Let's dig in!!

I'm going to start with the base. If you are just beginning the salad journey start with some baby greens, they have a more mild flavor typically. You can also mix in some iceberg or butter lettuce and slowly decrease the amount of these over time to more nutritious lettuces'. If you are a salad pro I encourage you to try some of the more flavorful greens such as collard or mustard. These are packed with nutrients! Just remember a little goes a long ways with these.

Now, lets get to the fun stuff, toppings! Here is a list of my favorite (condensed because it could go for pages) way to top a salad.

Micro greens (alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, etc)Nuts/Seeds (think pecans, pine nuts or toasted pumpkin seeds, etc.)Ground Flax, hemp seeds or nutritional yeast Hard boiled eggAvocados (I mean it can go in pretty much anything!)Citrus (oranges, grapefruit or tangerines)Cold beets, cold brussels-sprouts (cook these then store them in the fridge for quick toppers)Veggies (mushrooms, peppers, onions, cucumbers, carrots, celery, sky is the limit here)Dates, grapes, cherries

Mixed greens, celery, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, celery, grapefruit

Now for dressings! My very favorite is so simple as to not take away from our masterpiece. Olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Don't be afraid to try making your own dressing, it is really easy! Remember, the salad is the star and the dressing is just a supporting character. Now, let's get eating! Share your favorite combination or some additions you like.

Enjoy your veggies!

H2