Can a salad be a filling entrée? Yes, it can with the right additions! Building a better salad will help you get your recommended servings of vegetables and a handful of the other food groups.
The base of a salad is usually a leafy green: kale, collard greens, spinach or romaine lettuce. Then, you can get as creative as you want. Protein and fiber can produce more satiety, or feeling of fullness, and are an excellent addition to a salad.
Protein can come in the form of nuts, like slivered almonds, pecans, walnuts, and seeds, like chia, flax or sunflower. Meat, like grilled chicken, deli ham or turkey, can make all the difference to a salad. Other protein foods, like hardboiled eggs and beans help add subtle flavor.
Make your other salad toppings additional vegetables to pack in more filling fiber. Tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, cucumbers, peas, bell peppers and onions can all be incorporated into a hearty salad. Fruits can help add sweetness to a salad, along with adding another important food group to your meal. Apple slices, strawberries and grapes are fruit topping favorites. Finally, salad dressing can help tie it all together but can also add plenty of calories. Choose a light or fat-free dressing to cut down on calories but not on flavor. Building a better salad can teach you to enjoy making half or all of your plate vegetables!
Blog post provided by:
Megan Kemp, RDN, LD