How To Make A Salad That Looks And Tastes Great
Most people don’t usually go to a restaurant to order a salad, they go to eat something filling and packed with flavor, like a juicy steak. But salads can be just as satisfying and visually appealing as a steak or burger if you add the right ingredients. Even a plain, basic salad of romaine lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes that you make at home yourself can be upgraded using these tips! Here are a few ways to make a salad that looks and tastes great!
1. Make It Colorful
When in doubt, add color to it! Don’t stick to just vegetables, add fruits like chopped apples, dried cranberries, mango bits, and other fruits to brighten your salad! Making the right combination gives the salad a nice, sweet kick and is also aesthetically pleasing. Other great ingredients like chopped almonds, strawberries, and pieces of bacon make for a flavorful salad you’ll want to eat regularly and will keep you energized throughout the day!
2. Don’t Stick to Just Lettuce
You’ll get tired of salads if you only use boring old lettuce as your main form of greens. To make a good spring salad, make sure to use a mix of baby spinach, kale, cilantro, and arugula along with the usual lettuce. But don’t stop with just leafy greens, toss in some cooked asparagus, chopped avocado, and even green beans for added texture and a more filling meal. Don’t forget that all the darker greens in your salad are an excellent way to get your daily dose of important nutrients like iron, calcium, and other antioxidants!
3. Add Grilled Chicken
You can add some grilled chicken to almost any salad to make it a lot tastier when you’re working with few ingredients. This salad shows all the essentials: grape tomatoes, red onions, and a mix of leafy greens but the boost of flavor definitely comes from the grilled chicken and roasted pineapple rings! With a hefty sprinkling of glazed sesame seeds, you won’t even realize you’re eating a salad! You can also swap out the chicken for grilled shrimp or deviled eggs instead to make a variety of salads throughout the week.
4. Find The Right Dressing
A salad without dressing is like having macaroni without cheese. Nowadays there are so many great dressings to choose from that are ready-made in bottles at the store or recipes to make at home. Personally, my go-to for salad dressing is always either ranch or Italian, but depending on the salad and occasion, it’s nice to spice things up from time to time. Making your own blend of salad dressing is a lot easier than you might think as long as you have the right oils, herbs, and kinds of vinegar. Sometimes even a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of salt and pepper is enough to liven it up, but we can all agree how pleasant it is to pour the right dressing on your salad.
5. Cheese Makes Everything Better
Cheese is literally the best thing in the world! Whether you’re having rainbow salads with some freshly chopped fruit or a mix of leafy greens, adding cheese will always make it even better! While most people prefer to add chunks of feta cheese or grated parmesan, you don’t know what you are missing until you add little balls of mozzarella cheese to your salad. It really takes salads to a whole new level and will make you want to have it for dinner every night! Just don’t forget to take a picture of it for Instagram!
