How to Build Better Seasonal Salads
Celebrate fresh, seasonal produce in nutritious, next-level salads! If you’re bored of the same ingredient combinations, use our fresh and flavorful ideas that go beyond the standard staples to make your salads memorable and mouthwatering.
Mix Up Your Greens: Try kale – a nutrient-dense, crunchy veggie with three grams of protein, or baby spinach, another nutritional powerhouse that’s tender, slightly sweet and helps reduce inflammation and boost metabolism. Arugula is a more delicate option that adds a kick to salads with its herbaceous, peppery notes. Other nourishing greens include endive, watercress, escarole and napa cabbage.
Pump Up the Protein: Make salads heartier with grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, shrimp, salmon or hard-cooked eggs, or add veg-friendly protein sources like black beans, roasted chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, lentils or edamame. Infuse extra flavor into proteins with enticing marinades.
Go for the Grains: Packed with fiber and vitamin B, whole grains satisfy you longer and boost energy levels. Quinoa, barley, farro and wheat berries are excellent options providing color, texture, flavor and nutrients to salads.
Fresh & Fruity: Sweet fruits add juicy, refreshing elements to salads while balancing out the savory flavors. Go with summer ripe fruits like berries, peaches, watermelon and mangoes, and elevate their flavors by grilling them first.
It’s Crunch Time: Packed with plant-based protein and healthful fats, nuts and seeds enhance salads with their distinct, delicious crunch. Whether they’re whole, sliced or slivered, experiment with walnuts, almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, shelled pumpkin seeds, pistachios and pine nuts.