5 Ways to Step Up Your Salad Game

Salads shouldn't be plain and boring.

People who think healthy food is tasteless and boring have probably had too many plain salads. A plain salad is a wasted opportunity. Salads are a chance to get creative, to mix together your favorite flavors, and to try new ingredients. Because they’re such a customizable meal, you can load it with ingredients you’re partial to and leave out those you’re not.

If you’re wondering how to put together a better salad, we’ve put together a list of 5 Ways to Step Up Your Salad Game. We’ve included some ways to get creative, as well as some delicious Skinny Ms. salad recipes. Grab your veggies and salad bowl and learn how to make a better salad!

1. Add sweetness with a maple or fruity vinaigrette.

Raw Kale Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
While most salads are savory, a touch of sweetness can add refined and complex flavor to take your salad to a whole new level. One way to add a little sweetness is to use a clean, refreshing vinaigrette. Sweet vinaigrettes can be made with maple or fruity flavors. Check out some of our recipes for deliciously sweet vinaigrettes.

Recipes to try:
1. Orange Vinaigrette with Fresh Dill
2. Raw Kale Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
3. Harvest Salad with Maple Walnut Dressing

2. Add fruit.

Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Another great way to add layers of sweetness to your salad is to use fresh fruit. This is a wonderful option because fruit contains fiber, which helps prevent spikes in your sugar levels. It’s also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Recipes to try:
1. Strawberry & Spinach Salad
2. Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
3. Avocado and Mango Salad

3. Skip the leafy greens.

Spaghetti Squash Pasta Salad
That’s right, you can have a salad without leafy greens. No lettuce, no spinach, and no kale. There’s no rule against salads entirely comprised of other hearty veggies. Below we have salads made with bases of green beans and asparagus, as well as a gluten-free pasta salad built on a base of spaghetti squash.

Recipes to try:
1. Green Beans and Tomato Salad
2. Cherry, Asparagus, and Corn Salad
3. Spaghetti Squash Pasta Salad

4. Make your own creamy dressing using plain Greek yogurt.

Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Poppyseed Yogurt Dressing
You can make a light, clean-eating creamy dressing with a Greek yogurt base. This results in a high-protein dressing with fewer calories than store-bought dressings. It will also be free of preservatives and processed ingredients. You can even make a creamy pesto dressing for pasta salad!

Recipes to try:
1. Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Poppyseed Yogurt Dressing
2. Summer Salad with Clean Eating Buttermilk Dressing
3. Waldorf Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing
4. Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad

5. Turn your salad into an on-the-go meal.

Skinny Taco Salad in a Jar
One perfect way to turn your salad into a packed lunch is to build a layered salad in a sealable jar. It won’t spill in your bag, and by putting leafy greens on top, you can keep them from getting soggy.

Recipes to try:
1. DIY Skinny Salad in a Jar
2. Skinny Taco Salad in a Jar

For more scrumptious recipe ideas, like us on Facebook and follow us on Pinterest. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest and greatest Skinny Ms. updates!

What salads would you like to see with a Skinny Ms. makeover? Let us know!

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Sofia Lopez

Sofia received her BA from Cornell University and her MFA from San Francisco State University. She creates workouts and fitness challenges. Her hobbies include running, hiking, and listening to audiobooks from the exercise bike.

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