What is a better way to make your children eat greens? Or probably even the adults? Well, salad recipes are a good way out! But, that needs to be interesting, appealing and colourful to get them to even taste it. Salads are a bowl of essential nutrition you definitely need for an energized day ahead. It can be the simple vegetables, or fruits or sometimes a mix of veggies and meat with seasonings to make it taste better. It is typically a cold dish that is a mix of raw or cooked vegetables. Some of them come seasoned with dressing or oil. Some of them come with meat and fish or other healthy ingredients made with mild herbs. Some of these salads come as a side with the regular dish that you may order as a main course. These are the simpler ones tossed in olive oil that are mostly green leafy vegetables.
Different Types of Healthy Salad Recipes:
But it is time you dump the regular boring looking salads and replace them with some super interesting salads that you can try. Take a look at what we are talking about.
1. The Classic Simple Salad:
This one is usually salad made of a single kind of vegetable or even a fruit. You could also make this with a single kind of meat. It is tossed in a dressing with a base that can have two ingredients, which are typically used for garnishing purposes. This simple salad has only arugula, cherry tomatoes and olives. The cherry tomato is added to make it colourful, at the same time, trying to make it more wholesome.
2. Mixed Salad:
Here is a slightly more nutritious salad, the mixed salad. This one contains cold and raw food, with leafy vegetables like lettuce along with cucumber and tomatoes for further nutrition. They are also tossed with sliced red onions, toasted walnuts, to make it crunchier. Garnish it with some cheese if you like.
3. Composed Salad:
Composed salad has a touch of French culinary flavours in it. Usually, the main ingredient of a composed salad is meat, along with some vegetables arranged neatly on the plate and drizzled with some vinegar. It can include carrots, tomatoes and tuna or anchovies or eggs for meat. It occasionally has cheese and most often this depends on the chef’s personal choice. The main attraction is in the colourful ingredients that are aesthetically arranged on the plate.
4. Vegetable Salad:
A vegetable salad is something that is filling, with varieties of greens dressed in refreshing dash of flavours. They are sometimes made crunchy with the addition of walnuts and flax seeds. Some of the greens like broccoli go well with fruits. A typical classical vegetable salad will have lettuce, cherry tomatoes, olives, cheese, cucumber, scallion and sun-dried tomatoes. They may also contain a base of fruits or grains, served cold.
5. Fruit Salad:
Another all- time favourite breakfast bowl or simply as a dessert is the fruit salad. Fruit salad as a dessert comes with a scoop of ice cream and other mild fruity sauces. As a breakfast bowl, it typically consists of a layering of fruits such as pineapple, kiwi, strawberry, banana, orange, grapes and blueberries. This is arranged in such an order to make the colours of the fruits more prominent. Now, bring some lemon juice, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice and lemon zest to a boiling over medium heat. A few drops of vanilla essence will bring in more flavour. Pour this cool sauce over the fruits. Cover and refrigerate it. Serve cold. This ideal salad is filled with high energy and very less fat.
6. Warm Salad:
Ever heard of a warm salad? Well, a warm salad is one for those chilly winters. The vegetables are usually tossed in olive oil and the meat is grilled slightly. Some chefs also use smoked salmon and har boiled eggs to go with it. Goat cheese with some herbs and garlic is used for garnishing. They are filling and at the same comforting dish to eat.
7. Tossed Salad:
Tossed salad is mostly the greens with the meat hiding between them optionally. Tomatoes, cucumber, onions and carrot go into it, along with some delicious dressing. Usually, the dressing is a mix of oil, vinegar and sugar which are whipped well, until the sugar dissolves. This dressing is usually poured over the greens. However, the kind of dressing can vary from person to person. If you choose to have some spice, herbs and paprika are added. The greens of the tossed salad, are mildly tossed in butter or oil.
8. Bound Salad:
Bound salads give a break from your routine leafy veggie inclusion to the salad. They are either composed or tossed, mixed with a thick dressing. They are put to place using mayonnaise. Tuna salad, pasta salad, potato salad etc. are some of the popular bound salads. Like the name, they are bound and thickly assembled.
9. Bacon Salad:
Bacon salad, just like the name, consists of bacon, along with a crisp layer of lettuce, topped with some thick dressing that will go with the salad. To give it a crunchier feel, apples are tossed along with the beans and leaves. Garnish with some nuts of your choice. Bacon is slightly grilled and is filling.
10. Cheese Salad:
If you have been craving for some extra doses of cheese, here is a classical vegetable cheese salad. Typically, all the leafy vegetablesgo into it, along with grilled cheese on top. Bacons and croutons are added to make it rich along with some cream and black pepper. To give it a nutty flavour, parmesan cheese is sprinkled too. Go for the cheddar cheese, if you like a buttery flavour.
11. Chicken Salad:
Don’t we all love a chicken salad at any point of time? A rich chicken salad will have some raisins, nuts, some seasonal fruits too. The classic chicken salad however is made with cooked chicken, some chopped celery and parsley along with mayonnaise and yogurt. The chicken breasts are poached usually. The entire salad is thick and is extremely filling. Try out a classic chicken salad soon enough.
12. Green Salad:
Just like the name, green salad is all about the greens! Lettuce, cucumber, plum tomatoes, red onion sliced to thin, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and some drizzle of olive oil is all about the green salad. IT is extremely nutritious and is a powerful breakfast for the people of all age. You can also add some nuts to make it crunchy.
13. Grain Salad:
Your salad just got crunchier with this grain salad! They are like any other salad, but are loaded with whole grains, but they are loaded with barley of white, pearl, and black, wheat berries, olive oil, some pepper, red quinoa if you like and some feta cheese if you like. To make it more rich, apple slices can be added and squeeze some lemon. Well, the key is to serve it immediately. Go creative with the grains you like.
14. Pasta Salad:
Like some pasta with your salad? Well, pasta salad is basically boiled pasta in Italian dressing. Try cherry tomatoes, bell pepper and olives. It is typically served cold and is slightly tossed. It is perfect picnic take away that is garnished with mild herbs, parsley and olives.
15. Pulse Salad:
Pulse salad is a wholesome salad that includes chickpea, kidney bean, lentils, broad beans and dried peas. They are a rich source of proteins with very low fat and calorie content. In the Indian style, it is topped with some coriander leaves, lemon juice and black salt. It is mixed with well with fresh black pepper and served cold.
Salads are rich energy giving bowls that are easy to make and quick to serve. They are protein rich and super energy foods that you can make. You can make them to be colourful or flavourful and the combinations are truly a personal choice. Toppings and dressings have a huge role to play in the taste. So, tie your apron and starting making a beautiful looking salad this season!
