1. Mix up those greens! Instead of the standard lettuce options, choose greens with a little bit of zing! Try arugula, endive, or shredded purple cabbage to make your salad snappy.
2. Combine textures. Delicate lettuce, crunchy nuts, creamy avocado, tender pieces of fruit. Every bite is a little bit different, and that’s part of the goodness. It’s all about texture!
3. Make it a rainbow. When you picture salad, you probably imagine a big bowl of green. That’s no fun! Choose produce from across the color spectrum, like beets, berries, orange or yellow pepper, artichoke hearts, and olives. Not only will all those colors make a beautiful salad, they also mean lots of nutrients on your plate!
4. Get creative with your dressings. Ranch or a balsamic vinaigrette is all well and good, but an interesting dressing can take your salad to the next level. Try making your vinaigrette with interesting oils and vinegars (walnut oil with sage-infused vinegar, anyone?) or mix up a creamy peanut- or tahini-based dressing for your next salad. Yum!
5. Combine hot and cold ingredients. A salad doesn’t have to be a totally cold dish. Top your crispy cold greens with sauteed tofu or tempeh, for example. Caramelized onions make a great salad topping, too!
6. Add a little sweetness. Fresh or dried fruit makes for a lovely salad topping such as dried cranberries, sliced sections of orange or tangerine, or sliced strawberries.
7. Don’t forget the protein. Adding some beans or tofu can turn a salad into a full on, rib-sticking meal.
8. Add something tangy. A squeeze of lemon juice or some chopped green onion adds a dimension of flavor that really rounds out a salad.
9. Don’t fear the fat. You don’t have to douse those greens in oil, but adding a little bit of healthy fat, like nuts or avocado, to your salad makes it more filling and more delicious.
10. Try fresh herbs. A little bit of minced basil, sage, thyme, or your favorite fresh herb is a burst of flavor in your mouth. You can add it straight to your salad or whisk it into the dressing.
