Wholesome salads

You can literally put anything into a salad, and here you have some food groups to include to make it balanced and wholesome. Choose a few ingredients from each group, and alternate your choices to balance your meals over the weeks. You can prepare the ingredients in advance in containers in your fridge, and remember, put colors and variety!

Choose your veggies

Any veggies go well in salads, raw or steamed. Use a variety of colours and types, and you can start by having a look at this list: broccoli, spinach, celery, sprouts, asparagus, rocket, lettuce, kale, cabbage, artichoke, zucchini, cauliflower, tomatoes, pumpkin, potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro, corn, squash, and peas.

Add Protein

To make a salad wholesome, you also need to add a protein source. Here you have the lists:

Vegan: beans, chickpeas, hummus, corn, pita, lentils, rice, tofu, seitan, quinoa, green peas, avocado, and edamame.

Non-vegan: sardines, tuna, salmon, prawns, eggs, cheese, chicken, and ham.

Top up with nuts and dried fruit

Add an extra 1–2 tbsp mixed nuts, and for sweetness, choose dried fruits like raisins or dates. Examples of nuts and seeds for salads are pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, almonds, pines, hazelnuts, and brazil nuts.

Dress it up with some goodness

Use the sauce to add extra healthy properties and not just flavour. It can be made with flaxseeds, walnut oil, avocado, sesame or olive oil, yogurt, and condiments like ginger, salt, garlic, and parsley.

---