Why does your dinner meal have to be difficult, time consuming, and extremely exhausting to make? It doesn’t have to take all your time to be fancy and satisfying. You can make a quick, but rather tasty, gourmet meal that’s nutritionally sound at the same time!

Quick can be healthy – the key is making sure to pair the right food components together, which is why I often run to salads for a delicious meal. It’s a simple meal to fix and it’s simple to keep the required items stocked in your fridge!

How to Mix Up Your Salad

Your salad doesn’t have to be the basic lettuce, tomato, and dressing — you can jazz up your salad by adding your own spin of veggies with some protein to top it off! It’s simple, all you do is think of your favorite veggies and your favorite lean protein, mix it up, and you have a healthy dish.

If you’re struggling to figure out what veggies would meet salad requirements, you’re thinking too hard. There’s not a particular vegetable that can’t be tossed into a salad, trust me, I’ve tried them all! 

Two Quick & Easy Salad Recipes

Savory Chicken Salad

Try the following for a delicious, nutritious, and quick meal:

• 1 cup baby spinach
• ¼ cup chopped cucumbers
• ¼ cup chopped tomatoes
• ¼ cup chopped broccoli
• ¼ cup chopped carrots
• 1 oz. reduced fat cheddar cheese
• 3 oz. chopped baked chicken
• 1 oz. shaved almonds
• Juice squeezed from 1 lemon
• Cracked pepper to taste

Mix all indredients in a bowl. Make sure that you give the vegetables and chicken a good toss before serving and you’re ready to eat!

If you don’t like the combination listed, no worries, the possibilities of a delicious, but healthy salad are endless. There are tons of other vegetables that are lower in carbohydrates and would blend well into making the perfect salad. Other vegetables options include: zucchini, asparagus, kale, arugula, bell peppers, onions, carrots, and cauliflower, and more!

Fiesta Salad

If you want a salad with a little zest, use the following:

• 1 cup mixed greens
• ½ cup sautéed red peppers and onions
• ½ cup cooked black beans
• 3 oz. cooked lean beef (or turkey) with reduced sodium taco seasoning and cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp. salsa
• Dash of reduced fat shredded cheese

Mix these ingredients in a bowl and voilà! You have a delicious, healthy salad!

Choosing a Healthy Salad Dressing

To avoid extra fat, try to stick to light dressing (such as light vinaigrette), and when choosing cheese, opt for a reduced fat cheese. To avoid extra starches, keep your salad clean of croutons and crackers. These are just a few tips to help reduce the calories in your salad, but are not always necessary to avoid.