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Try These Tasty Spring Salad Tips

One of the healthiest, and most refreshing, foods you can enjoy is a nice spring salad. Before you wrinkle your nose, conjuring up images of bland “rabbit food,” check out these tips to help you build a tastier, more filling salad sure to satisfy even the pickiest eater:

Start with a bed of fresh greens. Stay away from iceberg lettuce, which is mostly water and will just leave you feeling hungry again later. (Besides, it doesn’t offer much in the flavor department!) A good rule of thumb is to use three different kinds of greens: a mild lettuce, like Boston, bibb, or endive; something crispy for texture, like romaine or cabbage; and something tart, peppery, or bitter, like arugula or radicchio. Fresh-picked Dandelion leaves are great in salad, and will save you money if you pick them yourself. Just make sure yours are from an area that isn’t chemically treated.

Throw in any of your other favorite vegetables, including, but not excluded to, peppers, onions, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, fresh green beans … the list goes on. What you can add is limited only by your own preferences and imagination.

Salads don’t have to contain only savory foods. Berries and other small fruits are not only packed with flavor, they are also a rich source of antioxidants. Try adding pomegranate seeds, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries to your salad for more color, texture, flavor and nutrients.

What’s that? You say you need some protein? Try crumbling some goat cheese over your salad. It has a more intense flavor than cheeses made from cow’s milk, so it will give your salad some extra kick. And, because goats are more anatomically similar to humans than cows are, goat milk products are easier to digest, so more of the nutrients go directly into your body.

Nuts are a another great way to get protein. Try sprinkling some sliced almonds over your salad for added flavor and texture.

If all of that isn’t enough, and you still want to add a little more substance to your salad, feel free to toss in a little bit of lean meat, such as cubed chicken breast or smoked salmon.

Top it off with a little olive oil and vinegar - or any light dressing you prefer - and you've got a delicious, nutritious meal on your hands. With such a variety of tastes and smells and textures, you taste buds, and tummy, are sure to be satisfied!

Want to see it made? Check out this video of Garden Girl Patti Moreno making a salad from ingredients she grew herself.