Salads come in all different shapes, sizes, flavors, and believe me I do not discriminate. But if you think about it, all of the different varieties bring something different to the table, literally. So what makes a salad good?
The answer: so many different things. There are many parts to the equation that I cannot imagine my salad without. I am here to share my all time faves for the perfect at home salad.
Nuts, these are great to snack on regardless if it is surrounded by a bed of lettuce or not. The best part is literally ANY type of nut will taste good, spicy, salty, raw, sweet… your salad doesn’t care and neither will your taste buds. Almonds, walnuts, and peanuts are some of my faves.
Avocado duh. I can’t imagine my life with this green miracle, so I make sure not to forget about it when it comes to my salads. So many benefits, and so tasty!
Spice, a lot of the time I love to have a good spicy salad. Trader Joe’s saves the day once again with these salad topper packets that are SO good and add some extra flavor to your life. A great alternative to this if you are not a spicy gal is TJ’s “everything but the bagel” seasoning.
Protein, okay I promise this will be the last must have at Trader Joe’s for today. Their Chili Lime Chicken Patties are the perfect protein addition to any salad. They’re so easy to make and keep on hand to shred up and top your leafy mix with.
Deep greens, kale and spinach are a must in a salad. Romaine lettuce will only give you so many nutrients, but I like to bump up the power by adding some spinach or kale to the mix.
Crunch, croutons weren’t invented for no reason. But whenever I am craving a little crunch to my salad I don’t go that route. If you aren’t into the whole nuts thing you have other options. You can maximize your veggie intake by adding some fresh carrots, cucumbers, beets, whatever vegetable your heart desires.
Dressing, this is all really preference but Annie’s makes a delicious organic balsamic! You can never go wrong with a vinaigrette either.
Temperature, it matters. No one likes lukewarm anything. Salads are meant to be cold, so a pro tip I have when making a delicious salad at home is to throw it in the freezer for a few minutes before enjoying!
Don’t forget to show me your creations on Instagram!
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