It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of creating salad recipes. Fresh vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet and salad is by far one of my favourite ways of including vegetables in my diet. Some people aren't a fan of salad and honestly, I just don't understand that! Salads don't have to be boring, they can be filled with different textures and flavours and can be so, so delicious when paired with the right dressing. I want everyone to love salads as much as I do, which is why I've rounded up the best Healthy Vegetable Salad Recipes from around the internet for you! Whether you're looking for Summer salads or heartier salads for the cooler months, there's something for you here.
I've included so many salads in this list for you like cucumber salad, chopped vegetable salad, roasted sweet potato and goat cheese salad, my ridiculously delicious Roasted Carrot Salad and more! Eat them as they are or add your favorite protein like pork chops, marinated chicken or salmon.
Homemade Salad Dressing Ideas
I find making my own simple homemade dressing so much better than store bought. When you make your own salad dressings, you can include healthier ingredients and avoid added sugars and less then ideal oils. I have so many salad dressings on my website, I highly recommend you try my dijon lemon vinaigrette, maple dijon vinaigrette, wholegrain mustard dressing, Greek yogurt dressing or my easy avocado oil dressing. Homemade salad dressings contain healthy fats, which help to promote the absorption of fat soluble vitamins from the vegetables you are dressing. Some of my favourite ingredients to use in salad dressings are:
Oils
- extra virgin olive oil
- avocado oil
- flaxseed oil
- sesame oil
Acid
- lemon juice
- red wine vinegar
- balsamic vinegar
- apple cider vinegar
- white wine vinegar
- lime juice
Flavourings
- honey
- pure maple syrup
- dijon mustard
- wholegrain mustard
- fresh herbs
- sea salt & black pepper
Best Salad Ingredients
Vegetables are excellent sources of dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and complex carbohydrates. They're essential to healthy eating and living. To give you some inspiration for your next veggie salad, I've listed off some great salad ingredients for you below.
Healthy Veggies
- cherry tomatoes and other fresh tomatoes
- yellow squash
- red onion
- potatoes
- sweet potatoes (kumara)
- pumpkin
- leafy greens like kale, baby spinach, butter lettuce or mixed lettuce leaves
- green bell pepper, yellow bell peppers and red bell pepper
- cucumber (English cucumber or Lebanese cucumber are great!)
- cauliflower florets - either roasted or steamed
- Brussels sprouts
- sweet corn
- green beans
- red cabbage
- corn kernels
Salad Toppers
- feta cheese or goat cheese
- capers
- black olives or green olives
- sunflower seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- honey candied walnuts
- crispy chickpeas
Comments
No Comments