Nutrient-Packed Salads
The days when people spent hours in their kitchens preparing lunchboxes for work are over. Freezing portions for the week’s meals is also yesterday’s news. For every day, a nutrient-packed salad is the best choice for eating clean– and eating well. These salads are perfect for people who make an effort to keep in shape and they’ll make a difference in your everyday.
Salads aren’t just diet food anymore. They’ve become the main dish where vegetables, other ingredients, exquisite spices, and low-calorie dressings come together in a magical way. Learn the best recipes for nutrient-packed salads with us today.
Nutrient-packed salads: a healthy option for people who work out regularly
Smart salads are the best and easiest meal option for people who work out regularly. From the simplest and most traditional salads to the more elaborate ones, they also benefit people who follow a workout routine.
Some people mistakenly believe that salads aren’t an appropriate meal. But nutritionists speak out and recommend them to lower calorie and saturated fat intake.
The colorful ingredients in these salads are another important aspect as each of them represents a different health benefit. They’re numerous and very important.
Nutrient-packed salads for people who exercise regularly
A smart combination of fruits and vegetables can be the key to living a healthy life. They provide big quantities of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
Classic salad
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of lettuce
- 14 ounces of canned tuna
- 4 eggs
- 1 tomato
- 2 potatoes
- 4 white asparagus spears
- 1/4 cup of olives
- Olive oil
- Vinegar and salt
Preparation
- Boil the eggs and potatoes in a pot of boiling water, 10 and 25 minutes respectively. After, remove them from the water and let them cool.
- Wash the lettuce leaves and dry well. Then, cut into medium-sized chunks and set aside.
- Slice the potatoes, quarter the eggs and slice the peeled tomatoes into half-moons.
- To plate the salad, arrange the potatoes on the bottom of the plate.
- Add the lettuce, eggs, and tomatoes.
- Crumble the tuna and mix it together with the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the olives and asparagus.
- Dress with olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Serve.
Spinach, pumpkin, onion and almond salad
Ingredients
- 2 large pumpkin slices
- 1 large onion
- 14 ounces of fresh spinach
- 2 teaspoons of sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of orange and ginger chutney
Preparation
- Peel and dice the pumpkin. After, quarter the onion.
- Bake the vegetables in the oven at 248º F.
- Add the tablespoon of olive oil.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin and onion are golden and tender.
- Plate the salad in a salad bowl. Add the spinach leaves just before serving to keep them crisp.
- Decorate the salad with the slivered almonds and orange and ginger chutney. You can substitute the chutney for orange marmalade mixed with two tablespoons of vinegar.
Salmon and avocado stuffed lettuce with yogurt sauce
Ingredients
- 7 ounces of lettuce
- 3.5 ounces of red lettuce
- 3.5 ounces of salmon
- Yogurt sauce
- 3.5 ounces of avocado
Preparation
- Wash the lettuce in cold water.
- Thinly slice the salmon.
- Slice the avocado and set aside after squeezing a little lime or lemon juice on top.
- Stuff the lettuce leaves with salmon and avocado. After, drizzle the yogurt sauce on top just before serving.
- Slice red and green lettuce strips to decorate your plate.
Asparagus, shrimp and orange salad
Ingredients
- One bunch of green asparagus
- 8 shrimp
- 1 orange
- Juice of one medium orange
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Salt
Preparation
- Peel the shrimp and cook them in a hot frypan with oil.
- Cut the asparagus vertically then cook the asparagus on a hot grill with salt, until soft but still maintaining their texture.
- Peel the oranges and remove the wedges. Plate them alongside the shrimp and asparagus.
- Dress with olive oil and orange juice. Serve.
As you can see with all of these recipes, a nutrient-packed salad is always a great choice for people who like to stay fit. These salads have all the essential nutrients your body needs– just choose the healthiest ingredients to toss into your salad!
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Recetas de ensaladas. De Rechupete. Recuperado de: https://www.recetasderechupete.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/recetario_ensaladas.pdf
- Ensaladas apetecibles para el verano. Gallina Blanca. Recuperado de: http://www.elpimo.es/Pueblos%20de%20La%20Alpujarra/Recetas%20de%20Ensaladas.pdf
- Descubriendo la cocina vegetariana: ensaladas veganas. Unión Vegetariana Española. Recuperado de: https://unionvegetariana.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/cocina_vegana-ensaladas.pdf