Bring Excitement to Your Salads – Cleveland Clinic

If the idea of ​​a “salad” involves throwing some greens in a bowl and letting some dressings rain lightly … well, you’re missing out. Salads can be colorful. They can be exciting. They can make your taste buds dance.

Salads can be made without traditional lettuce. (Gasp!).

Enliven the salad game and expand your exploration of the produce aisles. Think of the following recipe as a map for your culinary adventure.

Make asparagus a star

This bright lemon salad is best made with fresh asparagus. (Professional Kitchen Tips: When buying asparagus, look for bright green stems with solid, tight tips.)

Purple power

Purple kale is a vegetable that is more expensive than usual due to its beauty and texture. It’s the star of this salad recipe. By the way, purple vegetables and fruits are rich in heart-healthy anthocyanins.

Add a citrus kick

The sweetness of navel orange perfectly complements the texture and slightly bitter taste of baby spinach in this recipe. But don’t limit yourself. Try other fruits such as pears, apples and berries.

And for another citrus forward option, try this salad, which features finely chopped red cabbage and orange peel.

Someone with a little bacon?

This recipe for California Kale Cobb Salad includes artichoke hearts, avocados and turkey bacon. A hearty offering with plenty of healthy fat and protein.

Lentils: small but powerful

Don’t be fooled by their small size — lentils pack a serious nutritional punch. Experience the benefits of this knockout recipe for lentil salad with plenty of vitamins, minerals and crunches.

What is the conclusion?Be creative!!

There are endless combinations of fruits, vegetables, proteins and other foods that can be used to add interest, nutrients and taste to salads. Try the above recipe as a starting point for your inspiration.

Want more tips? Think of these salad-making basics from a nutritionist who promises to add color, chewy, and healthy extras to your dishes.