7 Ways to Upgrade Your Salad

      In case you haven't been able to tell through any of my Tuesday's Eats posts and my blog's instagram (@classyandcleverblog), I love eating vegetables and I have found that there is no better way to do that than to make a nice big salad. I have most definitely made salads that had my 5 a day in one meal. 

       Making fancy salads came out of necessity for me this year because living in my sorority house, the lunches are not always gluten free, but we at least have a salad bar almost every day. I had initially found myself making the same sad salad over and over again, but I have been experimenting all year and found some great ways to make a delicious salad. 

Add Sauerkraut 

Seriously, don't knock it 'till you try it. I initially made this salad inspired by a blogpost form Hummusapien. I recreated her salad one day, and since then I put sauerkraut on my salad whenever possible. It adds a great tang, but doesn't over power the other salad toppings. The juices from the sauerkraut seep into the lettuce which adds a new level of flavor. 

Change up your protein 

It is really easy to get into a rut of making the same salad over and over again, but changing up your protein makes it easy to add variation. Shrimp is my favorite protein to add to salads, but really what I chose is based on leftovers from the week. I also commonly add chicken or canned tuna on top.(one time was pulled pork on top)  I really like it when we have leftover protein that was in a sauce, because that sauce can then become the dressing. The protein is so important because that's what will help keep you satiated throughout the day, and makes your salad a meal not a side. 

Mix Roasted and Fresh Veggies 

Mixing vegetable types is my favorite way to make a creative salad. Most times I just use a leftover roasted veggies from dinner the night before and whatever fresh veggies are around the house. This makes for a salad with a unique texture variation which is a great change up from a regular salad. It's not like you aren't going to add vegetables to your salad anyways so might as well change it up. 

Experiment with Fun Dressings 

An easy way to change up a salad is by trying out new salad dressing. There are so many different recipes out there for you to try. My sororities chef makes the best salad dressings Above is  his chipotle ranch dressing which made for an amazing Mexican-inspired salad. He also makes a great blueberry vinaigrette for a more springy salad. One of my favorite dressing I've tried recently was a kiwi dressing (see two pictures down). Salad dressings are a fun, cheap way to change up a salad. They can help with a themed salad or just add some flare to a simple salad. 

Add Fruit 

Adding fruit has become one of my favorite ways to change up a salad now that the weather is getting warmer. This salad above had mango, strawberries and pineapple, and it actually made for a great breakfast salad. The juices from the fruit, particularly the pineapple, went into the lettuce to make for a great tangy base. Any fruit can easily be added to a salad, and they don't have to be all sweet based. I find the blueberries are a great addition to any salad, along with strawberries and citrus. 

Toss on Some Nuts/Seeds 

Adding seeds to a salad allows for an easy way to add a little extra protein and nutrients as well as some crunch. In a salad such as this one above (based on this recipe), the pumpkin seeds provide some addition calories and fats to help make the salad a full meal. Some seed ideas could be pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and hemp seeds, while some nut options are chopped pecans or walnuts. 

Clean Out the Fridge

Sometimes the most random combinations come together to make the best salad. For example, this salad is probably one of my favorites that I made all year, and it is just made of anything I could find. There is lettuce, cucumber, asparagus, tomato, avocado, orange and shrimp. This isn't your typical salad you would find anywhere, but it really hit the spot and made for a great meal. You can easily kill two birds with one stone by making a yummy salad and using up those leftovers in fridge. 

 Do you have any special salad making tips?

xoxo,

Maddie