top 5 healthy salad recipes

Yummy and Fresh Salad Recipes

There’s really no way around it – salads are an essential part of any healthy diet and they really don’t have to be the same old boring version time and time again!

In addition to being low in carbs and generally low in fat (as long as you choose the right dressing and watch the cheese), the veggies in salads are packed full of vitamins and nutrients to support good health.

Being so nutritionally dense, salads will boost your energy and get you burning more fat and calories. And they’re versatile, which makes them great options for lunch, dinner, or snacking.

Here are 5 healthy salad recipes to add to your diet plan today. Whether your goal is to lose weight, burn fat, or support a healthy and active lifestyle, these are the kinds of recipes you want to write down!

My Top 5 Healthy Salad Recipes

1. Southwest Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of salsa sauce
  • ½ cup of fat-free sour cream
  • 1 package of romaine & leaf lettuce salad mix
  • ½ cup of shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
  • ½ pound of grilled chicken, diced
  • ½ cup of drained sliced black olives
  • ½ cup of cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 1 avocado, peeled and sliced

Directions: Whisk together salsa and sour cream. Coat lettuce with mixture, and toss with remaining ingredients. Serve with toasted flaxseed wrap for an extra crunch. Makes 4 servings.

2. Italian Chopped Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of fresh baby spinach
  • 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
  • 1/3 cup of chopped bell peppers
  • 3 ounces of non-fat ham (or alternative of choice), chopped
  • 3 ounces of low-fat provolone cheese, cubed
  • ½ cup of whole wheat Italian croutons
  • 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar dressing

Directions: Toss together dry ingredients and drizzle with dressing. For an added protein boost, add a couple hard-boiled eggs. Makes 2 servings.

3. Mango Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of coleslaw mix
  • 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
  • ¼ cup of green onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup of chopped toasted almonds
  • 1 cup of diced cooked chicken breast
  • ½ cup of low-fat yogurt-based dressing (could also use a low-fat poppy seed dressing)

Directions: Toss dry ingredients and drizzle with dressing. To make your own yogurt-based dressing, try combining equal parts peach flavored yogurt and white vinegar with ½ a teaspoon of dry ginger. Makes 4 servings.

4. Summer Fresh Greek Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of romaine lettuce (or 2 heads, chopped)
  • ¾ cups of diced cucumber
  • ¼ cup of sliced red onion
  • ¼ cup of sliced black olives
  • ½ cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ¼ cup of pickled beets, chopped
  • 1/3 cup of low fat feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/3 cup of low fat Greek dressing or balsamic vinaigrette

Directions: Toss all ingredients lightly and serve. For extra protein, add grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp. Makes 4 servings.

5. Zesty Shrimp Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of romaine and leaf lettuce salad mix
  • 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh chives
  • ½ cup of thinly sliced cucumber
  • 12-15 cooked, deveined, and peeled shrimp
  • 1/3 cup of low fat ranch dressing
  • ½ cup of shrimp cocktail sauce

Directions: Whisk together dressing and cocktail sauce for a zesty dressing (or simply use a light Italian dressing as an alternative). Combine remaining ingredients and drizzle with dressing. Makes 4 servings.

Looking for more healthy meal ideas?

If you like these recipes, check out my Quinoa Salad Recipes here for some more great healthy meal ideas. Quinoa is a really versatile ingredient that works well in salads!

Want something a little heartier to break the routine? Try my recent Healthy Chili Recipe – it makes a great side to these healthy salads.

Keeping Your Diet Healthy

Ok so now the trick is simply watching the portion levels and how your body adjusts.  You can always modify these ingredients to go heavier on veggies so you keep the calorie-count low and make sure to satisfy your fullness factor.

Some prefer to have these salads with other food to round it up for a meal and some people like me like to make these meals and just have protein packed smoothies a couple hours before and a couple hours after the salad so I’m keeping my metabolism high and my body’s tendency to store fat on the low side.

Lastly, mix it up all the time.  Try adding fresh new herbs like parsley, cilantro or basil and using different in-season veggies like beets or arugula.

Have any questions or feedback about these top healthy salad recipes? Please leave a comment below…