Quick meals are an important food skill to learn in order to eat nutritiously, otherwise it is just too tempting to start stocking up on frozen processed meals, eat junk food, or drive to the nearest fast food joint. There are a few different basic meals that are versatile and delicious. Meet Super Entree Salad in this post.
It was not too many years ago when I did not know how to make a salad that I could enjoy. Lame, I know. But I was baffled. My daughter Tara, on the other hand, always could whip up something delicious. So one day when asking her for advice how to make a great salad she wrote down a list of possible ingredients that I could choose from to include. That is my inspiration for this post, which I thought I would share in case you are also mentally challenged in the salad department. Incidentally, now salads are one of my favorite lunches. They are so delicious I never feel deprived. And they are chock full of life-giving nutrients. Below are some ideas to build a stand-alone salad for a meal, but the ideas can still be used to create a great side dish salad.
Super Entrée Salad
Choose from each category to create a delicious, unique salad. But feel free to expand on this list as it is, of course, not exhaustive. Experiment with favorite flavor combinations.
Lettuce bed:
(Choose 1 or more)
Mixed greens
Romaine
Arugula
Spinach
Protein:
(Choose 1 or more)
Deli Roasted Turkey, Chicken, Ham, or Beef
Hard-boiled egg
Tuna, Shrimp, Salmon, Sardines, Crab
Leftover Steak, Chicken, Turkey, Ham
Hamburger Patty, Turkey or Beef (hot or rewarmed)
Taco meat (seasoned ground beef warmed)
Bacon
(Choose at least four other toppings from the ingredients below for more nutrients and interest. )
Vegetables:
Celery
Avocado
Cucumber
Carrots, shredded, diced, or coins
Green onions, or yellow or purple onions
Olives, any kind, but pitted might be safer
Cilantro, parsley
Beets, cooked or raw
Shredded cabbage
Hearts of palm
Tomatoes
Fermented sauerkraut
Peppers: Green, Red, Yellow
Sprouts
Radishes
Any leftover steamed or roasted vegetable
Fresh herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, sage, chives
Other toppings:
Seeds: Sunflower, pumpkin
Nuts: slivered almonds; chopped macadamia, cashews, walnuts, pecans
Capers
Fruit in small amounts: apple, pear, peaches, grapes, berries
Raisins, cranberries
Shredded cheese or globs of goat cheese, if you tolerate dairy
Dressing:
(Choose one.)
Extra virgin olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice, fresh or dried herbs optional
Bottled dressing without bad oils. Primal Kitchen has some excellent ones. My favorite one is their dairy-free Ranch dressing
Homemade dressing made with good oils like extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil
Avocado blended with Bulletproof MCT oil or Brain Octane oil
Below is a salad I made for lunch on St. Patrick’s Day before I added the chicken and the dressing:
The possibilities are endless. Happy creating!
You might also be interested in these articles I wrote about food:
Paleo/Primal Dinner Ideas
Grab & Go Food Ideas for Travel & Busy Times
