How To Make A Salad A Meal

Eating salads are a great way to incorporate more leafy greens into your diet. Everyone needs to eat more greens. Greens help to purify your blood and respiratory system. They prevent cancer, improve circulation, strengthen your immune system, promote healthy intestinal flora, eliminate depression, clear congestion and improve liver, gall bladder and kidney function.

The color green is associated with spring, which is a time to renew and refresh. It is the chlorophyll in plants that makes their leaves green and healthy. Chlorophyll is the first product of light and therefore contains more healing properties than any other element. Chlorophyll has been called both “nature’s greatest healer” and “liquid sunshine”.

It is essential to eat lots of greens in order to create lasting health. Despite this, many people are still stuck in the belief that salad is tasteless, boring and can’t possibly keep them full. It is time to move beyond the small side salads of romaine lettuce, shredded carrots and highly chemicalized salad dressing. Here is how to create a salad that will absolutely blow your mind!

Start with a HUGE bowl of leafy greens. I mean really go crazy here. The more greens the better. Greens have hardly any calories but pack a major nutrition punch. The majority of people don’t eat nearly enough greens. Experiment with collards, kale, dandelion greens, chard, arugula, basil, bok choy, basil, mustard greens, etc. Try them all. The options are endless.

Next, incorporate all the different colors that are found in nature. It is the bright colors in fruits and vegetables that are responsible for keeping us healthy and free from disease. Make sure you are adding lots of fresh plant foods with deep colors. Think purples, reds, blues, oranges & yellows. Plants heal. Plant foods are where you get the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phyto-chemicals that your body needs to thrive. Try adding purple cabbage, tomatoes, shredded beets & carrots, green onions, red, green & yellow peppers, cucumber, sprouts, etc. Fruits are a great addition to salads as well. Berries, apples, mango, papaya and oranges can give a salad a sweet touch.

Now it is time to get creative. In order to create a salad that will keep you full, you need to throw some heavy foods in the mix. Try adding some healthy fats such as avocado, raw walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or hemp seed oil. Wild rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth and brown teff are all excellent choices for unprocessed, easy to digest, gluten free carbohydrates. My favorite salad has grilled artichokes, quinoa, black beans, jalapenos and spicy guacamole in it. Holy deliciousness right there! You can also use garbanzo beans, kidney beans, white beans, etc. Some people enjoy grilled fish, meats or hard boiled eggs in their salad. The proteins in the quinoa, beans, fish, etc will also help to keep you full and satisfied.

When it comes to creating an amazing salad the options are endless. Experiment with different sources of fats, carbohydrates and proteins and see what makes you feel best. Eating a large salad as the centerpiece of your meal will fill you up with nutrient dense, fiber rich, healing plant foods and help you to lose fat fast.