4 Tricks to prepare a more nutritious and filling vegetable salad

Vegetable salad is identical as food for people who are on a diet to lose weight. Even so, anyone can (and should!) Eat vegetables to maintain a healthy body.

Now, if the appearance of a vegetable salad that you usually see is less appetizing, try to create it with the following tricks.

Tips for making a more nutritious vegetable salad

Most vegetable salads come with a uniform appearance; pile of green vegetables such as mustard greens or lettuce added a little salad dressing to add flavor. However, eating vegetables doesn't have to be boring like that.

You can actually create your own to increase the nutritional content in it. Not only healthy, but homemade vegetable salad will also taste more delicious and filling:

1. Select the type of vegetables

Vegetables are indeed the main star in your salad plate. However, that does not mean that the choice of vegetables is limited to mustard greens or lettuce.

To vary the content of your vegetable salad, try adding the young spinach (baby spinach) which is richer in nutrients than ordinary old spinach for soup. Young spinach is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, calcium and magnesium. The iron content in young spinach also helps increase the production of red blood cells.

There is nothing wrong with combining spinach or lettuce with other green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, green beans, cabbage, and so on.

Well, besides green vegetables, you can also add other colorful vegetables to add nutrition and enhance the appearance of your salad plate. For example tomatoes, peppers, carrots, cucumbers, onions, corn, and so on according to taste.

The choice of these vegetables can contribute a lot of fiber and antioxidants that are good for warding off the body's free radicals.

2. Add variety toppings

Don't just get hung up on filling the salad plate with vegetables! Actually it is perfectly fine to add variety toppings which will add deliciousness as well as sweeten the look of your salad.

The combination of the right choice of vegetables and toppings will certainly balance the nutritional content in a plate of vegetable salad.

For nut lovers, you can add almonds, walnuts, cashews, peas, or other types of nuts. Sources of nuts will contribute a number of calories, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and monounsaturated fatty acids, which are good for the body.

Not only that, another option is to mix herbal leaves which are known for their aroma, taste, and health benefits. For example, cilantro, basil, mint, rosemary, or parsley.

These leaves can be added directly with other vegetables or mixed in a salad dressing according to your taste.

3. Add a source of protein

Many people think of salads as just a snack or a snack to prevent hunger. The rest, you will still eat heavy to fill the stomach. In fact, vegetable salads can also be combined with protein sources to ensure that you can be full and last longer.

Enter the boiled egg slices, grated cheese, to fish pieces, variety seafood , chicken, to beef for your animal protein intake. If you are vegan or vegetarian, get protein from plant sources such as tofu and tempeh.

Make sure the processing method is also healthy, huh! For example, by roasting or boiling, not fried.

In addition, keep in mind the portion of the protein source that you add. Instead of filling and adding nutrients, miscalculating the number of portions can actually increase the calories intake. So, you should adjust it to the conditions and needs of your body.

4. Choose a healthy salad dressing

Source: Wide Open Eats

Finally, it will be incomplete if a plate of fresh vegetable salad is not doused with salad dressing. You can be creative by making your own salad dressing from ingredients that are easy to find.

Don't be wary. Try blending pistaschio nuts with lemon juice, an avocado blender mixed with basil, or homemade mayonnaise.

You can also buy salad dressings that are sold in supermarkets, but don't forget to pay attention to their nutritional content.

Selection of healthy and filling vegetable salad recipes

Here are some easy vegetable salad recipes that you can put into practice right now:

1. Lemon dressing vegetable salad

Source: Stuck On Sweet

Materials:

• 2 cups of lettuce
• ¼ cup of peas
• ¼ cup of diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup of carrot slices
• 1 cup boneless and fat chicken breast
• 1 boiled egg, cut into small pieces
• ½ cup lemon juice

How to make:

1. Prepare all the vegetables on a plate, while washing the chicken breast.
2. Boil eggs and chicken breast until tender, remove and drain when cooked.
3. Sprinkle the chicken breast and egg over the vegetables, then pour the lemon juice over a serving plate.
4. Vegetable salad with boiled chicken pieces ready to eat.

2. Tuna vegetable salad with mayonnaise dressing

Source: Taste of Home

Materials:

• 2 cups of young spinach leaves
• 1 cup watercress leaves
• ¼ cup roasted onion
• ¼ cup of diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup cashews
• ¼ cup of broccoli
• ¼ cup of corn
• 1 cup fresh tuna
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup of low-fat milk
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil

How to make:

1. Prepare a frying pan for roasting, then add the olive oil and let it heat up.
2. Add the onion and tuna fish and grill until all sides are cooked.
3. Prepare a pot for boiling, then boil the broccoli and corn until cooked.
4. Arrange all vegetables, including broccoli and corn, before boiling, on a serving plate.
5. Add the cooked onions and tuna fish on top.
6. Mix mayonnaise with low-fat milk, then pour on a serving plate.
7. Tuna vegetable salad with mayonnaise is ready to serve.

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