Even though a good salad takes an extra minute or two to make, they are SO good, it feels like you’re treating yourself.
And that’s what it’s all about, right? Upgrading our habits, one at a time!
You don’t have to use anything elaborate for this salad – get a mix of your favorites and make sure they are fresh.
Here are some ideas:
- Fresh dark leafy greens
- Carrots, celery, colorful bell peppers
- Cucumber
- Tomatoes
- Cooked uncured bacon
- Fruit (apples and berries are great additions)
- Fresh grilled chicken
- Almonds, pecans or walnuts
- Avocado
- Goat cheese
- And if you want to jazz it up, pumpkin seeds and roasted butternut squash are also great this time of year!
Before you assemble the salad, make sure your produce has been cleaned and then thoroughly dried. Chopping can make them more watery than usual, which can affect your salad’s texture.
Toss all your ingredients except avocado into a salad bowl … and then dump it back out onto a chopping board.
Using a large, sharp knife, chop your ingredients into bite-sized pieces. When your salad has reached the perfect consistency, put it back in the bowl, drizzle it with your favorite dressing and top with avocado and cheese, if you’re using them.
My favorite salad dressing is a homemade olive oil & apple cider vinegar combo with Himalayan salt and fresh pepper. It’s really easy to make. It’s basically a 1:3 ratio of vinegar to oil. If you’re making a single serving, put ½ tbsp of apple cider vinegar and 1½ tbsp of oil into a mason jar or other covered container and shake until it’s combined. Taste and adjust the vinegar if you want more. Mix it into the salad and it’s time to eat!
(If apple cider vinegar is not your jam, flavored balsamic vinegars are also good to use. My husband is not into ACV. Fun story — he a keeps a bottle of olive oil at work because his cafeteria stopped stocking it and he needed way to continue dressing his salads!)
This is a really fast and easy salad that you’ll actually look forward to. Try it and let me know what you think!
Thomas Fitness Consulting was launched in 2017 after Laura Thomas decided to fulfill her dream of helping professional women and expecting and new mothers find strength and energy through movement and accountability support. She currently serves the greater Westlake and Broadview Heights areas in-person and also offers virtual coaching. For more information, visit thomasfitnessconsulting.com.
