How to Build an Exciting Salad!

The Summer months are upon us now; well despite the British weather playing it’s usually tricks on us, which means a good chunk of us are reaching for the salads instead of soups. Salads often get a bad rep for being ‘boring’, ‘tasteless’ or ‘rabbit food’. I beg to differ.
Salads do not have to be just made up of lettuce leaves and cucumber. I love how creative you can get with making salads, the options are endless. You can tailor them to your preferences when it comes to nutrition, for example more protein or fats. You can also make them based on your taste buds and what you like. It’s such an easy way to get in all the veggies and even some fruit to contribute to that 5-10 a day.
I’ve created you a step by step guide to building an exciting and balanced salad.* Any questions just pop me a message.

Pick a base
There’s nothing worse than a soggy lettuce salad and it’s often the thing that puts us off having one. There are lots of other options for a base to your salad. Personally, I’m not a fan of the standard lettuce and usually opt for more nutrient dense foods such as spinach or kale. Don’t forget you can use a mix of leaves to create more flavour and texture. Here’s a few ideas:
spinach leaves
kale
ice berg lettuce
watercress
rocket
little gem lettuce
Lamb’s lettuce

Add some colourful vegetables
Now this is the fun part, time to pack in as much colour and variety into your salad as you can. Colour is key here as different coloured foods contain different vitamins and minerals which are vital for us. Try to pick at least 3-5 different sources of vegetables and aim for a minimum of three different colours. Here’s a few ideas to get you going:

Red
- tomatoes
- red peppers
- radish
- red cabbage

Yellow and orange
- sweetcorn
- peppers
- grated carrot
- roasted butternut squash

Purple
-beetroot
-red onion

Green
- mange tout
- pepper
- cucumber
- celery
- avocado

Try a little sweetness with some fruit
Now you’ve got all those vegetables packed in why not add a little sweetness with some fruit. I find it’s a great compliment to the savoury flavours. Keep the skins on where possible to add more fibre. Pick one of the following:
sliced peach or apricot
grapes
strawberries
pomegranate seeds
chunks of apple or pear
Watermelon chunks (works great with feta)
sultanas

Choose your carbohydrate
Depending on your nutritional and energy requirements you may want to add a little more carbohydrates to the mix. As I’m on my feet all day at work I’d usually go for this option or after a workout but if you’re wanting something a little lighter you can go without. Don’t forget vegetables are a source of carbohydrate too. Some of my favourite options with salad are:

Roasted sweet or white potatoes
Rice - I usually opt for a flavoured ready made packet here
Pasta
Quinoa - I like to mix a little pesto through mine
Couscous - again I usually get a flavoured packet

Pick your protein
Protein is one of the macronutrients we need to build a well balanced plate. Adding a source to each meal will help you hit your recommended daily amount and also helps to keep us fuller for longer. Protein is the building blocks to our body and is essential for growth and repair of our cells.
Types of proteins you could include are:
- chicken or turkey
- fish (salmon, tuna, prawns, white fish)
- boiled eggs
- halloumi
- tofu
-tempeh
-chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, any form of pulses or lentils
- lean beef fillet

A sprinkling of crunch
Texture of foods can make them just as appealing as the actual taste so make sure you’ve got a bit of crunch. That might be in the form of carrot or pepper sticks but you may also find adding a few nuts or seeds to be a nice addition. My personal favourites are pumpkin and sesame seeds.

A drizzle of dressing and herbs
An easy way to add more flavour to your salad is with a dressing or herbs. If you’re watching your calorie intake be careful here as some bought dressings and sauces like mayonnaise can add quite a few. Just be mindful of how much you use. Here’s a few ideas for lighter options:
squeeze of lemon juice
tbsp of olive oil
a dash balsamic vinegar or glaze
salt and pepper work well too for added taste
herbs such as mint, coriander and parsley add flavour too
I often like to make my own and a simple favourite is mixing mint, coriander and parsley through the leaves of my salad. Then dress with a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Simple but delicious.

Have you got some fats?
Yes I said fats! They are another essential macronutrient required for our bodies to function optimally. However, some fats are more nutritious than others. We’re aiming to reduce our intake of trans fats, saturated fats and processed fats that can be found in things like crisps, biscuits, chips and butter substitutes. Instead aim for natural fats such as olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds. It’s likely you’ll already have a source of these already in your salad but if not think about adding a thumb sized portion.

Now you should be ready to sit down (hopefully in the sunshine) and enjoy an exciting, nourishing and well-balanced salad. Please don’t forget to share your creations with me tagging me on social media and using #chinupcharles

*Please remember I’m not a qualified nutritionist so if you would like specific dietary advise I’d recommend seeking help from a professional in the field.