i mean, i wouldn’t say i’m the salad queen, but i’m kind of the salad queen. [also, this is where you look at your life and realize you’re becoming your mom. lucky for me, that’s a good thing.] i’ve been making my own salads for lunch and dinner for a couple of years now, and there are definitely some tips and tricks i’ve learned to maximize nutrients and make a salad that’s, well, expensive-salad-place-worthy.
use a tupperware/pyrex/cooking bowl as your bowl – you’ll get more greens than if you use a standard cereal or soup bowl. i know, it looks kind of ridiculous, but if you go to a salad place, that’s what they mix the salad in before they put it in your container anyways. plus, i’ve been trying to maximize the greens i’m getting in my day after listening to this podcast [4-6 cups at least!] i have gold mixing bowls from target that i love to eat my salad in. so fancy. [the exact ones i have are sold out, but you can find similar here. they also double as pretty party bowls. oh, and legit mixing bowls, too, i guess ;)]
layer your ingredients – protein on bottom, extras [chopped veggies, fruit/berries, cheese], greens on top. really pack the greens in! one of the things i hate is when you order a salad at a restaurant and all the good stuff is on top and you really have to dig around and make a mess or you’re going to be left eating just lettuce at the end? like, i totally get it, presentation is everything, but you want to make your salads tossed to maximize all flavors. which brings me to my next point …
mix using a tongs – i picked this trick up watching all of those $10+ salad places making my tossed salads, so i went home and bought myself some cheapie tongs to start tossing my salads with. [note: i put the dressing on before i toss so it evenly distributes. it makes a WORLD of difference]
olive oil + seasonings = dressing – one of my favorite things to do is to use the garlic olive oil + everything but the bagel seasoning [both from trader joe’s, but you can get them on amazon!! amazing]. olive oil is one of max lugavere’s ‘genius foods,’ and since reading [listening] to that book, i’ve been trying to incorporate it where it makes sense.
i’m telling you, start incorporating these tips and you’ll have yourself + other salad doubters eating salads as meals. case in point: we now have loaded wedge salads
any other tips + tricks i should know? i’m living on throwing salads together these days in an effort to try and maximize nutrition for myself and little guy, so if you have anything for me, i’m all ears! leave a comment here or on my latest instagram. thanks for reading!