Lettuce Get Inspired For National Salad Month!

We may typically take the easy route and make what my mother-in-law likes to call the “honeymoon salad” because it’s lettuce alone (get it, let us alone). This month let’s stretch ourselves just a little to make more delicious and nutritious salads that challenge the traditional idea of a salad and that may even leave out the lettuce altogether–see ya later lettuce, have a good honeymoon.

Salad Inspiration
To make your salad a nutrition powerhouse, think about adding color and texture. Start with the greens and instead of using lettuce as your base, try mixing in darker greens like spinach or red kale. Add your favorite veggies for flavor and crunch–cucumber, tomato, broccoli, shredded carrot, radish, red onion and snap peas are a few options. Fruits can be delicious too and add a sweetness to your salad. Try fruits like Mandarin oranges, sliced strawberries or apples or avocado as a topping. Don’t forget the protein. Beans like garbanzo, black or pinto beans add protein, fiber and flavor to any salad. Parmesan or blue cheese give a definitive flavor and a lean meat like fish or chicken breast alsfo make a great addition. Top with nuts and seeds.

Dress it Up
One way to motivate yourself to eat more salad is to have a tasty, homemade dressing drizzled on top. The secret is using fresh, seasonal produce in combination with good quality oils, vinegars or dairy. Here are our top 5 favorite dressing recipes to get you prepping for a lusciously dressed salad.

The Mason Jar Salad Trick
Sure, salads are known for being healthy, but they also make great on-the-go meals! This tasty mason jar salad trend is simple to prepare early in the week for an easy lunch solution. Here’s how to mix it up!

The name of the game is layers. The basic idea when packing salad into jars is to start with the heartiest and less-absorbent ingredients first. Begin with the dressing on the bottom of the jar and work your way up through the lighter ingredients until you end up with the leafy salad greens.

Check out our blog on Mason Jar Salad Tutorial for step-by-step directions on how to build a Mason Jar salad!

Salad Recipes We Love
Healthy Radish & Mandarin Quinoa Salad
This salad is so healthy and hearty at the same time. It has creamy roasted sweet potatoes, crunchy quinoa and radishes, tart and tangy mandarins all on top of crispy lettuce.

Broccoli and Kale Pasta Salad
The mixture of Greek yogurt, lemon, and herb dressing to top off some amazing organic produce and pasta ensures not only satisfied taste buds but also a satisfied tummy.

Spring Salad With Green Garlic Dressing 
The spelt and hard-boiled egg make this spinach salad more filling and the creamy garlic dressing is delicious!

Refreshing Raw Artichoke Salad
Raw artichokes have a crunchy nutty flavor, which pairs perfectly with your favorite greens, salty Parmesan and refreshing lemon zest.

Fennel Salad With Mint Vinaigrette
This shaved fennel salad will change your opinion on fennel. The crunch of the fennel paired with the mind vinaigrette and cool yogurt creates the perfect bite.

Sunchoke, Apple, and Fennel Salad
Sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem Artichokes) have a sweet and nutty flavor. This crispy salad is marinated in a rice wine vinaigrette, then tossed with fennel, radishes and apples.

For more salad inspiration, check out our salad recipes on our Recipe page.