Simple ways to spice up your salad

I feel like I always hear that salads aren’t as good when you make them at home, but I totally disagree with that! I think there are so many ways to make them taste delicious, satisfy you and be simple enough where you’re not having to get a ton of things to make it. Try some of these tips next time you make your salad and see if it changes your thoughts on them! I think it may 😉

1) Use a lettuce that you actually like! There are so many options here for lettuce and I honestly think it can be a game changer for a salad. My personal favorite is romaine. I think it’s the best for cobb salads, taco salads and really just one of my favorites all around! I also don’t hate on spinach or kale but use it for different purposes. If you don’t like kale, don’t eat kale. It’s as simple as that! I find that spinach salads or better for fruit mix-ins (generally more of a summer salad option) but I use it occasionally! I also love a good mixed greens. This has a variety of greens in it and I use this a lot when making breakfast bowls/salads and love the variety. Mainly, just choose one that you actually like because it all starts at the base of the salad!

2) Add roasted veggies: I love adding roasted sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts or broccoli to a salad! I think it can definitely take the salads up a notch and add more flavor and variety to it. Yes, it does take a little more time but all around it’s one of my favorite things to add in! Plus who doesn’t love roasted broccoli more than regular broccoli!? These are great to prep ahead of time for the week and then you can throw them on salads throughout the week and mix it up. One of my favorites is this taco bowl with roasted sweet potatoes. So good!

3) Mix it up & Chop it up! If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I LOVE the salad chopper. It seriously is one of my favorite kitchen items and it’s the simplest thing! All you do is add everything for the salad in the bowl, add your dressing of choice and use the salad chopper to mix it and chop it up! Trust me, you’ll be hooked the first time after you use it! It’s also a great way to get all the greens in because sometimes those are left hanging around after finishing all the toppings 😉

4) Add a little crunch: A little texture difference is a big thing in a salad! I love adding in sunflower seeds, crushed walnuts, slivered almonds or even crumbled tortilla chips. They add just a little crunch in the salad that can really make everything come together even better. This is also a great way to add a little more fat/protein to your salad depending on the crunch that you add in.

5) Add fresh herbs: I’m alll about some fresh herbs! This is actually something that I pick up at the store each week because I know I will use them on something. My favorites to put in a salad are cilantro and dill. They add so much flavor without even really knowing it. Next time, add some fresh cilantro in your taco salad or fresh dill in your chicken salad ‘salad’ or greek salad. You’ll love it! I will also add in spices like crushed red pepper flakes for a little kick too! Another great one is Everything but the bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s.

6) Find the right dressing: I think its important to also find a dressing that you like when making salads! If you want to buy a store-bought one, my two favorites are Primal Kitchen Foods (I haven’t had a flavor that I don’t like but my favorite is the green goddess, bbq ranch and regular ranch) and Tessemae’s (I like the habanero ranch and avocado ranch). If you want to keep it super simple and already have a lot going on in your salad, I will sometimes just do a little mix of lemon juice and olive oil! Using a good dressing that’s cleaner are much better then any you would get at a restaurant. Find the one you like and then mix it up with your salad chopper!

7) Add your favorite dip: This is something that may be weird to some, but I seriously love adding in dips to salad! It’s also a great way to use it as a “dressing.” For example, I will add in tzatziki for a greek salad and just use that with a little lemon as a dressing. Or adding in salsa for a taco salad! Other options are a pesto, hummus, or any favorite dip that you like!

I hope these tips were helpful for you! Next time you go to make a salad, remember these and see if it helps spice up your salad 😉 Let me know if it does!