How to Upgrade Your Salad

Salad.

I know it has 5 letters, but it’s a 4-letter word for all of us at one time or another. I sometimes feel that all I eat are salads, but if that were true I probably wouldn’t struggle with my weight as much as I do.

So, how do you make salad more…interesting? Here’s an idea: Chopped Salad.

Wait, don’t leave yet. I have some good stuff for you. Just hang with me.

Yes, chopped salads take a little more time to make, but they are so good it kind of feels like a treat. Yes, I said that. And that’s what it’s all about when it comes to weight loss – Making small changes and feeling like you’re not giving something up.

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.

You can also use a food processor, which I totally do because I’m lazy and a bad chopper who always cuts herself. I just hit the button a few times and voila! Done. Use your time wisely, people.

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. So if you’re making 1 serving, put ½ tbsp of apple cider vinegar and 1½ tbsp of oil into a mason jar or other covered container and shake it till its combined. Taste and adjust the vinegar if you want more. Mix it into the salad and it’s time to eat!

This is a really fast and easy salad that you’ll actually look forward to. Try it and let me know what you think. What do you like to add to your chopped salad?

BONUS RECIPE!

Here’s a chopped salad you’re going to love. You can totally meal-prep this one:

Rainbow Chopped Salad Jars.

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