Five Healthy Ways to Add Protein to Your Salad

Summer salads are all over the foodie blogs and are a perfect way to cool down when the heat is up!  The versatility of salads allow almost everyone to enjoy them in some for or another.

I have been having a salad with a lot of veggies, herbs, spices, and protein for dinner each night for months now.  They never get old since there's so many ways to make each one different.  Of course, Brussels sprouts and mushrooms are almost always on my salad, and then I'll add different things from there.

In the past, I've noticed the lack of a healthy protein source for my salads, and needed to fill the void. So I came up with five simple ways to add lean protein and flavor at the same time.  Try each one of these ideas for each day of the week and enjoy the healthy variety!

1. Grilled Chicken Breast (sliced, shredded, or diced) - Grill boneless-skinless chicken breasts seasoned as you like and cut up into cubes (or your preferred serving size) to use as a salad topper.  I will cook a few on the weekend, cut up, then store in an airtight container to add extra lean protein to complete my salad.

2. Nuts and Seeds - Buy them raw and dry roast yourself, or just eat them raw. If you like a little crunch, these will pack a delicious protein punch; with so many types of nuts and seeds available, you're sure to find a favorite. An added bonus is the healthy fats you'll get from these sources too! Dry roasts sunflower seeds are always welcome on my greens, but I also enjoy pistachios, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and walnuts.

They aren't on salad, but you get the point....use them on salad!

3. Homemade Slow-cooker Veggie Protein Dressing/Dip - My ultimate favorite way to add a melting pot of flavor, spice, and everything nice protein! It's so easy! Add a few bags of your favorite frozen veggies in a slow-cooker, toss in a cup of lentils or a couple cans of beans, season to taste, and let everything cook for several hours. Once cooked, just puree in a stand or immersion blender and store in fridge to use as a thick protein dressing on your salad.  This is functional flavor at its finest!

Homemade dressing that doubles as dip? #Win!!

4. Canned Tuna or Salmon - Look for the low or no salt added fish in water for the healthiest choice. Mix with dijon mustard, lemon juice, dill, and spices to add a protein zip to your bed of greens and veggies. This is wonderful mixed in or just placed on top, and oh so easy. When they're on sale, I'll use sardines by themselves for a healthy dose of omega-3's too.

Bonus points for having tuna stuffed in mushrooms on your salad!

5. Plain, Non-fat Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese - Add a cool and creamy tang to your salad with yogurt! Whether mixed with a little dijon, herbs, and spices, or straight from the container, yogurt is an often overlooked choice for salads.  My favorite yogurt mix is like a Tzatziki sauce without cucumbers; I add mustard, dill, garlic and onion powder, cayenne, and pepper to plain yogurt to create a quick and healthy salad sauce.

There are many more than 5 ways to up your protein on salads, but these are my tried and true options that are easy to prepare and healthy to eat.  If you've been having the same ol' salad every day/night, zest it up and try one or all of these next time.

Geez, it feels like it's been a long week! Anyone else feel this way?  Why can't it ever feel (or even better, actually be) like a long weekend? Such is life, I guess....bleh.

Q: Are you doing anything fun this weekend? For me, fun can just be keeping myself inside and just relaxing, but there is that new Batman movie....hmm. I will definitely cook some delicious food for lunch and snacking....any ideas on what it should be?

Have a great weekend!

Seven Splendid Salad Toppings

Are you tired of having the same type of salad (as a side or entrée) every time you make one? Don’t let salad monotony affect you! Look at that bowl of mixed lettuce as a blank slate waiting for vibrant colors and flavors to be mixed into for something totally new. I try to vary my toppings each time (almost daily) I have a salad. So far, I’m not burned out and still enjoy the multiple salad creations I “toss” (my shot at a corny pun) together.

When it’s hot outside, you want to keep things cool inside. Salads are a great option to help stay away from the stove, oven, and microwave but still have a great meal. Here are seven salad toppers I love mixing into my salads:

1. Papaya Seeds – Yes, you read this right, seeds from the papaya fruit. I love to buy fresh papaya, cut it into chunks and freeze for appetizing blender concoctions; but what about all of the seeds in the middle? Unlike the fruit that encompasses them, the seeds have a pleasant peppery taste which pairs well on salads. Try it. Papayas are easy to prepare; just peel the soft skin, cut down the middle, and viola, you have the seeds! Scoop out the seeds and keep in an airtight container in the fridge; then enjoy fresh papaya as you’d like.
2. Salsa – If you need to cut down on calories or just looking for something different, salsa is your answer. There are many varieties to choose from at the store, just look for real ingredients and nothing more. I’ve seen modified food starch, guar gum, and even corn syrup in some, so be cautious! From mild, medium, or hot, have your choice and mix into your salad as desired. Add some canned black beans, corn, and tomatoes for a Mexican fiesta salad.
3. Goat Cheese – This may not be very unique to some, but goat cheese has such a strong flavor that you don’t need to add a lot. Kelley and I go through the giant tube-shaped goat cheese log within 3 days sometimes….she gets most of it. For the little bit I do get, I love getting a couple scoops and crumbling on top of the salad. The goat cheese pairs well with sliced strawberries and nuts too.
4. Seeds – Add crunch with a healthy dose of protein and good fats from sunflower, pumpkin, and other seeds. Nuts are also a great choice with similar fat and calories per standard serving, but since seeds are smaller, you get more crunch. 
5. Dijon Mustard and Yogurt – Stir a big spoonful of Dijon or another favorite mustard into 1/4 to 1/2 cup of non-fat plain yogurt for a healthy dressing made in minutes. Add a bit of honey to mellow out the dressing if desired.  To really up the ante, add your favorite herbs and spices.  My favorite is cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, and dill.
6. Whole Grains – Barley, Rice, Quinoa, or Couscous can be cooked ahead of time and mixed into cold salads for extra fiber, protein, and essential nutrients. Adding quinoa to the salsa, corn, black beans, and tomatoes is a favorite of mine and I suggest you try it too. If you don’t have cooked grains on hand, try whole grain crackers instead. I enjoy the hearty crunch from Crunchmaster multi-seed crackers when broken into a few pieces and put on top of my salad. They stay crunchy for a long time too, so don’t worry about soggy cracker salad syndrome with Crunchmaster crackers.
7. Beans – As I mentioned before, black beans are great with salsa salad dressing, but any canned beans will do. Fiber, protein, and much needed nutrients will help fill your body with healthy flavor; try a mixture of beans if you can’t decide on just one. Garbanzo beans and tomatoes add some nice Italian color to your bowl or plate.

Go crazy; add all seven options to your salad for once big meal that fills you up with natural fiber, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals all necessary for our bodies. Do you have a favorite salad topping that’s not so “ordinary?” Please post to comments and let me know, I’d be interested to try. As always, along with the 7 noted toppings below, for some extra spice….Just Add Cayenne!