by Yoga Digest | March 18, 2020 7:12 pm
So you started this year with the desire to lose weight. You’re eating healthily, munching on your salad, but you’re looking for more than just lettuce and dressing. You’ve come to the right place as we have a list of the most delicious weight loss salads you can learn.
The problem with some people is that in their desire to lose weight, they go for simple salads. While there is nothing wrong with the basic salad, it can get pretty boring if that is all you eat every day.
A great salad is one that will tickle your taste buds and satisfy your hunger at the same time!. To achieve that, there are ingredients that should be present in your salad. You can check out the list below.
What to add to your weight loss salads
Green leafy vegetables
If you want the best weight loss salad, most of your meals should be composed of leafy greens. Some of the best ones you should add are arugula, lettuce, mustard greens, and kale. Most of these are packed with nutrients and vitamins. Kale, in particular, is even dubbed as a superfood!
Some healthy fats
Some fats can be good for you. Examples are nuts, seeds, and avocado. Just make sure to measure them as you are still adding calories to the whole dish.
Protein
Proteins should be added especially if the salad is your main meal. Just be sure to add lean meats like chicken, seafood like salmon and tuna and grains like wild rice or quinoa.
Stay away from deli meats like salami and the like as they can just add to the calorie count of your meal.
Other vegetables
Even though you already have green, leafy vegetables in your salad, it does not hurt to add a few more vegetables. Not only do they add taste and nutrition, but the contrast in colors can make the salad really appetizing to eat. But do make sure that your choice will not have so many calories so that you can still reach your weight loss goals.
Some of the best vegetables for weight loss salad include red onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, purple cabbage and, beets.
Dressing
Of course, a salad is not complete without the dressing. The thing is, it’s better to make your own dressing rather than store-bought ones as those tend to have too much fat and calories. Stick to simple ones like balsamic vinegar mixed some olive oil and salt and pepper.
What not to add to your weight loss salads
Now that you know what your salad’s ingredients should be, you should also know what should not be included. Of course, technically speaking, you can add anything to your salad. But since we are talking about weight loss salad recipes here, there are just some foods that will not help you with that goal.
Some of those that you should not add include croutons, bacon, processed meat, and creamy dressings. While they do add some great taste to the dish, some of these ingredients have too many calories and even sugar to make it a healthy addition to your salad.
Top 5 Delicious weight loss salads
1) Simple cucumber salad
This creamy cucumber salad is simple to make and packed with nutrients that will help with your weight loss.
If you ‘re looking for a salad that’s easy to prepare, this is the answer. It’s perfect for snacking on its own and even more when you pair it with the main meal.
What’s great about this is that if you consume a cup of this salad, you’ll only be consuming 95 calories! Don’t be fooled by the creamy description. The dressing is composed of Greek yogurt and sour cream, so it’s definitely still on the healthy side.
Great right? Just make sure to buy the freshest cucumbers so that you can enjoy the great taste of it. if you buy a lot and plan to eat them for the whole week, make sure to store them in an airtight container so they will not spoil easily.
2) Wild Rice Salad
This recipe is filled with antioxidant ingredients. Just mix red onion, arugula, nuts like cashew and wild rice. Add a simple lemon dressing and you’ll have a hearty lunch that will keep you full until the next meal.
3) Healthy Nicoise Salad
Omit the potatoes from the original Nicoise recipe so that you’ll have a healthier version of this French classic.
4) Shrimp avocado salad
If you’re in the mood for something heavier, swap the shrimp salad for beef or chicken. Just make sure you’ll get the leaner cuts.
5) Salmon and spinach salad
Weight loss salads do not have to be complicated. In this recipe, just marinate the salmon in red wine vinaigrette, then grill. Combine this with some spinach, tomatoes and red onions. Drizzle some more vinaigrette and voila – the perfect meal!
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