How to Make a Colorful, Healthy Salad

by Alexandra Perloe

Overview

Green, red, orange, blue... salads can be a work of art as well as tasty, filling and nutritious. A hearty salad can also serve as a satisfying meal, especially if topped with sliced chicken or a sliced veggie burger. The key is to include protein and a variety of vegetables in your creation. A salad's colorful flair shows that it contains a sufficient mix of ingredients.
Choose, chop, toss

Step 1

Assemble a mix of novel ingredients. Think outside the box! Toss in berries or other fruits like mangoes, peaches or dried cranberries. Include nuts--the subtle taste of pine nuts makes them especially delicious in salads. Think about how tastes will complement each other; goat and feta cheese are salty, for example, so you might combine them with a less salty nut. Gorgonzola cheese has a strong taste, so pungent vegetables might be overkill.
Step 2

Wash all ingredients, except for any that you bought pre-washed (such as bagged spinach).
Step 3

Pat the greens dry with a paper towel, or spin them dry in a salad spinner. The leaves don't need to be completely dry, but they shouldn't be dripping wet, either.
Step 4

Chop into pieces any veggies or fruits that aren't already bite-sized, including greens. Chop them small enough to fit into your mouth without requiring further cutting.
Step 5

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and toss them, using a large fork, spoon or your clean hands.

Making balsamic vinagrette

Step 1

Mince one garlic clove.
Step 2

Pour 1 c. olive oil into a small bowl.
Step 3

Add 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard and the minced garlic.
Step 4

Whisk the dressing until the mustard dissolves.

2
Choose from the following: Greens: baby spinach, arugula (also called "rocket") or lettuce Tomatoes Green, red, orange or yellow bell peppers Mushrooms of any variety Cucumber A crumbly cheese: goat, feta or blue Nuts: almonds, pine nuts, walnuts Berries: blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries Other fruit: peaches, mangoes, pears, apples Dried fruit: cranberries, cherries Dressing: If you don't have pre-made dressing, gather olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and a garlic clove. Sharp knife Cutting board Large bowl Paper towel or salad spinner
Choose from the following:
Greens: baby spinach, arugula (also called "rocket") or lettuce
Tomatoes
Green, red, orange or yellow bell peppers
Mushrooms of any variety
Cucumber
A crumbly cheese: goat, feta or blue
Nuts: almonds, pine nuts, walnuts
Berries: blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries
Other fruit: peaches, mangoes, pears, apples
Dried fruit: cranberries, cherries
Dressing: If you don't have pre-made dressing, gather olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and a garlic clove.
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Large bowl
Paper towel or salad spinner