get yer greens

I just thought I'd share some of my favourite salad combos I've been enjoying these days. I don't ever measure, but just eyeball, and combine any of the following to my liking. You can make the dressing (usually I do 1 part oil to 2 parts vinegar/lemon juice etc) or use a store-bought.

For any of these, I'd add a protein (usually chicken, chickpeas, or tempeh). I usually marinate the chicken or tempeh in a bit of the dressing before I cook it (if using flax oil, don't cook with it). My fave "greens" at the moment is a mix of baby spinach and baby kale (I've been using "Organic Girl" or "Cooking with Spinach").

Lemon-Dijon
greens
salad topper (I use "Joes" brand from Wal-Mart, which is cranberry, walnut and pumpkin seeds)
avocado
grape tomatoes
mushrooms
Dressing: lemon juice, flax oil, Dijon mustard, Italian herb seasoning
*In picture above, I've been making this one a lot lately.

Asian
Greens
cashews
peppers
red or green onion
edamame beans
Dressing: apple cider vinegar, soy sauce or Bragg, honey, sesame oil, flax oil, sesame seeds, ginger

Mexican/Taco
greens
shredded iceberg lettuce (or I buy a bag of "Shreds")
salsa
avocado
black beans
olives (black sliced)
Dressing: lime juice, flax oil, and if you like spice add chili pepper flakes
*you can use ground turkey, chicken, beef or Veggie Ground round with Taco seasoning for this one. Another option is to crush some tortilla chips on top for extra crunch. I also add jalapenos for extra spice.

Marinated Italian
tomato
zucchini
peppers
olives (I like sliced green in this)
carrots
onion
celery and/or fennel
chickpeas
Dressing: balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Italian herbs (fresh or a seasoning)
*chop all ingredients, put in a container with dressing, stir and let marinate. I sometimes add a can of tuna for protein. Place on top of a bed of greens.

Berry Almond
greens
avocado
mixed berries (or just strawberries)
almonds (toasted slivered are best)
red onion (optional)
dressing: apple cider vinegar, honey, flax oil