Build a Healthier Salad by adding:

Grains – Try whole wheat couscous, barley, quinoa, bulgur or wild rice.  Whole wheat pasta is another great way to bulk up any basic salad.

Proteins – Add more satisfaction to your salad with skinless poultry like grilled chicken breast or fish like salmon and tuna which provides Omega-3 fatty acids. Mix in a chopped hard-boiled egg, a small amount of cheese, chickpeas, kidney beans, and assorted unsalted nuts to give your salad extra crunch.

Veggies – Raw  carrots, cucumbers, broccoli and cauliflower add great crunch and colour. Roasted veggies like beets, potatoes, and squash add terrific flavour and a little bit of sweetness to any main meal salad.

Greens – Choose dark, leafy greens like romaine, spinach or arugula. Add colour with radicchio, red leaf lettuce or red cabbage. If you have fresh herbs like basil, thyme, oregano or mint, they add zest and extra nutrients to your salad bowl.

Fruit – Pairing sweet fresh fruit like pear, apple or pomegranate with savoury vinaigrettes will bring added flavour to any salad. Dried fruit are another super salad ingredient.

Fats – Add avocados and different types of seeds for more variety and balance.

Dressings – With oil, vinegar and spices in your pantry, you can make a simple, healthy homemade vinaigrette dressing by jazzing it up with tasty ingredients like chopped fresh herbs, citrus juice, and diced onions and garlic.