Main dish salads

Adding salads to your regular eating routine is a great way to increase the healthfulness of your diet. Main dish salads are a tasty and nutritious way to enjoy the season's bounty. Fresh vegetables like crisp lettuce, vibrant tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that support overall health. 

These salads are a perfect addition to any diet. Whether you are a meat-lover or vegetarian, these main dish salads are both satisfying and nourishing. Whether you grow your own vegetables, shop at a local farmer’s market or buy your vegetables at the grocery store, the variety of seasonal produce makes every salad unique. But best of all they are a simple and delicious way to make your diet healthier. 

Garden cannellini bean salad

Ingredients:

For the bean salad:

• 1/2 cup almond slivers
• 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, chopped
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 2 15.5 oz cans cannellini (white) beans, no-salt-added, drained, and rinsed
• Large lettuce leaves (Boston, Bibb, or romaine)

For the dressing:

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1 tbs tomato basil garlic seasoning blend, no-salt

Instructions:

• Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
• In a small sauté pan, toast almond slivers until golden.
• Remove from pan and let cool.
• In a medium bowl, toss dressing with all ingredients except lettuce.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To serve, place lettuce leaves on individual plates and top with bean salad. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from myplate.gov.

Power lunch salad

Ingredients:

• 12 cups baby spinach or mixed salad greens
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup dry-roasted, unsalted pepitas
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 small apples (cored and diced)
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese
• 7 oz reduced-sodium deli turkey breast (sliced into 1/2 inch strips)
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil 

Instructions:

• In a salad bowl, mix together everything but the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from diabetesfoodhub.org.

Taco salad

Ingredients:

• 3 cups lettuce (use butterhead or any other head of lettuce, torn into small pieces)
• 2 tomatoes (chopped, fresh)
• 1/2 cup green pepper (chopped)
• 16 ounces ground turkey or ground beef
• 1 onion (small, chopped)
• 1 can pinto beans, low-sodium (15 1/2 ounce, drained)
• 3/4 cup salsa (or taco sauce)

Instructions:

• Wash hands with soap and water.
• Put lettuce in large bowl. Add tomatoes and green pepper.
• Brown meat and onion in fry pan. Drain off fat and liquid.
• Mix meat, beans and salsa. Add to salad mixture
• Serve with additional salsa. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from myplate.gov.

Next steps:

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