You can do better than a bowl of lettuce drowned in bottled dressing. Breathe new life into your salad routine with these superfood-rich recipes that raise it, notably, to main course status.
Salad. The word evokes visions of healthfulness and vitality. And for good reason. Salads can offer a nearly unmatched buffet of age-avenging nutrients and antioxidants that make them the embodiment of the superfood movement. Make no mistake, with the right mix of ingredients, we’ve got the proof that there are many delicious and nutritious ways to convert a salad into a full-blown satisfying meal all on its own—no longer relegated to playing second fiddle. Vibrant vegetables, smart proteins, quality carbs, a necessary bounty of flavour boosters, and well-crafted homemade dressings will add up to layers of loveliness. These power salads and mighty dressings are all about having fun in the kitchen and assembling a parade of flavours, colours, and textures to engage all the senses.
Recipes
Chicken Spelt Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Green Goddess Salad
Potato Trout Salad with Golden Milk Dressing
Grilled Mushroom Salad with Pesto Dressing
Beet Lentil Quinoa Salad with Carrot Dressing
Cream of the crop
For a salad with terroir, a dish where you can taste the nature that produced it, look to include these local gems that are now in season.
- artichokes
- arugula
- asparagus
- dandelion greens
- chives
- fava beans
- fiddleheads
- green garlic
- green peas
- leeks
- lettuce
- mint
- morel mushrooms
- new potatoes
- spring onions
- radishes
- ramps (wild garlic)
- rhubarb
- sorrel
- spinach
- strawberries
- watercress
Salad matrix
To craft a main dish superfood salad that’ll be a far cry from wimpy rabbit food, mix and match any of the items in these categories. Remember, a rainbow of colours typically means a salad with more fibre and a greater variety of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients And don’t forget the dressing.
| Leaves | Veg | Carbs | Protein | Fat | Flavour boosters |
| arugula bok choy cabbage endive escarole kale lettuce mustard greens spinach Swiss chard watercress | asparagus beet bell peppers broccoli carrot cauliflower cucumber mushrooms radish roasted red pepper tomato | dried fruit fresh fruit grains pasta potato toasted bread crumbs tortilla chips whole grain croutons sweet potato | beans chicken cottage cheese edamame eggs grass-fed steak Greek yogurt fish (canned, fresh, or smoked) lentils tempeh tofu | avocado cheese nuts seeds | capers herbs microgreens olives pickled vegetables preserved lemon roasted chickpeas |
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
Amanda Modaragamage
Nancy Hillis
Ishita Wilson
Mia Barnes