Ever since the pandemic started we’ve had everyone at home – studying and working and always hungry! Pre-pandemic, we were all on our own for breakfast as we rushed out the door, lunch was a non-event and the main meal was dinner. Now with all three meals at home, I feel quite like the lunch lady at the school cafeteria! Also, after the initial binging, we’ve all settled down to the new normal and are being more careful about what we eat. To that end, a hearty salad has become a staple for lunch.

Salad Basics

Here’s my take on the basic lunch salad formula.

Greens

Start with some greens (I prefer chopped baby spinach/kale/arugula rather than plain iceberg lettuce). My personal view is that it is lazy to not chop or rip your greens into bite sizes. Plus having large leafy greens makes the person eating feel like a cow – ugh!

Vegetables for color

Include many colorful vegetables (red/orange/yellow bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, corn, avocado, grated carrot/ cucumber) to add vitamins and visual interest to your salad. After all, we do eat with our eyes first! If you like using fruits in your salad, there are endless options – clementines, mango, berries etc. not to mention dried fruits like Craisins and dried apricots.

Protein

Don’t forget to include some protein (beans or cooked shredded chicken etc). If you have cubed, marinated tofu, you can brown that in a pan and add to your salad. Leftover meats are also great as protein add-ins. I have used paneer (a mild low sodium fresh cheese) and no salt added cottage cheese as well for both protein and texture.

Grains

Adding cooked grains gives the salad more heft and will be more filling. My favorite is quinoa (gluten-free) but you can vary it with wild rice or cracked wheat or any other grain of your choice. Of course this is entirely optional.

Spices, Dressing and Crunch

Spices like paprika, freshly ground cumin, pepper, dried oregano all work well depending on the mood you are in. I like to take my salad in certain ethnic directions – Tex-mex, Greek, Indian etc. Of course since we are limiting the use of salt, we need as much flavor as we can get from our spices and dressing. Olive oil and fresh squeezed lime juice or vinegar of your choice tie it all together. Nuts and low sodium crackers are critical to add the all important crunch. If I have to convince my family to eat salad, it better come with some tempting crunch on top!

All your daily veggies in one meal, no salt added! Most of the time, you may not want to add salt especially if you add a bit of grated cheese but if you do feel the need, add a pinch of salt directly to your bowl.

Quick Tips

Here are some tips for putting together a quick salad:

• Always have some greens on hand in the fridge.
• Cook beans/chicken ahead of time (or use low sodium canned beans). Warning – store bought cooked meats have way too much sodium.
• Keep some cooked grains in the fridge (this will keep for 2-3 days so planning ahead is okay). I will often cook some quinoa or wild rice when I have a few minutes.
• Lemons and limes are great flavor enhancers for low-sodium foods and I’ve been buying them in bulk at Costco.
• If you get into the lime juice/olive oil combo with some spices or herbs for dressing then you really are well ahead on the sodium front – ready made dressings are notorious for their sodium content.

Crafting a healthy salad is as much about following the basic formula as it is about indulging your artistic side. Some combinations will work better than others but regardless, you know you are doing yourself a favor with a healthy salad for lunch!