So often, salad is just a side dish. We know we should eat our greens, so we throw together a few leaves and dressing and call it a day! If all you’re trying to do is get some veggies into your day, that’s fine. As long as you have a healthy dressing, any side salad is a great way to eat more vegetables. The only problem is they can be boring.
We’re at the time of the year when the weather is weird. We have cold mornings and hot afternoons. One person on our team calls it “missing coat season,” as kids tend to wear a coat to school in the morning and forget it in the classroom before getting on the bus home in the afternoon.
It’s the perfect time for salads as the star of dinnertime! All of these salads are vegetarian. Some are packed with protein; others, you can add a protein of your choice and have meat or protein-rich veggies or tofu. They are customizable for your lifestyle. And they are all high in fiber while being low in carbs!
Green goddess salad dressing was incredibly trendy a couple of years ago. It’s made by blending many green, tasty ingredients with olive oil and lemon juice to make a silky-smooth dressing. The hype around it has cooled down. But it remains delicious. While you will have to break out your food processor or blender to make it, we think it’s well worth the hassle. Because of the avocado in the dressing, a serving of the salad has 2.5 grams of protein, even without any meat, tofu, cheese or legumes! A serving has 228.5 calories, 10.9 grams of carbs, 5.3 grams of fiber and 13.7 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
The days are warm, but the produce in the store shows that fall has come, at least when it comes to the harvest! This recipe uses beets, sweet potatoes, cranberries and pecans for an autumnal flavor you’ll love. It has a dressing made from mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and balsamic that evokes pumpkin patches. While the salad is pretty low in carbs, you can swap the maple syrup for a low-carb version to lower the carb count. The recipe wasn’t designed for a low-carb diet; it just happens to fit one, but you can adjust it to your needs. We love this fall recipe and will make it all winter long! A serving has 283 calories, 21 grams of carbs, two grams of fiber and 22 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
While you have your blender or food processor out for the green goddess salad, make this too! This is another blended dressing where all ingredients are perfectly emulsified before being added to greens, cucumbers, tomatoes and canned white beans. The white beans add a ton of protein to this salad. With eight grams, it’s a full lunch serving without anything extra! A serving has 246 calories, 22 grams of carbs, eight grams of fiber and 15 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
This salad is a wonderful mix of textures. And the citrus dressing filled with fresh herbs is a great pick-me-up for a midweek meal. Lentils are a wonderful source of protein, and the salad contains cheese. That means a serving has 9.4 grams of protein! This salad can be eaten warm or cold and is great for leftovers! A serving has 234 calories, 23.6 grams of carbs, 7.5 grams of fiber and 12.7 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
We hope these salads are a hit in your home and help you enjoy fall produce! Winter will be here all too soon, so enjoy eating cool dinners while you still can before we’re all reaching for our soup bowls!
