It’s a real shame that a lot of people think that eating healthy has to taste bland, especially since there’s so many ways you can enhance the natural flavors of real food!  Sometimes all it takes is adding that little extra ingredient to an otherwise “boring” salad for it to become extraordinary.  Instead of adding high calorie condiments like mayonnaise, Caesar salad dressing, and full-fat cheese, look for healthier alternatives.  Try mixing together a new marinade, salad dressing or even just a dip to have with your fruits and vegetables.  With a little bit of extra work, you can make healthy food exciting!

• Lemons.  Perhaps the easiest flavor enhancer, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice breathes new life into steamed or grilled veggies.  Try mixing it with olive oil and dried herbs for a quick salad dressing!
• Parmesan cheese.  As I’ve mentioned before, grating parmesan cheese over your meals instead of using other cheeses can save you quite a few calories.  It’s stronger flavor means you can use less while still enjoying the great taste.  Sprinkle it over grilled asparagus or even into your morning omelet!

• Roasted red peppers. These peppers can sure pack a flavor punch!  Cut up some strips and mix it with plain Greek yogurt and spices for a quick veggie dip, or mix some with hummus for a new flavor combination!
• Dijon mustard.  Remember that salad dressing I mentioned earlier?  Add some Dijon mustard for a nice tangy kick to it.  Or mix it with honey and use it for a marinade for grilling your lean meats!

• Pesto. Basil is the most popular flavor, but you can also find other versions as well – dill, cilantro, even sundried tomato!  Adding pesto to sandwiches, quesadillas, or dips can give a nice rich flavor to the dish.  Try using basil pesto with whole grains like pasta, quinoa, or bulgur to pump up the taste!
• Spice it up.  It might sound silly, but simply remembering to season your food can make a big difference in the way it tastes.  Check out my spice blog post on adding flavor and good nutrition without the calories.

What’s your favorite way to make the typical ‘healthy’ food more exciting?  I love adding a tablespoon of nut butter to my oats or even using it to dip carrots into – it’s always a delicious topping!

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

Salads have gotten a bad reputation over the years as being a “dieter’s only” food, but they’re an extremely flexible meal option that you can add almost anything to!  However, a lot of commercially prepared salads have a few calorie-traps to watch out for that can add unnecessary calories, fat, and sodium.  Now that you’ve read all about the 3 Pitfalls to Avoid with Salad Dressings, and have mastered healthier dressings, here are more ways to pump up the nutrition in your typical salads.  Try these easy swaps to ensure your lunch salad is packed full of nutritious gems to fuel you throughout the day.

1. Instead of BACON, choose LEAN PROTEIN. Choosing leaner protein options like pork tenderloin or grilled chicken allows you that extra protein without adding lots of  calories, sodium or fat.  Try grilling extra pork tenderloin, chicken or salmon on the weekend to use as salad toppings for your weekday lunches!

2. Instead of ICEBERG LETTUCE, choose SPINACH or LEAFY GREENS.  While iceberg lettuce is still a vegetable, you’re missing out on an opportunity to load up on nutrients to form a base for your salad.  Spinach and romaine lettuce are high in folate, vitamin A and vitamin K, and the nutritious powerhouse kale is high in fibre and calcium, among others.  Try swapping half of your iceberg lettuce with these leafy greens to get familiar with the other options available to you.

3. Instead of FULL-FAT CHEESE, choose GRATED HARD CHEESES.  Adding full-fat cubes of cheese can take a healthy salad to a not-so-healthy salad in an instant!  Using harder cheeses like Romano, Asiago or Parmesan provide the cheese in smaller amounts packed full of the flavor you desire.  Try grating a teaspoon or two of one of these cheeses to top your salad.

4. Instead of CROUTONS, choose CHOPPED NUTS.  Commercially-prepared croutons can be baked in tons of oil and added salt, and as such are giving you hidden calories along with their crunch.  If you’re looking to add some crunch to your salads, choosing chopped nuts like almonds gives you that crunch as well as extra protein, fiber, and even healthy fats!  Keeping serving sizes in mind, try adding about a tablespoon of nuts as a healthier crunchy topper.

5. Instead of LESS VEGGIES, choose MORE VEGGIES!  Some salads can have next-to-no vegetables besides the lettuce, and this is another one of those missed opportunities to add some nutrients!  Choosing a variety of colorful vegetables to use in your salads will not only increase your satiety, but also ensure that you’re getting valuable nutrients.  Try adding some unexpected ones like sliced beets or roasted sweet potatoes to your salads, along with usual favorites like bell peppers, celery, carrots, and zucchini.

What about you?  How do you pump up the nutrition in your salads?  I’d love to hear about your tips!

By Mitzi Dulan with research assistance from Megan Skinner

Who doesn’t love salad? Salads can be an introduction into a meal or they can be a meal themselves. You can be creative when making your own salad: start out with a bed of dark leafy greens, then chop up some red, orange, and yellow bell peppers, toss in some tomatoes and avocados, and maybe also some sliced up eggs? If you add in boiled chicken breast, and some cheese, you can make it into a meal. Of course, who can forget the salad dressing? If you’re the type of person that cannot eat salad without some type of salad dressing, read on to find out 3 pitfalls to avoid with salad dressing:

1. Sugars in Salad Dressings: Salad dressings can be loaded with sugar. Did you know that the reduced-fat dressings usually have more sugar than the “regular” dressings? One example is Kraft Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, which has 2 grams of carbohydrates per serving, and its fat-free version contains 11 grams for the same serving size! In addition, some of the vinegar dressings also contain a lot of sugar in them. A tip to choosing salad dressings is to read the nutrition label to make sure that the sugary ingredients are not within the first 4 or 5 ingredients on the list. The ingredients are listed in order of amount on the nutrition label. Another tip is to use a little skim milk or water to thin out the thick salad dressings to dilute the calories and sugar.

2. Serving Size: We tend not to notice how much salad dressing we’re pouring onto our salads. In fact, how many of us pour salad dressing onto our salad while conversing with someone else? The calories in salad dressings can add up fast. Tips for keeping track of serving size:

• Use a measuring spoon until you can adequately eyeball two tablespoons of dressing

• Enjoy dressing on the side (Hint: Dip your fork into the dressing before the salad, you’ll use less dressing this way)

• Did you know an oil-based dressing coats salad really well? Put a small amount of an oil-based dressing in a bowl and toss the salad very well. The salad will have a more even coating of dressing this way.

3. Fat and Oils: Watch out for partially hydrogenated fat – they are almost entirely trans-fat. Even though trans-fat has mostly been dropped as an ingredient in salad dressings, there are still some in certain salad dressings. Also look out for saturated fat – diets high in saturated fat can increase incidences of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Try to choose salad dressings that have a high amount of monounsaturated fats, which lowers the LDL cholesterol.

Too much salad dressing can add extra calories and fat. Instead of salad dressings, you can also squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice you’re your salad. You can also use salsa! Make sure to use a variety of darker greens in your salad such as spinach, kale, dandelion greens, watercress, etc. Also, using a variety of colors of vegetables in your salad can add flavor, more nutritional value, and visual appeal without adding many calories.

What is your favorite salad ingredient.

By Mitzi Dulan with research assistance from Rachel Yam