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Salad is a great and healthy alternative to the fast food we eat today. Along with being nutritious and delicious, it’s light, low in calories and quick to make. But after a while, salad can become boring with the same old lettuce, tomato and cucumber. So it’s time to spice it up with an original salad by getting creative and staying motivated to keep a balanced diet. Whether adding fruit, pasta, or another unconventional ingredient, there are plenty of ways to make your salad unique. For instance, making your own original salad dressing is one important step to keeping your salad interesting.  Get imaginative, mix it up and experiment.

Salad dressing

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Dressings like olive oil, vinegar and mustard are the norm, but try something different now and again, maybe some chili for heat, or lemon zest for that zing. It’s always a good idea to stock up the fridge with different dressings, so you can change the taste of your salad every day.

Try to keep your dressing low in calories. People always think their being healthy by eating salad, but tend to drown it in dressing where all those nasty calories are hiding.

Get original

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We’ve all seen chefs on TV wave their magic knives and make salads look delicious and easy to make, and they can be. There are easy ways to make an original salad. All it takes is going to the supermarket and buying some fresh new ingredients. Get rid of the lettuce and try spinach instead – it’s packed with iron. Herbs are a great way to get your salad aromatic, edible flowers will give that summery vibe, and you can add a splash of colour with some red lettuce too.

Salads are always nutritious - they’re packed with vitamin C and A. But to be balanced, that’s not enough. Any original salad needs some form of protein, whether it’s chicken, fish or meat.  But there are some healthy alternatives for all those vegetarians out there. Nuts and beans are filled with protein. Try Edamame beans, they look like sugarsnaps but taste just as good, plus there’s not a trace of saturated fat in them. Seeds keep the omega-3 balance in check and grains like couscous and barley add that much needed fibre.

Keep your salad fresh by adding some fruit for a change. Nectarines and peaches taste great and add that acidic sweetness so many salads need. To make a warm original salad, grill some vegetables and toss them in. Red pepper, cauliflower, aubergine and zucchini are always popular choices.

What’s for lunch?

Everyone knows that eating healthy is important, and that’s why salads shouldn’t be overlooked.  So get imaginative and start making an original salad every day.