Simple Eats: My Current Salad Obsession
It's so good that I had to share.
Despite working in the health and fitness industry, I do not obsess over “healthy” eating. I find it to be a bit of a misnomer in American culture and, quite frankly, I just love food.
I move my body because I want to. I also eat the foods that I want to. I don’t workout to eat “cheat meals” or to pay my penance to the calorie gods. You shouldn’t either.
However, I do try to fuel my body well. One way that I’ve been getting loads of veggies in is via a salad the size of my head. There are two things that make this salad so delicious.
The ease of preparation. Clearly, minimal work = more delicious food.
The simplest “dressing” on the planet. No pre-mixing required. I don’t know where this has been my whole life, but I’m never going back.
Here’s how I do it.
SHREDDED lettuce. This is critically important. I have come to realize that I haven’t liked salad as much as I could have before because I didn’t enjoy feeling like I was shoving a tree’s worth of leaves down my piehole. Enter shredded lettuce. Rip the bag open, dump it in, and enjoy the perfect proportion of lettuce to all the other deliciousness you’re about to add to your salad.
If your lettuce doesn’t look like this, you’re doing it wrong. Also I took all these pictures while prepping my salad post-spin class (i.e. starving). This is as good as it gets. Add the accoutrements. See, I’m a food blogger, now. My go tos for this particular salad: black olives (although, I do love a kalamata), sliced red onion, grilled artichoke hearts (see: Trader Joes), and parmesan cheese. Sadly, I was missing some cherry tomatoes because I ate them all on the other five salads I’ve had this week.
Life-changing contents inside Finish with the (not) dressing. Do not mix this in a separate bowl because no one needs another dirty dish in their life. Dump everything straight on top of your under construction salad mixture.
Salt + pepper
A drizzle of olive oil (i.e. the “good kind” if you care what Ina thinks)
A splash of white vinegar. Lemon juice works well in place of the vinegar, or if you want a more citrus-y kick.
Roughly a tsp of minced garlic. If you aren’t subject to any other human interaction for the rest of the day and want to use fresh garlic, it’s even more delicious. However, your breath will be kickin’.
This is where the magic is made.
Stir, then eat the entire bowl.
I’ve tried it with various proteins (e.g. grilled chicken, grilled shrimp) and it’s just really freaking delicious every time. Test it out with your favorite toppings and find your perfect blend.
Simply Fit is a free, weekly newsletter written by Dr. Amanda Durall, a Kinesiology professor, fitness professional, and busy mom of three aiming to simplify exercise science and deliver practical recommendations to help you achieve your fitness goals. Want more free content like this delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe for weekly training tips, technique overviews, and more evidence-based fitness content!