health insider: HOW TO 'BUILD' A BETTER SALAD

YOU CAN’T GO WRONG WITH SALAD FOR LUNCH, RIGHT?

Hmmm, yes… but all salads are not created equal! Here’s how to perfect your
salad balance

by our nutritional contributor Susie Burrell

Salad combos that we can readily find premade in food courts tend to be a little off balance when it comes to getting the right mix of carbs, proteins, veges and good fats. A number of our favourite salads including chicken Caesar, pesto pasta, pumpkin and feta and noodle salads can contain as much as 50g of fat in a single serve – with numerous high fat ingredients, creamy sauces and large serves of rice, pasta and noodles. So what may appear to be a good choice may not be such a healthy option after all. So, if you really want a healthy salad that supports weight control, here is how you create one.
Step 1: Salad greens: Whether you choose Cos lettuce, rocket, English Spinach or a hearty serve of mixed leaves, following the mantra “the darker the leaves, the better they will be for you” will ensure that you are on the right track with your salad base.
Step 2: Plenty of brightly coloured vegetables: The greater the variety and the more colours, the better.
Step 3: Some carbohydrates for energy: A plain salad without any bread, crackers or other forms of carbohydrate may appear to be the most healthy, calorie controlled option but remember that not eating adequate carbohydrates throughout the day can leave you feeling unsatisfied and more likely to binge eat later in the afternoon.
Step 4: Lean proteins for nutrition: Adding a serve of lean protein such as tuna, salmon, egg, chicken breast or a small serve of lean meat not only provides filling bulk for your salad but also has much to offer nutritionally. Protein foods are rich sources of iron, zinc, Vitamin B12 and omega 3 fats.
Step 5: Added fats: Salad dressings, nuts, seeds and cheese may all be tasty additions to any salad but they are all high fat choices and can quickly turn your thus far healthy salad into a calorie overload if you are not careful. Aim for just 1-2 of these additions to your salad, such as an olive oil dressing and avocado or nuts or feta – not all three.

Susie’s Shape Me Mexican Chicken Salad

Serves 1
per serve: 390 cals • 18g fat • 42g protein • 10g carbs • 8g fibre

what you need:
● 120g chicken breast, cooked
● 2 cups baby spinach
●1/4 avocado, sliced
for the Tomato Salsa:
● 2 medium tomatoes, finely diced 1/2 small red onion, finely diced 1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped Juice from 1/2 a lime
● 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
● 
1/4 tsp. ground coriander powder
● Salt, pepper and fresh chilli to taste
what you do:
1. Mix all ingredients for tomato salsa together in a bowl.
2. 
To serve place chicken, avocado and salsa over bed of spinach and allow juices from salsa to dress leaves and chicken.
gluten-free | dairy-free | nut-free | egg-free | wheat-free

 
 
Susie’s brand new eBook Shape Me Salads is available now from www.shapeme.com.au
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