Vegetarian Salad
A salad is a cold dish combined with raw or cooked vegetables usually seasoned with oil, vinegar or other seasonings and sometimes accompanied with meat. In this article, we will specifically talk about vegetarian salad. Salad comprises fresh fruits, vegetables, and other related food items which are proven to be full of essential vitamins and minerals required by a body. Previously, salads were underrated and known to be a mix of lettuce and tomatoes. But now we get to see varieties of salads in the market and it is very popular among individuals nowadays. Actually, the culture of eating raw vegetables with dressings of oils and vinegar originated from ancient greek and romans and is now continued and brought to the best version coming to today’s date.
Why Should You Consume Salad ?
Salad contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, minerals, B-carotene, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, and many other elements essential for proper functioning of the body. In addition to this, salads are low in calories and do not contain cholesterol. Salad makes a plan for a healthy diet. Salads are more preferred to be consumed before or after dinner. It is so because if we consume salad before dinner, it will prevent overeating and also satisfy hunger. The reason for consuming salad after dinner is to increase digestibility and help food get absorbed by the body easily. This is because salad contains different enzymes and digestible juices. However, salads bring out the best health benefits whenever consumed.
Benefits of Salads
- Salads are a very rich source of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, B-carotene, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and other essential minerals.
- Salad comprises around 50 percent of fresh, uncooked vegetables and fruits. Researches have shown that consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables increases the development of new cells and discourages dying of cells and aging.
- Protein and fiber based salad keeps the body full and thus helps in good digestion and promotes weight loss.
- Salad being delicious in taste indirectly helps in reduced consumption of junk foods.
- The leafy vegetables are rich in different types of phytonutrients. Phytonutrients should be consumed to help our body function well.
- It has been reported that consumption of at least 300 grams of fresh green leafy vegetables and coloured fruits like tomatoes, bell peppers,carrots etc helps in maintaining good blood flow, reduces risk of heart diseases, increases digestibility and increases the number of good cells in our body.
Salad can be made of different types based on taste, color, nuts, fiber and protein.
Types of Salads
1. Salad based on color:
Nature has given us a variety of mesmerizing colors in everything we need. Talking about salads we have different shades of green leafy vegetables, red and pink coloured juicy and tempting tomatoes, red, green and yellow-colored peppers., nude coloured beans and nuts and many more other veggies. You can mix all these coloured species to turn your salad into an absolutely tempting healthy substitute.
2. Salad based on fiber:
lentils, legumes, beans, flax seeds, chia seeds are rich in fiber. These can be consumed alone or mixed with green veggies. Fibers are slow digesting in nature and that is why it will keep our body full for a longer period, ultimately leading to good digestion and weight loss.
3. Salads based on protein:
There is a growing misconception that we have to consume meat and eggs to get proteins in our diet, but this is not true. There are foods like buckwheat, cottage cheese, tofu, soya chunks,quinoa which are very rich in protein and are absolutely healthy, cheap and available easily in nearby groceries of almost all areas. Protein is good for heart health and to maintain blood pressure.
4. Salads based on season:
The ingredients in salad can be modified based on season and availability of vegetables. Like in summer, you can choose cucumbers, watermelons, mangoes, pumpkins, zucchini and in winter you can go with cauliflowers, broccoli, peas, beans, etc. With the advancement of technologies and discoveries of different scientific technologies, we are facilitated with off season varieties too. So, you can choose any of the veggies even in its off period.
FACT ABOUT GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES: Leafy vegetables are rich in phytonutrients. These phytonutrients contain antioxidants, which helps in preventing fatal diseases like cancer and heart diseases. Also, green leaves are rich in vit A .
Now, let’s explore any 10 best salads with their recipes.
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10 Vegetarian Salad Recipes
1. Green Bean Salad
This is a very easy and healthy recipe you can try with only 5 ingredients in your kitchen. You need green beans, salt, olive oil, pepper, and garlic. In addition to being a fantastic source of folic acid and other nutrients that protect the heart, green beans are high in vitamins A, C, and K.
2. Watermelon Salad
Watermelon salad is a treat in a sweaty summer. To make watermelon salad, take a watermelon and cut it into square shaped cubes. Similarly chop some cucumber, onions, add some seeds of pomegranate and season with black salt or regular salt as per your preference. This recipe is so simple that it takes only 15 minutes to be ready.
3. Celery Salad
Celery is a very crunchy vegetable so it adds up to a joy while consuming it. It goes very well with cherry tomatoes, a little pinch of salt and some drops of lemon juice. Celery is a very good source of antioxidants; especially being rich in flavonoids and vitamin C. Along with this, celery also contains a phytonutrient called phthalides. .
4. Mediterranean Bean Salad
This salad is very famous and a quick recipe to a protein diet. The ingredients numbers are more for this recipe but all those are easily found in your kitchens: so you must try it once if you haven’t yet. The ingredients required are soaked white chickpeas (also called kabuli chickpeas), soaked kidney beans, onion, cucumber, fresh coriander leaves, mint leaves, salt and lemon. Chop the onion and the cucumber into fine cubes and mix everything well and serve in a bowl or on a plate as per your wish and enjoy the amazing Mediterranean bean salad. You can have it as lunch or you can replace your dinner with this light, healthy and nutritious substitute.
5. Tomato Salad
Small, cherry sized, juicy and tempting tomatoes are the hero ingredient of this salad. You don’t have to search for a variety of vegetables for this recipe. Just go to the grocery and grab all coloured fresh and organic cherry tomatoes. Wash them properly, cut into two halves, keep in a bowl and season with salt and garnish with green herbs. This recipe literally takes only 5 minutes. Cherry tomatoes, besides their size, are absolutely rich in vitamins and minerals. It is a very well known fact that tomatoes are rich in vitamin C. Including this, these little nutrient sacks contain a pigment called ‘lycopene’. Lycopene pigment is a powerful antioxidant which is proven to provide many health benefits. It protects our skin from harmful sun radiations, prevents chronic health hazards and promotes heart health.
6. Peach and Avocado Green Salad
One well ripened peach and a well ripened avocado goes very well together. Cut the peaches in any shape you like ( though the most preferred shape is a long, thin slice). Smash the avocado, add some finely chopped onions and add a pinch of salt and there you go with the delicious avocado and peach salad.
7. Roasted Beet Salad With Cheese and Pistachios
Beetroots are one of the most nutrient-containing root crops. It is a rich source of fiber, iron, vitamin B9, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, etc. This crop helps in maintaining blood flow in the body, maintains iron level, increases exercise performance,l owers heart risks and so on. The taste of beetroots is not preferred by all because its taste resembles mud. So, it is preferred to roast before consumption. The roasted beet are mixed with cheese and pistachios. You can dress this recipe with ingredients like onion and lemon too.
8. Tomato Cucumber Salad
This is most probably the easiest salad recipe where we need only two ingredients; tomatoes and cucumber. You can add other veggies too. Onions can give a very good company in this recipe. This salad can also be consumed as pickles with your lunch and dinner.
9. Avocado Chickpea Salad
This avocado chickpea salad is refreshing, nourishing and satisfying salad for summers you can prepare in just 5-7 minutes. For this salad you have to take some soaked or boiled chickpeas, one well ripen avocado, cucumber to enhance the taste, onion and green herbs as dressings and salt to taste. This salad mix is so nutritious and tasty that You might urge to add this 10 minute recipe to your daily routine.
10. Mixed Vegan Salad
Mixed vegan salad is a mix of chickpeas, cabbage leaves, kale leaves, some vegan cheese, some pieces of croutons for extra crunch and that’s it, the salad is ready. But wait, there are lots of secret ingredients that will enhance its taste from a rating of one to ten out of ten. The recipe begins with a cup of soaked or boiled chickpeas, a cup of cabbage leaves, a cup of kale, salt, garlic powder, extra virgin olive oil, soy sauce, onion powder, chopped onion, walnuts, some cheese and some croutons.
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Conclusion
In a nutshell, after knowing the benefits of salads, it should be practiced as the most important part of a diet along with other staple foods. These are rich in all kinds of vitamins and minerals required by a human body for its normal functioning. Salad is one of the quickly made recipes which takes an average of 15 to 20 minutes depending on the type of salad and number of ingredients to be used. You can utilize your leisure time to try these recipes. These healthy yet yummy recipes should be followed at least once a day.