The Art of Making Salad your Friend

I work in an environment that is rather difficult to get something to eat for lunch.The only things I can buy are chips fried or packets of chips.No healthy and nutritious options.I have learnt in my healthy lifestyle journey to always take a packed lunch with me and always pack more than I need just incase.
Over the last few weeks,I have been posting my packed Lunch pictures on Instagram(verushka143) and on Facebook.I have been recieving lots of Likes and positive comments on my lunches.The other day my cousin even asked if I could start making her lunches as mine always look so divine.
Sometimes I often leave home earlier as I need to run errands.On these days it is harder to make my lunch and often I have to buy lunch.I have found that literally every supermarket or takeout place has  salad options available.So this way I am not tempted to buy junk takeout food.
As a child then a teenager , SALAD was my enemy and in my mind it was seen as a form of punishment to eat salad.I had this idea that salad was rabbit food.But these days I have  learnt the importance of eating salads,raw ingredients and making salads that taste amazing.With my new found knowledge and cooking skills I prepare my own salads into which I use only ingredients I like and eating a salad is no longer seen as a punishment but a much needed food source for my body.
A lot of emphasis has been placed on eating 5 fruit and vegetables a day.A salad is a perfect way to get your intake of vitamins and minerals.The latest juicing craze is again using a combination of fruit and vegetables to provide energy and help in detoxing our body.
If you happen to watch Keeping up with the Kardashians, you will see the girls always eating huge bowels of takeaway salads.The salads seem to be made of a variety of lettuce and other green leafy vegetables.In a recent article online it was revealed that the salad is a chicken salad.If salad is good enough for the Kardashians it is good enough for me lol.
Tips for making Packed Lunch Salads :

1. Always have a source of protein.
2. Keep dressing seprate so salad does not go soggy.
3. Include a variety of colours and textures in your salads.
4. Do not use store bought salad dressing as they contain high salt amounts.I often use lemon juice,grape vinegar or low fat egg free mayo for my salads.
5. Always pick ingredients you enjoy for your salad.
6. I used to think that a small container would be enough.This often left me feeling very hungry.So now I have a large lunch box for my packed lunch.

Ideas for salads:
Vegetables :
Lettuce,spinach,kale,carrots,mushrooms,onion,olives,peppers,avocado,cucumber,tomato,cabbage,beetroot,radishes and butternut.
Leafy green vegetables are great for bulking up salads.
Protein :
Tuna,eggs,smoked chicken,chicken fillets,fish ,soya sausages,red beans, chickpeas ,baked beans and meatballs.
Protein is needed by our body for several functions.Vegetarians can subsitute soya,beans and legumes instead of meat.
Other :
Dried fruit like cranberries, nuts,feta cheese,sundried tomato,freshly ground black pepper.
Literally most ingredients can be used for making salads.I like using leftover grilled chicken for my salads as well as steamed vegetables.
Check out these salads I made :

I look forward to making my yummy salads for work each day and coming up with new combinations that I enjoy.What do you put into your salads? What are your favourite salads?
Be Inspired !
Ciao
xxx