We’re crazy for salads! By that, we mean we love them so much that we typically eat a large one a day. Read the Wisdom Is Plant Strong chapters in Trim Healthy Wisdom to get your “why” for eating more salads firmly in place.
(P – On the odd occasion, I’ll even eat two large salads in a day because I’m a lover of eating and a volume girl. Salads take a blessed long time to eat, so I get a longer love experience, and they have BIGNESS! Well, the salads in this section do! You can make them as huge as you want because leafy greens are absolutely free foods. You simply can’t overeat them. They provide a huge, wonderful bed on which to lay goodies and flavor. Serene is not as volume-loving as I am, and she seldom eats two in a day so maybe you’re like her and don’t need your leafies in as big quantities as I do. No worries… smaller or larger… the following salads will bless your body, your taste buds, and your mind.)
Now that we’ve raved over salads… not all salads are created equal. The ones in this chapter are specifically designed to scrub your muscles, raise your CLBM through nerd-friendly protein, provide micronutrients for your health and prebiotics for your gut, and they’ll trim you down (if that is needed). If that’s not needed, make them Crossovers and/or go higher with the nut, seed, or particular cheese options listed. None of these salads contain typical grated cheese, store-bought Ranch dressing, or basic head lettuce leaves. You’re beyond those sorts of salads now (although it is fine to return to those on the odd occasion.) These are all superfood salads that will work for you, not against you.
Note – Just because you’re on a wisdom journey, it doesn’t mean other members of your household have to do the same. (P – I no longer have young children in my home, so I no longer must make kid-friendly food. But I do have a husband who doesn’t want salad all the time or if he does have one here and there, he doesn’t appreciate my plant-strong ways. If he wants a salad… he prefers it meaty, ranchy, and cheesy… a caveman-type one. So, I just make his caveman style. My own is more plant-strong, but we can typically use the same protein source, so we’re happy campers. Or I make up a casserole or some meatloaf at the beginning of the week for him and feed that to him throughout the week in various ways, and I still eat my own salad while he’s happy with the other more traditional THM meal. I’ve realized we love different things and have different needs, but we can still harmonize our lives rather blissfully.)
The following recipes can be used for lunches or dinners. Feel free to tweak them to suit your needs.
Amazing Weird Salad (E or XO)
Apple Tuna & Walnut Salad (E or XO)
Chicken Blue Salad (S)
Cilantro-Lime Chicken Salad with Avocado (S)
Creamy Happy Gut Dressing (FP)
Faker Aged Balsamic (FP)
Goats In the Berry Patch Salad (S)
Hot Tomato Salad (E or XO)
Hummus Tuna Salad (FP)
Laughing Lean Tuna Salad (FP)
My Big Fat Greek Salad (S)
Nitric Oxide Salad (E or XO)
Noochy Greens Salad (S)
Nutty Chicken Asian Salad (S)
Pearl’s Best Ever Salmon (S)
Plant Strong Dressing (FP or S)
Purple Sweetie Salad (E or XO)
Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and Chicken Salad (E or XO)