7 Delicious Salads for a flat belly.

  Ah, delicious salads. There is nothing as aesthetically pleasing and delicious as a salad platter. A salad dish made of fruits and vegetables is very versatile. They can do anything on your table.

    Salads have been eaten since time memorial. Ancient Greeks, Romans and Persians loved eating salads.It was even a favourite of Mary, Queen of Scots. She loved eating boiled celery roots with her greens.

     A salad can augment any course of a meal. For example, you can serve it as an appetizer, dessert or even eaten in place of a meal like your dinner.

        There are various benefits you can get from eating salads. Some of the benefits are:

They are rich in antioxidants.

           Salad ingredients like pepper, tomatoes, citrus fruits, carrots etc, are rich in Vitamin A, C, carotenoids and flavonoids.

          These minerals are potent antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body and prevent diseases.

They are high in fibre.

   Most people don’t eat enough fibre. You can solve that problem by adding more salads to your meal. 

   Salad ingredients like fruits and vegetables are high in fibre.  It is crucial for gut health, aids bowel movement and helps eliminate excess hormones from the body. It aids in the prevention of different forms of cancer.

They aid weight control.

    Salads as stated earlier are high in fibre, rich in vitamins, minerals and enzymes but are low in calories.

      So if you want to control your weight or even lose weight, eat salads together with a good source of protein because that combination digests slowly.

 It will keep you full for a longer time so you won’t overeat. That will keep your waistline trim.

Give clear skin.

        The high level of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and water in salads improves skin elasticity and hydrates the skin. That is crucial for keeping wrinkles and sagging skin at bay and other body functions.

They promote bone health.

     Vitamin D, K and Calcium are minerals that aid in building strong bones.   Salad ingredients like kale, citrus, spinach and watercress are high in the vitamins and minerals . They promote bone health.So consider adding veggies to your salad platter.

       These are some of the benefits you can get from eating salads. There are so many delicious salad recipes you can try to satisfy your taste buds and keep your belly fat.

      Let’s explore some salad dishes you can add to your meals.

Mexican Fruit Salad.

• Ingredients
• .4 oranges
• Four bananas
• ¼ cup fruit French dressing.
• 1 tsp. Fresh mint.
• 1 Sweet pepper.
• 3 Tsp. Shredded coconut.

Process.

   Cut the bananas into cubes. Arrange the sectional oranges and strips of pepper over the bananas. Add the dressing and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

           Sprinkle with mint.

Warm Chicken And Tomato Salad.

• Ingredients.
• 3 tsp.Olive oil.
• 3 Tsp. Coconut oil.
• 2 tsp hazelnut oil.
• One bunch of chopped spring onions
• Salt and ground pepper.
• 18 oz baby spinach leaves.
• One clove of garlic, crushed.
• One tsp. Chopped fresh mixed herbs.
• Two chicken breasts. Cut into thin strips.
• 9 oz of halved cherry tomatoes.
• Process.

    Trim any long stalks from the baby spinach leaves and place them in a serving bowl with the tomatoes and spring onions. Gently toss them together and mix.

    Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan and stir fry the chicken breasts over high heat until cooked. The chicken should be tender and lightly browned. 

   Here are 7 delicious salads to try this Christmas. Arrange the cooked chicken over the mixed salad.

Avocado Citrus Salad.

• Ingredients.
• One head of lettuce.
• 2 Avocadoes
• 1 cup of grapefruit.
• One cup of orange sections.
• 1/3 cup of lemon French dressing.

• Process.

    Line the salad bowl with the lettuce. Tear the remaining lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Peel and slice the avocadoes into the bowl.

 Add the grapefruit and orange sections.

     Add the French lemon dressing and toss lightly together.

Tuna Salad.

Ingredients.

• Two cans of Tuna.
• Two cups of diced celery.
• Lettuce.
• Two cups of Diced cabbage. 
• 2 tsp minced parsley. 
• Two tsp Olive Oil.
• 2 tsp. Lemon juice.
• 1 tsp. Sea salt.
• Mixed herbs.

• Process.

  Flake tuna with celery, parsley and cabbage. Mix olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt into a small bowl and whisk together.

    Line the salad bowl with the lettuce. Drizzle the salad with the dressing. Serve on the lettuce.

 

Italian Tomato Salad.

• Ingredients.
• Six large tomatoes
• ½ top salt.
• 2 Tsp. Olive oil
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. dried oregano

• Process

Peel and slice the tomato and arrange it on a platter. Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper.

Drizzle the olive oil over the salad and let stand for 4 hours.

Armenian Coleslaw.

• Ingredients.
• One head of cabbage, finely chopped.
• Two large beets, cooked and chopped.
• 2 Tsp. vinegar
• One large green pepper
• 1 cup of Mayo

• Process

      Mix the cabbage, beets and green pepper. Thin the mayonnaise with vinegar.

     Mix into the salad and toss thoroughly.

Bangkok Shrimp Salad.

• Ingredients
• 2 pounds shrimp
• One bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tsp peppercorns
• 2 Tsp. soy sauce
• ½ cup green peppers
• Two cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 3 Tsp. coconut oil
• One apple grated
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• Lettuce

• Process

           Boil the shrimp, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns in water for 5mins. Drain, cool, peel and de vine the shrimp. Cut them lengthwise.

          Sauté the garlic and shallots in coconut oil until they are transparent but not brown. Leave it to cool down and mix with the remaining ingredients. Pour over the shrimp and serve over shredded lettuce.

   Divide the vegetables among six plates and chicken, then serve.

• The Dressing.

Salad dressing especially commercially made ones are always high in fat and contains preservatives.

  They are usually the downfall of many people on a quest to eat cleaner and can wreak havoc on your waistline.

     Thankfully, dressing a salad is like dressing a beautiful lady, it’s not difficult. It’s an art. Your imagination is the extra ingredient that makes your salad magic.

    You can make your salad dressing according to your taste. Here is my own 

the salad dressing I use I find delicious.

• Ingredients
• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Lime juice
• Black pepper
• Process.

    Mix them and toss over salad. Divine.

   This salad dressing contains healthy fats which are very good for your health.

    However, if you are a die-hard mayonnaise fan, you can make a healthier version of the commercial ones without the preservatives.

   Here is the recipe for your healthy and yummy mayonnaise.

• Ingredients
• One egg yolk
• ½ tsp salt
• 1tsp. dry mustard (optional)
• 2 Tsp. lemon juice
• 1 cup of olive oil/coconut oil

• Process

Mix egg yolk, salt and mustard if you wish together in a bowl. Add oil drip by drip while stirring with a fork or beater.

  When it starts to thicken, add the oil in a thin stream stirring constantly. If the mayonnaise gets too thick, add a little lemon juice and continue the slow addition of oil.

    So you can try different salads dishes and tell me what you think about them. Enjoy. Check out this article for delicious smoothie recipes.