Boy, feel that humidity. While the cloud is still beating the sun in the weather game, it’s only a matter of weeks (days?) before summer gets it way. So far this week’s DJF Kitchen, here are 5 protein-rich salads; perfect to eat on the terrace or at the beach, while keeping the diet up. I found these recipes on the 3 Fat Chicks blog – well worth a read!!

There are hundreds of salads to choose from and most of the time people make a real poor attempt at something imaginative and nutritious. Adding protein to a salad can not only enhance the taste, but it can actually energize you. Salads don’t have to be boring, bland and thrown into the garbage at the end of a meal. If you prepare a proper salad, people will be scraping the bowl for the last leaf. Creating a high protein salad will compliment any meal or even have the potential to be the meal itself. There are a wide variety of ways to make a tasteful, protein rich salad using both meat and non-meat choices.

 

The Green

It is important to know what goes best with what when picking out a particular salad leaf. Iceberg, mescalin and spinach are the best available choices.

• Iceberg – This lettuce has the most crunch and longevity, but little nutrition.
• Mescalin – These leaves have much color including reds, whites and greens, plus a fair amount of nutrition. The lasting power is okay but can become soggy.
• Spinach – Spinach is a vegetable of deep green iron-rich content. It stays well over time and has great repelling power, rendering the leaves very strong yet succulent.

Here are 5 protein rich salads you’ll want to try:

1. Simple Chopped Steak Salad

• 1 cooked, fat trimmed, small cube chopped piece of any steak
• 1 head of finely chopped iceberg lettuce
• 6 finely chopped carrots
• 3 finely chopped celery stalks

Mix and serve with your favorite dressing.

2. Warm Mushroom Lentil Spinach Salad

• 3 handfuls of triple-cleaned spinach salad
• 1 box of cleaned, sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups of drained cooked or canned lentils
• 1/4 cup of sesame seeds
• 2 cloves of garlic

Saute sliced mushrooms in olive oil, adding a few sliced cloves of garlic salt and pepper. Add lentils when mushrooms are brown and sizzling. Add sesame seeds shortly after the lentils. Let all saute for a few more minutes then pour over spinach salad. No dressing needed.
 
Get the rest here!