Between the garbanzo beans aka chickpeas and the kidney beans this salad packs quite a bit of protein and fiber. Add the vegetables and you have a really healthy salad. You can use canned beans for this if you want to speed up the process. Simply drain and rinse them before you add them to your salad. The soy ginger vinaigrette that I use for this complements the ingredients beautifully. However, you could dress this with whatever you like. Here is what you need for this:

Serves four

2 cups cooked or 1- 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
2 cups cooked or 1- 15 oz. can red kidney beans
½ cup finely sliced red onion
½ cup sliced red bell pepper
2 celery stalks – finely chopped
1 medium carrot – finely sliced
Soy ginger vinaigrette dressing

If cooking your beans at home – wash them thoroughly, making sure to pick out debris and little rocks, and place in individual bowls. Cover with hot water and soak overnight. Rinse out re-hydrated beans and cook in salted water until fully cooked through and tender. Your best bet is to use a pressure cooker. The beans will cook a lot faster.

If using canned beans – drain and rinse both kinds of beans. Place them in a bowl and mix with all the other ingredients. Pour soy ginger vinaigrette on mixed salad and toss to coat well. Serve and enjoy!

Salad w/o dressing – CALORIES 274.38; FAT 1.92 grs (sat 0.23; mono 0.35; poly 0.91); PROTEIN 14.18 grs ; FIBER 12.20 grs; CARBS 51.67 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 3.76 mg; SODIUM 387.19 mg; CALCIUM 87.41 mg

Print the Kidney Bean & Garbanzo Salad Recipe Here

This is a great salad dressing for any Asian type salad. I would recommend using a low sodium type of soy sauce for this salad dressing. Otherwise the soy sauce might overpower the salad. Another great choice would be Tamari. Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce that is darker in color and has a deeper flavor than soy sauce. It is not always easy to find but if you do, you will be pleased with the subtle differences it offers compared to regular soy sauce. Here is what you need for this:

Makes about one and a half cups of dressing

2 large garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with ¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup rice vinegar
3 TBS honey
¼ cup soy sauce
2 scallions – white and light green parts finely chopped
1 – inch piece fresh ginger – peeled and finely grated
¼ cup sesame oil
½ cup canola oil

Place the mashed garlic in a bowl. Add the vinegar, honey, soy sauce, scallions, ginger and sesame oil. Whisk to mix well. Slowly add the canola oil – in a thin stream – whisking constantly until you have an emulsified dressing. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Mix dressing well before each use. Allow dressing to reach room temperature before using.

1/8 cup dressing – CALORIES 144.69; FAT 13.64 grs (sat 1.31; mono 7.53; poly 4.44); PROTEIN 0.55 grs ; FIBER 0.12 grs; CARBS 5.44 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 0.22 mg; SODIUM 339.60 mg; CALCIUM 5.05 mg

Print the Soy Ginger Vinaigrette Recipe Here

I grew up in Bolivia and quinoa was always a normal staple for us. We ate it steamed like rice, as porridge, in soups and in a sort of cakey bread (pastel de quinoa). It is not until recently – and by that I mean maybe 10 years ago – that I started making salads with it. Quinoa was a very important meal for the Incas and is dubbed the ‘golden grain of the Andes’. It is considered a super food and is very high in protein, iron and manganese. It is also free of sodium and cholesterol and contains all 9 essential amino acids the body needs. Quinoa has a nutty, earthy flavor to it. It contains saponins that are released during cooking and will make it bitter; therefore, quinoa must be washed and rinsed thoroughly – a good 3 to 4 times – in order to prevent bitterness. However, most quinoa sold in the US has already had the saponins removed during processing. When you cook it the solid grains become transparent with an exterior ring. This cereal has an ever-growing popularity around the world and is easier and easier to find at your local grocery store.

Serves four

3 cups cooked quinoa – cold
1 cup cherry tomatoes or 2 medium ripe, red tomatoes chopped
½ small red onion – finely sliced
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
1 TBS fresh thyme leaves
2 TBS capers – drained
4 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Mix the quinoa with the tomatoes, onion, parsley, thyme and capers.
In a separate bowl, mix the olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add to salad and toss to coat well. Refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

CALORIES 308.05; FAT 16.40 grs (sat 1.91; mono 9.9; poly 1.53); PROTEIN 7.06 grs ; FIBER 5.27 grs; CARBS 34.69 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 2.89 mg; SODIUM 433.89 mg; CALCIUM 44.9 mg

Print the Quinoa Salad Recipe Here

Lentils are so nutritious I try and feed them to my family at least 3 times a month. This little legume comes in red, green and brown and can be used for stews, soups and salads. Lentils are loaded in protein, being the third-highest level of a plant based protein – after soybeans and hemp. They are also a good source of iron. They are nutty in flavor and are the only bean you do not need to soak overnight. This salad can be made as a side or as a light vegetarian meal.

Serves four

4 cups cooked brown lentils
3 scallions – chopped (whites, light green and dark green parts)
3 TBS chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 small green bell pepper – cored, seeded and diced
1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
Balsamic Vinaigrette

Place all the ingredients in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to coat. Serve and enjoy!

Salad w/o dressing – CALORIES 255.48; FAT 1.6 grs (sat 0.23; mono 0.59; poly 0.49); PROTEIN 18.86 grs ; FIBER 16.99 grs; CARBS 44.45 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 7.3 mg; SODIUM 953.7 mg; CALCIUM 60.52 mg

FOR THE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE DRESSING:
This is basically a vinaigrette dressing with oregano. I only make it when I make Greek salad but it is great on any salad you like. I always add a little sugar to this to complement the red wine vinegar.
Makes about one and a half cups of dressing
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Balsamic vinegar
½ TBS dried oregano leaves
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper

Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl until emulsified. Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Mix well before using.

1/8 cup dressing – CALORIES 83.47; FAT 13.61 grs (sat 1.0; mono 8.6; poly 3.8); PROTEIN 0.03 grs ; FIBER 0.08 grs; CARBS 6.1 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 0.09 mg; SODIUM 0.27 mg; CALCIUM 0.92 mg

Print the Lentil & Sun Dried Tomato Salad Recipe Here

Italian dressing is definitely very popular. I know you can easily purchase it at the store but nothing beats homemade. This dressing will last for two months in your fridge. Here is what you need for this:

Makes about two and a half cups of dressing

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup vinegar of choice – I often use Cider vinegar
1 ½ TBS water
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sugar
½ TBS crushed dried oregano
¼ tsp. crushed dried thyme
¼ tsp. crushed dried basil
1 tsp. dried chives
1 tsp. crushed dried parsley
1/8th tsp. celery powder
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. salt

Place the oil, vinegar and water in a mixing bowl.
Add the spices to the oil and vinegar. Whisk until you have a nicely emulsified dressing. Taste for salt and adjust as necessary. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 months. Shake well before each use. Enjoy!

1/8 cup dressing – CALORIES 100.44; FAT 10.84 grs (sat 1.49; mono 7.88; poly 1.1); PROTEIN 0.09 grs; FIBER 0.07grs; CARBS 0.72 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.00 mg; IRON 0.16 mg; SODIUM 233.62 mg; CALCIUM 7.261 mg

Print the Italian Dressing Recipe Here

Beets are loaded in nutrients and are very good for you. Here is a great recipe for a beet salad with toasted spiced walnuts. Here is what you need to do for this:

6 large beets
1/3 cup olive oil + more for coating the beets
1 cup walnuts – crumbled
¼ cup butter – melted
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cayenne powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 TBS Balsamic vinegar
1 TBS white wine vinegar
3 scallions – finely chopped (white, light green and dark green)
2 TBS parsley – finely chopped
½ TBS fresh mint – finely chopped
½ cup fresh cheese such as Farmers, Cotija, Panela or Feta – crumbled
Salt & Pepper

FOR THE WALNUTS:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Toss the walnuts with the butter, cumin, paprika, cayenne and garlic powder. Add salt and mix well.
Place the walnuts on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Place in oven and bake, shaking pan every 2 minutes, for about 6 to 7 minutes. Be very careful not to burn the nuts. Remove pan from oven and allow walnuts to cool down. Set aside.

ROASTING THE BEETS:
Increase the oven heat to 400 degrees.

Wash beets. Place in a foil lined roasting pan and coat with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from oven and allow cooling.

FOR THE DRESSING:
In the meantime, make the vinaigrette. Place the 1/3 cup olive oil and vinegars in a bowl. Whisk. Add
the white and light green parts of the scallions (reserve the dark green for garnishing). Add 1TBS parsley
(reserve the other one for garnishing) and the oregano. Season with salt and pepper.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:

Peel and slice the beets into a large bowl. Toss in the vinaigrette and add the cheese and the walnuts. Garnish with the remaining parsley and dark green parts of the scallions. Serve and enjoy!

Print the Beet & Spiced Walnut Salad Recipe Here

I use this dressing both for Cole slaw and broccoli slaw interchangeably. It goes wonderfully with both of them. Although it is more affordable to slice your own cabbage and shred your own carrots, I find that buying the prepackaged slaw is not all that more money. You can usually purchase a 16 oz.bag for around $1.99. It will save you lots of time!

Here is what you are going to need:
1 16 oz. bag of prepackaged Cole slaw or broccoli slaw
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

Place the mayonnaise in a bowl. Whisk in the sugar until smooth. Add the horseradish and the vinegar, whisking constantly. Add the celery seeds and mix well.

Place the vegetables in a bowl. Add the dressing and coat well. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve with barbecued ribs, hamburgers, chicken or any of your favorite dishes! Enjoy!

Print the Cole Slaw Recipe Here

Other Slaw Recipes:
Cole Slaw Dressing Video
Broccoli Slaw
Jicama Slaw

This salad is loaded with zucchini, cucumbers, spinach and tomatoes. It is then tossed in a sweet vinaigrette dressing. The final result is a delicious salad that can be served as a side or eaten as is. It is great for lunchboxes as well. Here is what you need for this:

½ cup canola oil
½ cup white vinegar oil
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ pound cooked spaghettini – drained and shocked in cold water
1 cup diced zucchini – unpeeled and raw (about 1 small one)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber – peeled and seeded (about 1 small one)
¾ cup julienned spinach leaves or torn baby spinach leaves
½ cup finely sliced red onion

MAKE THE DRESSING:
Place the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Whisk until emulsified. Set aside.

MAKE THE SALAD:
Place the spaghettini, zucchini, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, spinach and red onion in a bowl. Add the dressing. Toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. If necessary – if salad dries up – make a little bit of the dressing and doctor your salad by adding it in. Enjoy!

Print the Spaghettini & Vegetable Salad Recipe Here

Watermelon salad? Really? Really, really! It might seem odd to think of watermelon as something you might combine with onions and cheese but it is a winner! I promise! What’s more, watermelon is so incredibly cheap these days! So here we go:

4 cups largely diced watermelon
1/2 cup red onion – finely sliced
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped mint and basil leaves
1 large lime – juiced
Salt

Place the watermelon, onion, cheese, basil and mint leaves in a bowl. Add the lime juice and generously season with salt. Toss carefully to mix well. Serve and enjoy!

Print the Watermelon Feta Salad Recipe Here

Other Super Healthy Salads:
Garbanzo Kidney Bean Salad
Radish Lime Salad
Cauliflower Tomato Salad
Quinoa Tabbouleh
Cucumber Red Onion Salad
Spinach Blueberry Salad
Mache Mushroom Salad
Cauliflower Green Bean Salad
Avocado Tomato Salad
Carrot Sardine Salad
Tabbouleh
Roasted Beet Salad
Jicama Bell Pepper Slaw
Avocado Celery Salad
Green Bean Tomato Salad
Bean & Tuna Salad
Cucumber Cotija Salad
Shrimp & Crab Salad
Avocado Tomato Basil Salad
Verdolaga Salad
Garden Salad w/ Garlic Shrimp

This salad is so delicious you will not hesitate to serve it to your friends at your next party! The buttermilk dressing truly compliments the sweetness of the apples and cranberries. I promise you will love it! Here is what you need for this:

4 cups lettuce – preferably Bib – washed and dried
½ cup toasted walnuts
2 apples – washed, cored and chopped
2 celery stalks – finely chopped
1 cup mint leaves – washed
½ cup dried cranberries
Buttermilk dressing

Place ½ a cup of walnuts in a 350 degree oven. Toast for about 10 minutes making sure to constantly shake the pan. Be careful not to burn them! Cool them down completely.

Place all of your ingredients in a large bowl. Add buttermilk dressing. Toss and serve.

Salad w/o dressing-CALORIES 206.22; FAT 9.81 grs (sat 0.61; mono 2.39; poly 5.74); PROTEIN 5.12 grs ; FIBER 5.9 grs; CARBS 29.51 grs; CHOLESTEROL 0.0 mg; IRON 2.34 mg; SODIUM 28.08 mg; CALCIUM 67.97 mg

Print the Salad Greens w/ Apples,Cranberries and Walnuts Recipe Here

Print the Buttermilk Dressing Recipe Here