10 Unconventional Salads for Girls Trying to Be Healthier ...

A salad is a great choice if you’re trying to get healthy and cut calories. Salads are usually loaded with lots of vegetables, but that doesn’t mean they’re your only choice when you make one. If you don’t want to be tied down to the same old lettuce and tomato, try one of these unconventional salads and you’ll look at them in a whole new light. Enjoy!

1 Mango and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

You are going to love how the flavors in this salad come together to create something that is like nothing you’ve ever tasted before. It’s easy to toss together and could become your new favorite lunch and dinner.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
¾ cup chicken broth
1 diced mango
1 chopped red bell pepper
6 sliced green onions
½ cup cilantro
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 package baby greens

Directions:

Cook the quinoa in the chicken broth until soft, about 15 minutes. Whisk together the red wine vinegar and the olive oil. Cool the quinoa and combine with the rest of the ingredients, except the greens. Top with the dressing and serve on top of the mixed greens.

Source: feastie.com

2 Watermelon, Onion and Goat Cheese Salad

Nothing more unconventional than this, right? You will be really surprised at how well the flavors combine with one another to make a salad that you’ll never forget. If you want to really shake things up, try this salad today.

Ingredients:

Watermelon cubes
Thinly sliced red onion
Goat cheese cubes
Basil, for garnish

Directions:

Layer the watermelon, goat cheese and onion in a dish. Top with basil and serve.

Source: homelifeabroad.com

3 Grilled Peach and Mozzarella Salad

If you’ve never had grilled fruit, you are totally missing out. Peaches hold up really well on the grill and make for one delicious salad too. Try it – you’ll love it!

Ingredients:

5 peaches
3 sliced green onions
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lime zest
½ cup fresh lime juice
¾ teaspoon cumin
¾ teaspoon chili powder
1 ½ tablespoons tequila, optional
1/3 cup olive oil
Cooking spray
6 ounces watercress, washed
¾ pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
Fresh cilantro

Directions:

Cut 4 of the peaches into 28 slices. Dice the remaining peach. Place the chopped peach, green onions, cilantro, honey, salt, lime zest, lime juice, cumin, chili powder and tequila in a food process and process until smooth. Add the oil and pulse. Grill the peach rounds for about 3 minutes per side. Divide the watercress on 4 plates, then layer the grilled peaches and slices of the mozzarella on top. Top with the peach dressing and serve.

Source: myrecipes.com

4 Orange and Raw Onion Salad

There’s something so fresh about raw onions and I think you’ll like the way they taste combined with fresh oranges. If there was ever an unconventional salad, this would be the one.

Ingredients:

2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced
½ small onion, cut into rings
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Directions:

Layer the orange and onion slices on a plate and drizzle with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Source: prouditaliancook.com

5 Cherry and Herb Salad

This is the time of year when both the cherries and the herbs take center stage at farmers’ markets and grocery stores. Stock up and you can enjoy this delicious salad anytime the mood strikes.

Ingredients:

2 red Holland chilies
1 pound pitted cherries
1 cup cilantro
½ cup toasted walnut halves, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Broil the chilies until charred, about 5 minutes. Remove the peels and chop the chilies, discarding the seeds. Combine them with the cherries, cilantro, walnuts, oil, molasses and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Source: saveur.com

6 Green Beans with Blackberries

Never thought to put green beans and blackberries together? Today is the day to change that because you will never regret the flavor they have when eaten at the same time.

Ingredients:

1 pound trimmed green beans
½ cup blackberries
¼ cup goat cheese, at room temperature
1 medium sliced yellow onion
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon brown sugar
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Boil the green beans for 2 to 3 minutes, then place them in a bowl of ice water. Pat dry and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and caramelize the onions in it. Combine the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the brown sugar and salt and pepper. Muddle a few cooked onions in the oil and vinegar mixture. Toss the green beans in the dressing and chill for 30 minutes. Serve the green beans topped with blackberries and chunks of goat cheese.

Source: rosemarried.com

7 Beet Carpaccio with Avocado and Chia Dressing

If you love the flavor of fresh beets, you are going to adore this unconventional salad. It will probably turn into something you crave all the time.

Ingredients:

1 large beet
1 avocado, diced
3 tablespoons pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon grain mustard
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoons agave nectar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions:

Roast the beet at 400 degrees, wrapped in foil. Cool and peel. Whisk together the olive oil, mustards, vinegar, lemon juice, agave and salt well. Add the chia seeds and let the mixture sit for several minutes. Thinly slice the beet and arrange on a plate. Place the avocado in the center of the beets. Sprinkle with nuts and chives and top with the dressing.

Source: mayihavethatrecipe.com

8 Blueberry Cucumber Salad

The combination of blueberries and cucumbers in this salad are a refreshing change from your average lettuce based salad. You get loads of antioxidants and tons of fiber, all for very few calories and just a touch of fat.

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro or parsley, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Toss together the cucumber, blueberries, scallions and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the cucumber mixture and toss to coat. Top with feta cheese and serve.

Source: blueberrycouncil.org

9 Parmesan Celery Salad

This salad is loaded with flavor and it has tons of fiber to keep you feeling full for hours. That's great if you're trying to lose weight because it will keep you from wanting to nibble between meals.

Ingredients:

8 large stalks celery, strings removed and very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans, warmed
3 tablespoons currants
1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds
Salt
Freshly chopped herbs

Directions:

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and Parmesan cheese to make a paste. Set aside. Toss together the warm beans with the Parmesan cheese mixture. Add celery, currants and most of the almonds. Toss. Taste and add salt. Serve, topped with chopped herbs.

Source: 101cookbooks.com

10 Cherry and Herb Salad

Cherries are a wonderful fruit that pairs with both sweet and savory ingredients. This combination is an antioxidant powerhouse that will help save calories without giving up flavor.

Ingredients:

2 red Holland chilies
1 pound dark cherries, pitted
1 cup cilantro
1/2 cup toasted walnut halves, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Broil the chilies on high for 4 to 5 minutes. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 5 minutes. Finely chop chilies, discarding the stem, seeds and skin, and place in a large bowl. Add the cherries, cilantro, walnuts, olive oil, molasses and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Source: saveur.com

Which one do you want to make today?