Take your springtime salads to the next level

The weather is finally warming up, and the layers of clothes are coming off. Which, for some of us, means it’s time to start laying off the pasta and working on getting our bodies in shape for summer. We all know what that means: lots of salad for dinner.

Salads often get a bad rap because we fall into the repetitive doldrums and don’t get creative enough with ingredients. With these tips, your springtime salads will be anything but boring—they’ll not only help you slim down, you’ll actually look forward to eating them!

Raw veggies are great and all, but sometimes a salad of only raw veggies can seem bland. A bit of open flame will really bring out the character of your vegetables, and add a new depth to your salads. Eggplant, peppers, squash, corn, onion—the possibilities are endless! Just cut and marinate your vegetables in your dressing of choice—balsamic vinaigrette is always a great choice—and then slap them on the grill until they’re nice and charred. The best part? They keep well in the fridge. Do a big batch on Sunday and you’ll have enough grilled veggies to liven up your salads for the rest of the week.

Chicken, chicken, chicken. No wonder salads get old when some people put the same breast meat on them every single time! Bust the coop and branch out into new protein territory.  Think of a decadent steak caesar salad, or an Asian-inspired salad topped with sesame seeds, grilled scallions and teriyaki-glazed shrimp. Scallops, salmon, pork chops—the possibilities are endless!

There’s usually one person in every household who complains that they’re never filled up after salad night. Fixing that problem can usually be achieved by throwing in one missing ingredient. Boost your greens by adding some more substantial elements to the mix, like chickpeas, beans, a healthy grain like quinoa, or even a little bit of chilled penne or orzo pasta. Suit your choice to match your salad—black beans really fill out a Mexican-style salad, while chickpeas will take your Greek salad to the next level.

A salad is only as good as what you dress it with, and store-bought dressings are usually an overpriced, under-flavored drag. Making your own is ridiculously easy, yet for some reason people tend not to do it. Break out of the ordinary and get creative with homemade vinaigrettes—we guarantee you’ll notice the difference.

Try out this sweet and tart citrus vinaigrette to start. Just combine the ingredients in a jar and shake!

1 small shallot, finely chopped

¾ cup olive oil

¼ cup champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

¼ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste