It’s been a while since I’ve done a challenge on the blog and as I mentioned last week I’ve had an idea cooking in my mind for a while now. In spirit of some friendly inspiration and accountability, I’m challenging myself and all of you lovely readers to enjoy one salad each and every day for the month of June.
I have a tendency to fall off the salad bandwagon, so this challenge is an effort to bring salads back into my life and amp up the veggies in my diet as summer approaches. And I hope you will be on board too! If you already do enjoy a salad each day, I challenge you to mix up your go-to salads using new ingredients, toppings, and dressings all month long.
The challenge kicks off on Friday June 1st, but I’m giving you a few days notice in case you want to prepare. Or start today! Fill the crisper. Hit up the farmer’s market. Sharpen your knives. And prepare yourself for renewed energy during the last month of spring.
Below are 6 reader favourite salads to get you started. I will be posting 5 other salad recipes shortly and hopefully a recap of my favourite easy homemade dressings for those of us who want to ditch the bottled stuff and try something new. A new salad recipe will also be featured on the blog each week during the challenge.
If you want to feel energized and balanced, this is the salad to start off with! It’s inspired by the Detox Salad at Whole Foods. I love it drizzled with a touch of maple syrup and sprinkle of cinnamon just before serving. You will never look at raw broccoli and cauliflower the same way again…trust me on this one.
2) Spring Salad with Strawberry Basil Lemon Dressing
A pretty salad to honour spring and use up all of those fresh strawberries! The dressing is made up of strawberries and basil, along with fresh lemon juice, a touch of olive oil, pure maple syrup, fine grain sea salt, & black pepper. It’s healthy and light, yet creamy and indulgent tasting. Pour it on top of mixed greens, chopped strawberries, and toasted coconut and slivered almonds for a healthy yet “fancy” salad.
Mmm…one of my favs! Light, fresh, filling, and easy to throw together for any long weekend gathering. The fresh corn lends a light sweetness to the zesty lime dressing. A generous dusting of salt and pepper before serving really makes everything come together. You can also make this the day before and let the flavours develop overnight in the fridge. Just throw it into a container and you’re good to go!
4) Red Quinoa and Black Bean Vegetable Salad
Extremely light, fresh, and packed with protein and healthy fats, this tangy cilantro and lime salad will have you dreaming of Summer.
5) Layered Salad with Orange-Ginger Dressing
Just like the Whole Foods layered salad, but now made in the comfort of your own home. With some advance prep work, you can enjoy this salad all week long. You can also layer it in a big glass bowl for a party or BBQ, or even quicker, just mix it all up together and pour on the dressing!
6) High Protein Almond Quinoa Berry Salad
Use this fun fruit salad as a side dish, breakfast, or even dessert! Strawberries, blueberries, cherries, almonds, and fluffy quinoa are mixed with a lovely maple-balsamic-lime dressing. This would make a great fruit salad to bring to a summer BBQ or gathering too.
Want to join me in this challenge?
There are many different ways you can participate…
– Leave a comment below and commit to the salad challenge! woot woot
– Blog about the challenge and post pics & recipes of your salads throughout the month of June.
– Tweet, Pin, and/or Instagram your salad creations using the hashtag: #saladaday
Epic idea – I’ve wanted to do this for a while, so this will spur me on.
I’m in!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doing it!! Awesome Idea!
Funny, my boyfriend and I have been trying to eat a salad a day all month too, even before I read this! We both feel sooooooooo much better with eating whole, natural foods, rather then junk everyday! Looking forward to some yummy salad ideas..
I’m in! :)
I am definitely committing to this challenge! I already have so many ideas!!!!! :) I can’t wait to tweet about #saladaday AND blog about it! Thanks!
Challenge accepted.
i’m up for the challenge!
I actually resolved to eat more salad a few days ago, so I’m definitely in!
I’m in! I love salads but I tend to eat the same ones all the time. I’m going to try at least two salads every week. What a great challenge!
sign me up! Looks amazing!
Perfect! I am in! Love it!
I am in :)
My fiance and I were just talking last night about getting ourselves back on track for healthy eating so this is the perfect start! We’re in :)
I have no problem getting in a salad at least once a day…but I am struggling with creativity in the salad creation department lately! So this challenge will be perfect for me! I tend to stick to the same few combinations and never really branch out….hopefully this will get me out of my comfort zone! :)
I’m in.
I’m using CSA veggies up and I have a lot of fennel… so if anyone has ideas.
Making a gratin is out of the question with my dairy allergy and we’d prefer it to be vegan anyhow.
HI Christina,
Here is a link to a site I use with a few Fennel recipes. I have made them with and without the cheese
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spring_fava_bean_fennel_salad/
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/shaved_fennel_salad/
Hope this helps.
How about fennel. orange and maybe onion on a square of baked polenta, on top of mesclun, mixed greens or spinach? Been meaning to try this at the restaurant where I work!
dang that sounds really good!
I’ve never had baked polenta but I think it might give it the substance it’s been missing with salad greens alone.
I think the only things I would need to be pick up would be the orange and some polenta/grits. We had some nice 1015 onions and the last of the euro salad mix in our basket too. :)
I am planning a pizza with caramelized fennel/onions/garlic as well.
hummm someone needs to do a “salad” pizza.
My friend blogged about a fennel salad that I love. Simple but a nice change-up. Take a look here. http://lifetakebigbites.blogspot.com/2011/05/fennel-and-radish-salad-of.html I just bought some fennel to make this–plus all the ingredients for Angela’s detox salad–because I’ve been wanting to get back on track too! Can Angela read minds?!?
Fennel Salad recommendation…
One fennel bulb sliced
One clementine or orange – I like a really juicy orange like a blood orange but a navel orange will work just fine. Cut in half, then quarter and then slice that out of the peel and cut into smaller sections, so the flesh is open and juicy.
One bag bitter lettuce like arugula or just a mixed greens bag.
Vinaigrette –
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. lime juice
Dash of fresh herb such as thyme or oregano – I like to use lemon thyme
Citrus flavored vinegar to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Mix up the vinaigrette to your liking and pour over sliced fennel, orange and greens mixture.
Christina,
You could roast it over the grill after marinating it in a flavorful oil marinade.
It’s pretty easy to make a fennel/basil pesto! I use it atop quinoa pasta. Just don’t try to hide even a teeny bit of broccoli in it (#fail). lol.
I make a carrot fennel salad that has olives and sun dried tomatoes and a basic dressing — balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper, a tablespoon of lemon juice. You chop a table spoon of the fennel fronds for garnish — looks very pretty. Grate the carrot and slice the fennel very thin. It’s yummy!
Such awesome ideas y’all! Thanks!
I seriously need to up my veggie intake so I’m in. I don’t have a blog (yet) but I can certainly tweet about it.
I’m sure it’s not unusual but it did strike me as a little funny that someone who eats vegan needs to amp up their veggies. :P I went vegetarian for 6 weeks the other year as an experiment and found I relied too much on carbs: bagels, toast, pasta, etc. so I can see how it can happen though.
I know it does sound funny. When I’m making all kinds of recipes for the blog and book, Im often very tired when it comes to making my own meals!
Im going to do join in. Hopefully I can get some ideas for new ways to use my CSA veggies. We get mixed greens, 2-3 heads of lettuce and then whatever. Lots of salads in my future!
Anyone know what to do with purslane?
When we would get it, I just added it to a veggie taco stir fry instead of a leafy green.
I am in.
I am so in! :)
Awesome guys! :)
Side note– I’m having some trouble with the comments link and comment section as I just did a WordPress update yesterday. Working on it now to get it fixed!
I love this challenge and am definitely up for it. Thx for doing this!!!!
I think I will start today. Th detox salad sounds great.