7 Seriously Delicious Salads You’ve Definitely Never Made Before
Got kale-quinoa fatigue? It can be hard to find inspiration when it comes to making delicious salads that don’t just involve throwing whatever veggies you’ve got into a bowl. (That can work too, by the way.) To help, we pulled all of our most creative salad recipes into one place. RELATED: The Easiest Homemade Salad Dressing Ever Each salad includes antioxidant-rich vegetables and plenty of fiber. Some have enough protein (think chickpeas) to qualify as lunch; others are better as a side dish. Bonus: There’s even a salad you can eat for (gasp!) breakfast. The one thing they all have in common? They involve creative flavor combinations you’ve likely never tried before, to totally banish your salad boredom. Happy crunching! 7 Delicious Salads To Try Now Pineapple Cucumber Lime Salad Corn and Tomato Salad with Pine Nuts and Parm Barley Breakfast Salad with Ricotta, Orange, and Pecans Plum and Pecan Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Dressing Chickpea, Broccoli Rabe, and Tomato Salad Apple, Red Cabbage, and Cranberry Slaw Green Salad with Shiitake Bacon and Turmeric
Why You Should Add LISS Cardio to Your Workout Routine Now
Log onto your Instagram account, and you’ll see one #KillerWorkout after another. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), CrossFit, Survivor Spin Classes, boxing…these super sweaty, heart-pumping, make-my-legs-shake workouts are effective and addictive. As much as I love those workouts, they’re not for everyone. Going from, “I need to start moving my body” to “I just did a 90-minute spin class” can be daunting. And if, at first, you aren’t slaying that killer workout, it can be frustrating. Or maybe your workouts have been super intense for a long while, and you feel like you need a break but still want to move your body? LISS cardio might be the answer for both the beginner and expert. What Is LISS Cardio? LISS cardio stands for Low Intensity Steady State cardio. This means that you exercise at a low to moderate pace for a longer duration. A “low to moderate pace” means working out at about a 4–6 in intensity on a scale of 1–10. One being “I’m watching The Bachelor” and ten being “I’m chasing a runaway puppy down the street in heels.” You want to be able to carry on a conversation without huffing and puffing, and you feel like you could just go forever. You’ll want to work out for 45-60 minutes at this pace without stopping. What Are the Benefits of LISS Cardio? LISS cardio is a great training option for a few reasons. First, it’s easily accessible to people at every fitness level. Anyone can open up their front door and go for a long walk, and most people can handle a light jog. The intimidation factor is gone. Second, it’s safe. It’s rare to see injuries in someone doing LISS cardio. Finally, workouts are only useful if you actually do them, and some research has shown that people are more likely to stick to a LISS-based exercise routine, as opposed to one centered on high-intensity sessions. RELATED: 5 Ways to Find Workout Motivation When it Feels Impossible How to Do LISS Cardio The best ways to do LISS cardio include riding a bike, using the elliptical in the gym, or, my favorite, walking outdoors. (Bonus: Walking outside is a great way to build and maintain bone density!) For the beginner, open up the door and go for a walk. LISS cardio is the best way to start building stamina and aerobic capacity, two things that you are going to need when you start moving into higher-intensity workouts. You are also going to get a big boost of endorphins, which will motivate you to make even more healthy choices during the day. Aim for three to four LISS cardio sessions per week. RELATED: 5 Expert Running Tips to Prevent Injury For the expert, you can use LISS cardio as your “active rest day” exercise. Doing high-intensity workouts day after day without rest and recovery can lead to burnout and injury. LISS cardio allows your body to recover while still including movement into your day. You’ll notice that your body will feel less sore, and you’ll probably sleep deeper on those days. To feel the benefits, trade out a high-intensity workout for a LISS cardio workout once a week. It’s so easy to add LISS cardio into your exercise routine, and you are going to love the change of pace, the feeling, and the results. About Cassie: Cassie Piasecki is a graduate of The Nutrition School and is a Pilates Method Alliance-certified Pilates teacher and personal trainer based in Newport Beach, California. With over 25 years of experience, Cassie has taught fitness to over 10,000 people! She now connects with clients both in the studio and online via her website, thewowlife.com. Her favorite quote comes from Joseph Pilates: “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” Follow her on Instagram at @SmartyCassie.
5 Instagram Salads to Inspire a Week of Healthy Lunches
It’s hard to find the inspiration to pack a healthy lunch to bring to work, but scrolling through Instagram salads can help. Healthy food bloggers just have a knack for making kale covetable and turning cauliflower into…well… anything. It’s why they do what they do (or at least why you follow them). RELATED: 5 Expert Tips for Healthy Food Photos on Instagram And following their lead really is worth it, since research shows making your own meals means you’ll ingest fewer calories. You’ll also be less tempted to grab cholesterol-raising deep-fried falafel from that local food truck. Not to mention how much easier it will be to get through the afternoon slump if you’re powered by fresh veggies and clean protein. RELATED: The Essential Guide to Plant-Based Protein You don’t have to recreate their exact recipes, but check out these five gorgeous, healthy Instagram salads for inspiration, and then start spinning and chopping ahead. 5 Instagram Salads for Healthy Lunches Steak and Kale Salad, @hemsleyhemsley Spicy Thai Salad with Shrimp, @againstallgrain Wheatberry and Cauliflower Salad, @eating_peanut_better Roast Veggie Salad with Lentils, @deliciouslyella Herbed Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, @cookieandkate
3 Easy, Healthy, Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes
If you made homemade salad dressing, would you add titanium dioxide or monosodium glutamate (MSG) to it? Um, no. But guess what? There’s a good chance you’re drizzling these two ingredients (plus many more) on your fresh spinach and sliced tomato salad without realizing it! Many seemingly benign bottled dressings include a laundry list of yuck ingredients including added sugar, unhealthy fats and gross preservatives, quickly turning your greens from a yay to a nay. The good news? It’s not hard to do good by your go-to salad. Homemade salad dressing can be not only simple, fast and easy to make but it can also add awesome nutritional value without sacrificing taste. Healthy fats help you absorb the fat soluble vitamins found in your salad and antioxidants from herbs and spices add anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory benefits to your fork. All my homemade salad dressings include both. Skip the fuss of finding the perfect store bought dressing and make your own. These are my top 3 homemade dressings and they’re surprisingly easy to make! 3 Easy, Healthy, Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes Keri’s Lemon Dressing: About 6 servings ½ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup fresh lemon juice ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Kefir Avocado Dressing: About 5 servings ½ cup Kefir ⅓ avocado 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon ½ clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper Pomegranate Mint Dressing: About 6 servings 6 tablespoons 100% pomegranate juice 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
Perfect Coleslaw and Potato Salad Without Mayo
Raise your hand if you equate a bbq with coleslaw, macaroni salad and potato salad. After all, they’re tradition, right?! But let’s be honest. More often than not, many a backyard feast winds down with containers missing only one spoonful of each salad and a thin brown coating atop of what’s left. In the end, they all wind up in the garbage. Since we have all come to expect these traditional dishes at traditional cookouts, I am often asked what to eat at a fete that has burgers, dogs, mayo based salads and little else (answer, eat the lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles with a grilled burger and no bun). If you’re looking forward summer bbqs this year, give your mayo salads a facelift and everyone will be eating them, loving you, and sticking to their healthy ways. Party on. Coleslaw Without The Mayo Coleslaw should be healthful! After, all, it’s mainly cabbage. Lots of more healthful versions use Greek yogurt to replace the mayo, but both ingredients expire quickly and you want to keep your guests safe. Try a vinegar based coleslaw that is delicious and safer than the traditional version. I’d make a double batch and hope for leftovers! Macaroni Salad Without The Mayo Macaroni salad is comfort on a fork, but the processed pasta, fat-laden mayo and nutrient poor ingredients aren’t going to set you up for fueling yourself well. Use a high fiber pasta and try a pasta salad full of veggies or a pesto pasta salad that uses good fats for amazing flavor. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve tossed in a spoonful or two of flax meal to boost the nutrition and nobody noticed. Potato Salad Without The Mayo Potato salad takes so much work to make — you gotta peel the potatoes, boil ‘em, wait for them to cool, dress them and then refrigerate them so the flavors can marry. Who needs all that work for something so unappreciated? Try a farmer’s market potato salad that you can throw in the oven and feel great about eating. Yes, I know coleslaw nad macaroni salad and potato salad without mayo is going to feel a little different. A little strange, maybe. Try these anyway! You can have the comfort and tradition without ditching your healthful ways. You’re welcome.
