Salads are my favorite lunch, but I’m not talking a piddly little side salad–I’m talking a Power Salad. And if you love salad as much as I do, take some notes because I’m going to show you how to build a salad worthy of any appetite.
Power Salads are full of nutrients–vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, protein, and let’s not forget, flavor. When I say flavor, I’m referring to each and every ingredient, but especially the dressing or vinaigrette. Dressing makes or breaks a salad, in my opinion, taking it from ho-hum to A+.
Let’s break down the components of a Power Salad:
Although you can choose any dressing you like, I’m totally crushing on Litehouse Organic dressings right now, which are available at Target and other grocery stores nationwide. They come in a variety of irresistible flavors that are perfect for pairing with any power salad.
Organic Caesar Dressing: There’s lots of savory flavor in this traditional Organic Caesar dressing made with organic parmesan cheese and herbs. It is great on salads or in chicken wraps!
Organic Raspberry Lime Vinaigrette: Just the right amount of lime adds zest to this fruity vinaigrette. A great complement to brighten up your salads!
Organic Ranch Dressing: This creamy, delicious blend of fresh herb and vegetable flavors is perfect as a dip for veggies or to boost the flavor of your sandwich or salad.
Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing: A flavorful blend of organic ingredients create a fruity, tart and delicious dressing that’s perfect for salads or as a marinade.
Organic Rosemary Balsamic: The addition of fragrant rosemary complements the balanced blend of herbs and spices to create a wonderful marinade or finishing touch for any meal. With bold, herb-inspired flavors, Litehouse Rosemary Balsamic is destined to be a new family favorite.
Organic Ginger with Honey: The sweetness of honey perfectly balances out the bright ginger to provide a unique, complex flavor. As a delicious marinade or finishing sauce, Litehouse Ginger with Honey easily transforms a meal from ordinary to extraordinary!
Since the goal here is to pack as much nutrition as possible into one bowl to power you through your day, these dressings, with their healthy fats and organic ingredients, help you accomplish that easily.
Another aim is to put together a healthy group of foods that taste great together. A lot of times I will start with my dressing and decide where to go from there. Then I’ll choose a leafy green, followed by a protein, raw or cooked veggies, possibly a fruit (depending on the salad), then my favorite flavor + texture enhancers, and a healthy fat, usually avocado. (I cannot get enough avos in my day!)
I tend to go heavy on the add-ins to my salads because I want to know they’re there. I hate it when I order a salad from a restaurant and there’s a big pile of greens and hardly anything else. No, not when you’re building a Power Salad. You’ve gotta go for it.
Here are two examples of salads I’m really loving at the moment:
Litehouse’s Organic Raspberry Lime Vinaigrette is refreshing, fruity, and sweet–perfect for this salad made with mixed baby lettuces, shaved fennel, fresh berries, toasted quinoa, shallots, pecans, and shaved pecorino. All of the flavors and textures are balanced, and the chicken adds a healthy dose of protein to bring it all together.
I’ve recently started using coleslaw mix to add extra crunch and flavor to salads. This one has an Asian feel thanks to the Organic Ginger with Honey Dressing, also from Litehouse. It’s loaded with all of those things that make a salad great: flavor, texture, and a refreshing crunch. For my protein of choice, I’ve used tofu that is pre-cooked plus an array of fresh, colorful veggies and fruit, with a kick of heat from sliced jalapeños.
Enter to Win
What’s your favorite way to make a power salad? Share in the comments and use the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win a variety pack of all 6 flavors of Litehouse Organic dressing.
I have a 5 year old boy he does not like salads, do you have any suggestions?
Where can I find the recipe for the tofu salad? Ty! :)
I build a salad with mixed greens, hard boiled eggs, tuna or chicken and croutons
My fav is the Caesar
My favorite is Chunky Blue Cheese salad dressing!
My favorite is the homestyle ranch!
Ooooooo TzaTziki Ranch Dressing!!! Oh yeah!
You can’t go wrong with 3 of my favorites: avocados, ranch and Bacon! Avocado Ranch Dressing with Bacon dressing rocks for salads, as dip & in recipes.
You can never go wrong with Homestyle Ranch Dressing! Yummmy! I love ranch on my pizza :)
I really like the chunky bleu cheese dressing.
Raspberry lime is my favorite! thanks for the chance!
I would have to go with Caesar Caesar.
We really like the Chunky Blue Cheese. We have been buying it for years!
We would enjoy trying some of these other dressings.
The Organic Caesar Dressing is my favorite!
My favorite is definitely the Organic Raspberry Lime Vinaigrette!! Yum!
chunky blue cheese
The Pear Gorgonzola Vinaigrette sounds delicious!
I like the Thousand Island Dressing
chunky blue cheese the best
i love lighthouse sweet
I would like the Homestyle Ranch Dressing.
My favorite would be the Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Sriracha Lime Dressing
I would like the Homestyle Ranch Dressing.
My favorite is the Raspberry Balsamic.
Sriracha Lime Dressing sounds great
I love the Siracha Lime dressing!
Ranch is my favorite.
Chunky Bleu Cheese Dressing would be my choice.
BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
I really like the Litehouse Foods Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing.
I love adding dried cranberries, sesame seeds, and walnuts to my salads. I’d love to try the Ginger with Honey dressing. Thanks.
I am drooling over the Raspberry Lime!
Ranch is always the kids favorite dressing but they do like to explore and try new flavors of foods now.
Ranch is always my fave, yum!
okay the ginger with honey sounds divine <3
OPA by Litehouse Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing is a favorite.
The Sriracha Lime Dressings sounds good.
I would like the thousand island dressing.
Raspberry Lime Vinaigrette!
Love the Pear Gorgonzola Vinaigrette Dressing!!
Raspberry lime would be good.
My favorite is the homestyle ranch.
The raspberry lime
Rosemary balsamic looks interesting. Ginger & honey too!
I love the sound of the fruity ones – a great option to balance some healthily grilled veges, feta, beetroot, sweet potato, grains and spinach!
I would love the raspberry lime dressing. I think the family would enjoy it!
the rosemary balsamic sounds delish
The original thousand island
I like the Homestyle Ranch dressing.
My favorite is Organic Raspberry Lime Vinaigrette.
The Raspberry lime sounds lovely.
the raspberry lime
I think the Mango Habanero Dressing would be my favorite!
I am most interested in the mango habanero variety.
Lighthouse Ranch dressing as a dip for calamari rings.
Hope to win!
All of the dressings sound delicious. I would probably try the Sriracha Lime Dressing first. Yum!
the Mango Habanero Dressing
Raspberry Lime!
I like The Homestyle Ranch.
Chunky Blue Cheese is my favorite.
The ginger with honey would be so yummy on a nice Asian salad!!
Looks so Yummy!
My fav is the balsamic!
I like organic caesar the most
Chunky Blue Cheese is my favorite!
I would absolutely love the Mango Habanero Dressing.
I’m planning to try the organic Litehouse Rosemary Balsamic. Sounds wonderful for salads and for cooking, too.
My favorite Litehouse salad dressing is their Poppyseed Dressing.
DEFINITELY the Ginger with Honey. I LOVE both ingredients!
My favorite dressing would be the Litehouse organic raspberry lime.
Ranch
Pear Gorgonzola yum!
My favorite is the organic raspberry lime vinaigrette!
My favorite is the Caesar dressing.
The ginger with honey sounds wonderful – I’d love to pair it with an Asian salad.
My favorite is the Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing.
My favorite is the balsamic!