Live Well Recipes

Guest Blog Post by Health Blogger Hang Pham

If you are trying to lose weight, it is important for you to combine your workouts and daily diet well. In fact, salads should be added to your regular diet, but this doesn’t mean that you have to consume the same old salads day after day! These nutrient-dense salad recipes below support your goals of weight loss, give the body enough fuel, while satisfying your taste buds with their fresh ingredients and flavors.

1. Couscous And Vegetable Salad

One of the first delicious salad recipes for weight loss is this colorful vegetable-filled salad that is not only high in fiber and protein but also low in calories.

Ingredients:

• Water – 1.5 cups
• Olive oil – 1 teaspoon+ 1 tablespoon
• Salt – 1 teaspoon
• Whole wheat couscous – 1 cup
• Frozen peas, thawed – 1/2 cup
• Chickpeas, rinsed and drained – 1 can
• Medium carrot, coarsely shredded – 1
• Small yellow or red bell pepper, chopped – 1
• Small tomato, chopped – 1
• Currants – 2.5 tablespoons
• Pistachios or pine nuts – 1.5 tablespoons
• Finely chopped fresh chives – 2.5 tablespoons
• Lemon juice – 1.5 tablespoons
• Dried oregano – 1/4 teaspoon
• Dried thyme – 1/4 teaspoon
• Angostura bitters (optional)

Directions:

• Firstly, add the water, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and salt into a medium saucepan and then bring it to a boil over high heat. Next, stir it in the couscous and remove it from the heat & cover. Now, let it stand for about 5 minutes, or till the liquid is absorbed completely. After that, use a fork to fluff it.
• Then, transfer this couscous into a clean large bowl and add the chickpeas, peas, carrot, pepper, tomato, currants, nuts, and chives to this bowl. Next, gently toss them until mixed well.
• Now, whisk the lemon juice, oregano, bitters (if desired), thyme, reserved chickpea liquid, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a clean bowl. Then, mix and pour it over the salad. After that, toss to mix them well.
• Finally, cover and refrigerate for half an hour to blend flavors.

2. Thai Citrus Chicken Salad

In fact, the combination of carrot, cabbage, and daikon in the citrus chicken salad is a trifecta rich in antioxidants! This DIY recipe aids in supporting your digestive system and keeping your body hydrated. In addition, it is also low in carbs, calories, and fat and high in protein. To sum up, it is everything you are looking for in a salad recipe that helps to lose weight.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• Garlic clove, minced – 1
• Chicken breast, cubed – 7 to 8 ounces
• Napa cabbage, shredded – 1.5 cups
• Papaya, cut into matchsticks – 1 cup
• Red cabbage, shredded – 1 cup
• Daikon, shredded – 1/2 cup
• Carrots, shredded – 1 cup
• Cilantro, chopped – 1/4 cup
• Green onion, minced – 1/4 cup
• Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
• Lemon, cut into wedges – 1/2
• Pepper
• Salt

For the dressing:

• Fish sauce – 1 tablespoon
• Sugar – 1 teaspoon
• Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
• Rice vinegar – 1 teaspoon
• Garlic cloves, minced – 2
• Soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
• Olive oil – 1/2 teaspoon
• Jalapeno- 1/2 to 1

Directions:

• At first, sprinkle the cubed chicken breast with black pepper and salt and then add the minced garlic to it. Then, set it aside for several minutes.
• Next, heat a pan or skillet over medium-high heat and then add olive oil to it.
• After that, add chicken breast to it and cook it, turning occasionally to make the two sides brown. Then, remove it after about 7 minutes and squeeze the juice from a lemon wedge on the chicken, setting it aside to cool down.
• Now, mix the remaining ingredients (carrots, red and Napa cabbage, papaya, green onion, daikon, and cilantro) in a large bowl. Set it aside.
• After that, add all the salad dressing ingredients well to a small bowl and mix them well. Then, pour the dressing into a clean blender and blend this until emulsified.
• Finally, add the chicken and dressing to your salad and mix them together. Serve with a lemon wedge.

3. Wild Rice Salad

As its name, wild rice, cashews, arugula, and red onions are the key ingredients in this salad rich in antioxidants. Now, let’s try preparing this salad!

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• Spinach, arugula, or a greens blend – 4 to 5 cups
• Chopped mangoes – 2 cups
• Cooked wild rice – 2 cups
• Cashews – 1/2 cup
• Sliced red onions – 1/2 cup
• Dried cranberries – 1/2 cup
• Minced fresh parsley (optional)

For the dressing:

• The juice of an orange
• The juice of a lemon
• Salt and black pepper
• Olive oil – 1/3 cup
• Honey or agave (optional)

Directions:

• Firstly, shake all the dressing ingredients well in a clean jar with a lid until smooth. Then, taste it and if needed, add more salt and black pepper.
• After that, arrange or toss all the salad ingredients well in a clean bowl, reserving several slices of red onion. Drizzle with the salad dressing and toss to mix them.
• Finally, serve immediately after placing the dressing on your salad (or put everything separately and then assemble them before serving).

Notes:

• Apples, grapes, walnuts, pecans, feta cheese, white cheddar cheese, goat cheese, quinoa, farro, etc. are also good for this salad.
• The wild rice has the best taste in this salad when cooked in something other than water. You can cook it in water, vegetable, or chicken stock. In addition, you should make the wild rice the night before and refrigerate it overnight so that the hot wild rice cannot wilt your greens when you toss it in your salad bowl.

4. Fresh Corn, Red Onion, And Tomato Salad

This delicious and healthy salad is an ideal change of pace from coleslaw and green salads.

Ingredients:

• Medium ears of corn, silk and husk removed – 2
• Medium red onion, thinly sliced – 1/4
• Medium grape tomatoes, halved – 2
• Balsamic vinegar – 1 tablespoon
• Fresh basil leaves – 1/3 cup
• Extra-virgin olive oil – 2 teaspoons
• Freshly ground pepper – 1/8 teaspoon
• Coarse salt – 1/4 teaspoon

Directions:

• At first, hold the tops of the medium ears of corn on a cutting board and then carefully cut the kernels in the strips from the top to bottom. Next, add the tomatoes, basil, and onion to it and stir them well to combine.
• After that, add the vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to the vegetables. Then, stir them again.
• Finally, serve immediately or you can also refrigerate it for up to four hours.

Here are just some of the delicious salad recipes for weight loss that you should try to support your weight-loss goal.

About the Author
Hang Pham is a blogger with over 10 years of experience on searching the best solutions for health and skin problems.