Build Your Own Salad With Bethenny
Are you looking for the perfect way to build your own salad at home? Keep reading to see how Bethenny assembles a delicious and healthy salad – while using ingredients – pantry and fridge staples – you know and love!
Greens
First, start with greens as your base! Chopped hearts of romaine, baby arugula, and baby spinach.
Tips from Bethenny:
1) Put a paper towel or a dishtowel inside your greens when you get them home from the store, this will absorb the moisture and prevent them from spoiling as quickly.
2) Always make sure you salt & pepper your greens before the dressing goes on.
Protein
Pile on the protein – whether your are plant-based or carnivorous, there are lots of options. Bethenny loves keeping these sources of protein on hand:
- Good & Gather Shredded Chicken Breast from Target
- Trader Joe’s Marinated Balsamic or Lemon Rosemary Chicken Breast
- Firm marinated tofu
- White tuna – Bethenny loves Kirkland tuna from Costco!
- Canned chickpeas
- Canned kidneys beans – make sure to rinse them
- Hard-boiled eggs
Tip from Bethenny:
Save time by using chicken that is already cooked and hard-boiled eggs that come in a bag – so easy!
Pickled Vegetables
Sometimes you need some pickly, salty crunch on your salad. Bethenny stocks up on canned and jarred items – they make you feel all “fancy” – like the following:
- Hearts of palm – choose the “salad cut” ones so all you have to do is drain and drop em on the salad
- Artichoke hearts – in water – if you want to add oil to your salad, do it on your own terms!
- Pitted kalamata olives
- Rao’s jars of roasted red peppers – throw a few on top!
Veggie Toppers
Vegetables = volume so add more on! Bethenny’s go to veggie salad toppers are:
- Baby tomatoes
- Avocado
- Sugar snap peas (add to the salad or enjoy plated on the side)
- Raw or sautéed canned or frozen corn
- Green peas – fresh or frozen
Tips from Bethenny:
1. Baby tomatoes will last longer than regular tomatoes – consider that when you are stocking up.
2. If you don’t like chopping up avocado, buy the individual guacamole packs (e.g. Wholly Guacamole) and mix it into your favorite Skinnygirl dressing.
Nuts
Nuts add a filling, satisfying je ne sais quo to salads. Just make sure to keep an eye on portion size if you are watching your fat intake, as they tend to be high in fat.
Bethenny’s favorite nuts to sprinkle on salads include:
- Slivered almonds – Get the crunch, but not all the calories!
- Finely chopped peanuts
- Finely chopped cashews
Cheeses
- Crumbled feta
- Use a microplane to shave parmesan on top for all the flavor with less calories!
- Daiya shredded dairy-free cheese
- Trader Joe’s shredded dairy-free cheese
- Shredded Mexican cheese mix – Bethenny loves Organic Valley – make sure it’s a thin shred!
Dressings
- Skinnygirl Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Skinnygirl Buttermilk Ranch
- Skinnygirl Poppyseed
- Skinnygirl Honey Dijon
- Skinnygirl Raspberry Vinaigrette
Tips from Bethenny:
- Try adding guacamole or hummus into your dressings to make it creamier, but still on the healthier side!
- Spice up your salad with bagel seasoning or Sriracha
- Use Skinnygirl Popcorn as croutons
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are our own.
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