During the summer months, more of us add salads into our diet so we can enjoy healthier outdoor lifestyles while keeping waistlines trim. However, after a week of healthy greens, you may find yourself quickly bored by the meal. Opt to venture outside of the typical mix of iceberg lettuce, few cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, slices of onions and drizzle of store-bought dressing. Jazz up your summer salads with fresh and surprising ingredients to bring a bit of sweet and savory texture to your salad.
GREENS THAT BELONG IN EVERY UPDATED SALAD
If you’re like most salad eaters, you reach for the same greens every time. But all greens don’t taste the same. In fact, several types of greens can rev up your salad and change its flavor even before you put on the dressing!
Below are a few greens to try this year to revitalize lunch, dinner and snacks:
- Arugula: This peppery plant adds a bit of character to your salad. It also goes well with sweeter and moister lettuce types, like Boston and Romaine. Like watercress, it delivers more character than most leafy vegetables.
- Dandelion leaves: You’ll want to be careful about using dandelion greens from your backyard, but if you can find some at a local farmer’s market, pick them up. Dandelion leaves are bitter, but in small doses, they can punch up your salad.
- Frisée: Adding frisée to a salad won’t create a huge difference flavor-wise. However, it will add an unexpected texture. Many times, texture alone can turn a salad from okay to amazing.
- Kale: Be sure to chop up your kale well before tossing some into your next salad. Kale is bulky and hearty, so it can help make a salad feel more like a meal. Plus, it’s nutrient-dense, which is exactly what your body needs.
- Herbs: You might not realize it, but the secret to adding oomph to your salad could be in your backyard herb garden. Basil, rosemary, oregano and chives introduce intense and robust flavors. You don’t need a lot of herbs to create a salad stir!
Dazzle Your Taste Buds With These Healthy Salad Enhancers
Even after adding some unusual greens, the same basic salad configuration can leave your taste buds bored and tempted to sink their teeth into a juicy burger patty. To fight the urge of food temptation and maintain your healthy summer diet, see your bed of lettuce as a blank canvas meant for adding fun and fresh new flavors or colors. To make your salads interesting again, add some of these toppings into the mix:
- Bits of Fruit: Summertime is ripe with a variety of sweet fruit options that can make your salad sweet and bright — try grapes, berries, oranges and pears. Remember that dried fruits, including currants and cranberries, will increase the tanginess and give your mouth more enjoyment.
- Marinated Proteins: Grilling a plain chicken breast and considering the job done won’t cut it — marinate your favorite protein like chicken, beef or tofu in a flavorful marinade to spice up your salad. A basic marinade of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and seasonings is all you need. You can even add Premio Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage to the marinade. As a food safety precaution, always toss out your marinades after they have bathed uncooked meat, poultry or seafood.
- Roasted Vegetables: Get your grill out and roast some of your favorite vegetables like sweet potatoes, onion, cauliflower or zucchini to add a bit of texture and diverse flavor.
- Crunchy Nuts and Grains: Sprinkling walnuts, almonds, pine nuts or pistachios adds a fun crunch to your salad. Alternatively, you could incorporate healthy grains like brown rice, barley or quinoa to the mix.
- Dressing Variety: Don’t settle for the bland staple salad dressings in your grocery store. Experiment with new flavors like tahini, nut butters, herbs, spices and yogurt to elevate your dressing options. Homemade dressings aren’t just tastier. They also tend to have fewer preservatives, less fat and more dazzle with every drizzle.
Spicing Up Your Salads With Sausage
You may think sausage is a main meal event or the zesty counterpart to a bowl of pasta or soup — but have you considered adding it to a salad while keeping the health factor? You can even safely remove sausage meat from the casing and add cooked crumbles instead of links or medallions to your main-course salads. It’s a whole new way to enjoy favorites like Premio Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage!
- Premio Sausage and Chickpea Salad: By adding quality hot Italian sausage to a simple mixture of salad greens, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, onion and Parmesan cheese, you can easily transport your taste buds to Northern Italy.
- Premio Sausage and Asparagus Salad: A blend of mixed greens, asparagus, tomatoes, almonds and feta may seem a bit dull on a weekday evening, but a package of sweet Italian sausage adds a new diverse flavor that elevates your healthy summer meal.
- Strawberry Spinach Salad With Sausage: As far as healthy sausage recipes go, this one is a time-tested winner. The addition of home-glazed pecans takes the salad to a completely new level. If you’re feeling a little creative, why not try cashews, almonds or another favorite nut? And if you can’t find strawberries, almost any type of berry will be just as pleasing.
- Premio Sausage and Raspberry Salad: A huge benefit of this salad is that you can easily replace the regular Italian sausage with sweet Italian chicken sausage or another lean sausage variety. You’ll get a kick out of the variety of textures in this salad, courtesy of the pine nuts, currants and capers. Sprouts make a nice inclusion for a bit of volume without adding calories.
Ensure all sausage cooks to a minimum of 160 degrees F.
Enjoy Healthy Flavor With Premio Sausage Products
When you need a simple and affordable way to revamp your healthy summer salads, turn to Premio Foods’ selection of sausages. We offer over 40 varieties of Italian sausages to suit your unique tastes. As a family owned and operated company, we’re dedicated to creating only the best sausage products made from premium ingredients to promote a happy and healthy lifestyle. Explore our variety of Italian sausages today to see how you can spice up your next salad recipe. Use our store locator to find Premio sausage near you!