How to Make a Protein Salad

Let's face it, protein is good for you. It strengthens our muscles, heart and immune system. Many weight loss programs even follow a high protein diet. Protein can be found in beans, meat, nuts, eggs, tofu and dairy products. Here is a way to have salad and eat your protein, too.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Create a base salad by combining lettuce greens, chopped celery, spring onion, radish pieces and tomato into a salad bowl.

2. Dress up the garden salad with protein by adding crunchy nuts. Choose from walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts and peanuts. These are all a good source of protein. Throw in some of each for a variety of flavors. If you like the crunch but not the nuts, then add protein rich soybeans to add a crunchy texture to any salad combination.

3. Toss in pieces of meat like chopped ham, chunks of chicken or flakes of tuna. Add sliced boiled eggs or pieces of tofu instead of meat. Meat and meat substitutes contain the protein you need.

4. Throw in some chunks of cheddar cheese, blue cheese, grated mozzarella or slices of Swiss. If you prefer, add spoonfuls of cottage cheese for a creamier texture. There are many cheesy sources of protein available.

5. Go Greek by adding feta cheese and olives along with chicken. Or make a chicken Caesar Salad with real bacon bits, creamy dressing and homemade croutons. These are packed full of protein in the cheese, bacon and chicken.

6. Give your garden salad a creamy texture by adding a cream dressing. Creamy dairy products can be a welcome source of protein. Choose from a variety of flavors such as blue cheese, creamy Caesar or ranch.

7. Toss two types of beans together and add them to a garden salad. Or create a bean salad with several types of beans, chickpeas and lentils. Add an oil and vinegar based dressing to the mix to create a protein rich salad without the greens.

Tips & Warnings

• Add food from all the food groups to make your protein salad.

• Don't eat too much protein. Some studies show that too much protein can affect your calcium levels and weaken your bones.

Resources

• The Harvard School of Public Health.
• Search through many salad recipes, including protein rich salads.