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17 Satisfying Summer Salads You Need This Season | The Health Sessions

17 Summer Salads You Need This Season

When it comes to food, summer is synonymous to ice creams and firing up the grill. But don’t overlook crispy and cool summer salads!

The perfect summer salads do come with a few requirements: they must be vibrantly colorful, juicy, packed with nutrients and filling. No boring iceberg lettuce with cucumber and tomatoes as a side!

You can easily assemble a satisfying summer salad by sprinkling a healthy dressing over your greens. Next, add raw, pickled or grilled veggies, fresh herbs and your choice of protein. And don’t forget to top it off with crunchy bites like nuts, seeds or savory granola. I know that adding fruit to savory meals is a controversial topic among foodies. But to me, any excuse to enjoy juicy fruit on a summer’s day is perfectly legit.

No matter if you’re having lunch al fresco, going on a picnic or hosting a cookout, try these 17 summer salads when the sun’s out!

10 Savory Yogurt Bowls for a Hearty Breakfast

You’ve probably heard me say it before: eating veggies with most meals is an easy way to boost your health and happiness. And this food trend will help you start your day on track: savory yogurt bowls.

You may be used to combine your yogurt with cereal and fruit. But across many cultures, yogurt is traditional eaten in a savory dish. Whether it’s Indian raita, Greek tzatziki or Turkish yogurt soup, savory yogurt is a staple in many cuisines.

For a healthy breakfast that keeps you full until lunch, try a savory yogurt bowl. If you want to keep things simple, just drizzle olive oil over your yoghurt and sprinkle it with nuts, seeds, chili flakes and sea salt. Or you could go all in with nutrient-packed toppings like roasted veggies and poached eggs.

Check out these 10 savory yogurt bowls for a healthy start of your day!

The Best of Beans: 14 Health-Boosting Recipes with Legumes

Beans are the perfect pantry food: they’re affordable, long-lasting and packed with plant-based protein. Legumes like black beans, chickpeas and lentils also make healthy sources of fiber, iron and antioxidants.

What’s more, research indicates that people who consume beans regularly have a lower risk of getting cardiovascular disease. Legumes also help stabilize blood sugar levels and may even help prevent diabetes type 2 due to the high fibre content. Dan Buettner’s study into the longest-living people even in the world even suggests that eating one cup of beans a day adds four years to your life expectancy.

To get the most value out of those tiny pods and make them more digestible, you could soak or spout dried beans beforehand. But if that’s too much hassle, a quick rinse will do.

So now that you know the benefits of beans, how can you add more of them to your meals?

Beans are very versatile, and you can make so much more with legumes than just chili and enchiladas. Try these 14 health-boosting recipes to get the best of beans!

10 Warm Winter Salads to Nourish You on Cold Days | The Health Sessions

10 Warm Winter Salads to Nourish You All Season

Is it just me, or do you also struggle to eat fresh salads when it’s dark and cold outside?

We all know that greens are good for us. Especially dark leafy greens are packed with vitamin C, minerals and health-boosting antioxidants. And even though springtime is mostly known for its abundance of lettuce and chards, you can find plenty of nutritious greens in winter that’ll make perfect base for your salad.

Just toss some kale, collard greens or cabbages together with a (warm) salad dressing and seasonal favorites like roasted Brussels sprouts, pumpkin and cranberries. Next, add grains or (plant-based) protein of your choosing. Turkey, warm lentils or goat’s cheese all add some winter flavor to your salad. Finally, top your bowl with a crunchy element like honeyed walnuts or toasted chickpeas.

Whether you’re looking for a healthy side dish of a meal-worthy salad, these 10 warm winter salads will keep you nourished throughout the season.

15 Tasty Ways to Eat More Leafy Greens (That Aren’t Salads)

There’s no denying it: eating leafy greens is vital to your health. Leafy greens are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, while being low in calories. Watercress, chard, beet greens and Romaine lettuce even top the list of ‘most nutrient-dense fruit and vegetables‘. Thanks to all these nutrients, leafy greens boost your immunity, support your bone health and digestion, and improve your inflammatory response. What’s more, chlorophyll, the green pigment that gives leafy greens their color, is also known to support your body natural detoxification process.

Salads and smoothies are the obvious – and popular- choice to get your greens in. But when it’s cold and dark outside, you might crave more warming foods. How can you still eat more leafy greens without resorting to a side salad and green smoothie?

Try these 15 tasty recipes to get your daily dose of leafy greens.