Mel is our all-star Le Health Club member who started in one of the very first group chats three years ago and has been living that ah.mi life ever since. Mel is the queen of amazing salads and we can all benefit from a lesson from her.

Building a mouth-watering salad:

As a base, pick any type of lettuce you want. Mel likes big, leafy lettuce and thinks that the size of the leaf can completely change the vibe of the salad. With kale, you have to massage it! In order to do so, add olive oil, lemon, and a bit of salt. Otherwise, it will be too rough and more difficult to digest. Massage it for around two minutes and it makes the kale so much more delicious.

Focus on adding a variety of color ~ it’s fun and makes salads look more enticing (plus there are nutritional benefits!). Mel brings color to her salads through bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, hearts of palm, broccoli, or whatever she has on-hand. For example, red cabbage is packed full of potassium, vitamin K, fiber, and beyond… so it’s one of Mel’s favorites for both nutrition and aesthetics. Red onions (or even better, pickled red onions) are a great way to add color, a bit of a “kick,” plus you get added nutritional benefits from pickled and fermented foods.

Don’t forget about plant protein! Mel loves to add legumes such as edamame, chickpeas, or beans for some texture and plant-based protein. Quinoa is another great option, as it’s packed with protein, fiber, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory plant compounds. Mel’s favorite is adding pre-seasoned tofu, which can have up to 40g of protein per package!

Add cheeses or other toppings for crunch and texture. Mel shared that she has been on a recent gorgonzola cheese kick and loves to tops her salads off with that, goat cheese, feta, and beyond. She recommends switching it up! Scallions are a great source of Vitamin K and Vitamin C, so she loves topping her salads (and other dishes) with a sprinkle. “Something crunchy on top is key,” Mel told us. Trail mix packs, nuts, etc. are great options and easy to keep on-hand!

Easy homemade salad dressings:

“Once you start making your own salad dressings, you never go back!” Mel now feels that store-bought dressings are “gross” because she can’t help but taste the preservatives and sugar in them. One of her go-to dressings is a vinaigrette which takes less than 2 minutes to make:

Easy Homemade Vinaigrette Dressing: She believes having high quality, single-origin olive oil is important when you’re using it to make dressings and consuming it in a slightly larger quantity. Not all olive oil is created equal! Then, add any type of vinegar (champagne, white wine, balsamic, etc) and mustard for a kick. She eyeballs everything so no measurements are needed. As Mel said, “When you’re making a salad, who has time to measure things?!” You can salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, or whatever other seasonings you prefer, shake it in a sealed jar or stir it up with a fork and you’re good to go! Make a slightly larger jar to keep in the fridge for the week.

Easy Homemade Green Goddess and “heartier” Dressings:

For a green goddess dressing, add fresh cilantro, parsley, and basil to a food processor. Mel adds a big heaping tablespoon of tahini and high-quality olive oil. She will add a splash of vinegar, fresh garlic (or garlic powder), and some salt and pepper to blend all together. Mel believes that if you like hummus or Mediterranean flavors, you will like tahini. She keeps a bowl of water on the side of her blender in case the dressing gets too thick. She saves this dressing throughout the week and will also drizzle it over sheet-pan roasted veggies and rice!

Take pictures of your salad creations and share them with us to get featured on the @ahmi.health Instagram!