Power up your summer salad

Warmer weather has arrived making now the perfect time to enjoy salads. Think salads are boring? Well, not so fast! Using the following tips, you can turn your next salad into a main-dish super star!

1. Start with your greens.

To truly reap the nutritional benefits, you?ll want to choose powerhouse greens like kale and spinach. However, if you prefer milder lettuces like romaine and iceberg, give butter lettuce a try. It?s loaded with vitamins and minerals, and offers sweet tender leaves that need very little dressing to be enjoyed. Butter, Bibb and Boston are all part of the Butterhead variety and can be used interchangeably. If you?re feeling adventurous, try using shredded cabbage in place of your lettuce. Shredded cabbage not only packs a nutritional punch but it also lends a satisfying crunch to your salad.

2. Go for color.

The pigments responsible for making vegetables and fruits so colorful are actually due to powerful antioxidants that help protect the body from disease and damage. A colorful salad not only provides a wide variety of nutrients but it is also more appealing to the eye. The sky is the limit when it comes to adding colorful produce to your salad; fruits make a great addition to salads.

3. Don?t forget about protein.

To make a salad a meal, add a three-ounce portion of fish, chicken, beef or turkey which will provide around 25 grams of filling protein. Canned tuna is convenient, economical and an excellent source of omega-3 fats. High-protein vegetarian options include cottage cheese, edamame, eggs, beans and lentils.

4. Add a healthy crunch.

Instead of croutons and bacon bits, opt for nuts and seeds. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and almonds are top food sources for magnesium, a mineral that many people are deficient in. Magnesium plays a key role in healthy bones, sleep and metabolism. Nuts contain omega-3 fats for heart health, fiber for fullness and potassium for lowering blood pressure.

5. Dress for success.

Your dressing can make or break your salad when it comes to the final calorie count. Salad dressings can range from 25-240 calories per two-tablespoon serving. Consider making your own simple homemade vinaigrette by mixing three parts olive oil to one part vinegar, and finish with a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste.

Tuscan Tuna Salad

Makes four servings.

Ingredients:

-1 lemon

-1-15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

-2-5 ounce cans albacore tuna in oil, undrained and broken into chunks

-1/2 cup red onion, sliced thinly

-4 cups arugula or mixed spring greens

-1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions:

Remove the zest and squeeze juice from lemon. In a bowl, combine beans, tuna and red onion.

Add lemon zest, lemon juice, salad greens and tomatoes; toss to combine.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 181 calories, 4g fat, 1g saturated fat, 31mg cholesterol, 544mg sodium, 19g carbohydrates, 6g fiber and 22g protein.