Spinach Salad

I've been obsessed with salads lately. You can make some DELICIOUS salads. So yummy. And also totally low calories and nutrient-dense. Here's one of my current salad obsessions:

Photo Cred: Foodista.com

Spinach Salad

Chopped Spinach

Chopped Mushrooms

Chopped Strawberries

Craisins

Glazed Walnuts

Raspberry Vinaigrette

What I love about salads is that there are no exact measurements involved. You just combine what you have and it usually turns out alright. The generic pattern I usually use is:

Base of Lettuce, Spinach, or other Leafy Vegetable

2 Additional Fruits or Vegetables

Crunch or Chewy Factor (Nuts, Seeds, Dried Fruit)

Sweet or Salty Factor (Cheese, Nuts, Dried Fruit)

Dressing (Creamy, Vinaigrette, Zesty)

Voila! Pattern for a delicious Salad. 

 Here is something interesting to note:

We are often obsessed with having low-fat dressings and cheeses. However, fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) actually need to be digested with fat in order to be absorbed effectively. Fruits and Vegetables are rich sources of these vitamins but we may not absorb them well if there is no fat consumed during the same meal. So I feel like having ranch dressing with your salad isn't a sin. I think the low calorie count of the vegetables allows for the extra calories in the dressing and then you are also (hopefully) absorbing more of those crucial vitamins!