You don’t have to be a chef to whip up a healthy and delicious salad in about 15 minutes.

Remember that the salad can be kept in the fridge for at least 24 hours and still taste great. As a matter of fact, some health nuts prefer to leave the salad in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving, just to let the ingredients blend.

Healthy Ingredients

This healthy salad recipe is most flexible. Experiment with your favorite vegetables, seeds and nuts. The key to a tasty salad is to create a balanced mix of colors and textures.

Here are a number of suggestions:

Red cabbage has a great texture and so does young carrots. Try grating the carrots which brings out the juice. Ripe tomatoes also add a lot of sweet juice to the dressing while olives have a rich flavor.

Red onion has a beautiful color and flavor.

If you would like a greener salad, you can add more lettuce, bean sprouts and alfalfa. Another winner is grinding half a walnut to mix with the salad dressing, for a nutty flavor.

As far as seeds go, sunflower seeds is a personal favorite. Add your favorite seeds and nuts. The sweetness of a few raisins and small cubes of apple also taste great.

So, find your favorite ingredients, rinse them carefully and cut them in mediums size pieces. Then, put the chopped veggies in a large bowl.

Avoid using too much of any ingredient to make the salad as balanced as possible.

The Healthy Salad Dressing

This is the best part of the salad. I suggest you squeeze 1 lime or half a lemon, which are both high in vitamin C. That should normally be enough juice for two servings.

Then, add about one table spoon of olive oil, which is delicious and really high in antioxidants.

Mix well and round it off with half a teaspoon of honey, if you would like a less tangy dressing.

As I mentioned before, it’s possible to grind half a walnut to mix in with the salad dressing, for a delicious nutty flavor.

Next, season the dressing with a small amount of black pepper and some salt. Mix well.

It’s also possible to add some of your favorite herbs. Both fresh and dried herbs taste great. I prefer rosemary, oregano and sage.

Now, pour the dressing over the salad and give it a thorough mix.

Cover the bowl with plastic film and place it in the fridge. A good alternative is to use a plastic container with a lid.

If you plan to leave the salad in the fridge for many hours, it’s a good idea to mix it occasionally to keep the salad nice and fresh.

Enjoy the healthy salad!