Hello, summer! (oh how we've been waiting so patiently for you) Our favourite season, and you know what that means - alfresco! Salads and BBQ's outside.

Salads are essential in this heat. Having a BBQ, evening date, lunch on the go, a salad is the answer! They can bulk up a small meal or be a big meal that's why salads are the go-to meal for summer! 

Ok, so how do you make the best salad you can't stop making this summer? Here's our top tips to making salads and some classic salad recipes! 

Treat Salads like cake, it's all about the toppings!

Just like cake, a salad should have layers, you can't go wrong with layering your salad like a cake at the top you have your cake topper/toppings that's all - the textured fancy bits, then you have your icing - the sauce, followed by the sponge - the main filling. So let's talk toppings. 

Sprinkles & Sauce Please! 

Add seeds and nuts with your favourite sauce 

Your salad toppings should have different flavours and textures, you need those toppings to keep you digging for more at the bottom. Nuts and seeds add that 'crunch' to the salad, which is such a satisfying feeling. We're always looking for extra ways to add protein to our meals. Most seeds and nuts have a high protein value great for vegetarians and those looking to add more protein to meals.

Here's our favourites at Peak Supps! 

Now we're onto the sauce, you don't have to be fancy about it, making your own sauce can be so quick our go-to salad dressing recipe is:

Add 1/4 tsp of each seasoning to a good amount of olive oil. 

• Organic Pepper
• Organic Cayenne 
• Organic Ginger
• Organic Turmeric 

All ingredients linked!

If its mayonnaise or ketchup add it as your main salad sauce (you love what you love, why change it for a salad) Don't overload the sauce as you can add unnecessary calories, it will hide the taste of the salad, and get soggy! Of course when making your own salad dressing you can track what ingredients you use, which is the best but for a quick and good tasting salad add your favourite sauce.

Don't be scared to add Fruit!

Dried and fresh both make a salad taste amazing, the sweetness breaks up the earthy taste of a salad some people don't like. Dried fruits are sweeter and have a great texture for toppings. 

Here's our favourite dried fruits at Peak Supps. 

Grains & Gains!

Now for the sponge part of the salad... Your going to need a few ingredients for this, (just a sponge) you want a good combination of flavours, good quality ingredients (try go for organic). You don't want it to be too dried or wet, and it needs to be filling! Grains and beans a key fillings, they bring flavour and substance to your salad.

Here's our top grains & beans at Peak Supps. 

For the rest of the salad you'll need a good amount of fibre, veg/salad, protein and carbs, with a good mix of those your onto a winner of a salad. Here's some salad examples you can take and make your own, salads are so versatile there's no reason for them not to be tasty!

• Tossed Salad

• Caesar Salad

• Leafy Green Salad

• Greek Salad

• Fattoush

• Niçoise Salad

• Composed Salad

• Wedge Salad

• Insalata Caprese

• Bound Salad

• Chicken Salad

• Ambrosia

• Waldorf Salad

Make Extra!

If you have its just for yourself or you have everyone over make extra for the following day, don't leave anything, chuck it all in a mason jar and refrigerate for the following day. You can always add extra carbs or protein the next day to bulk your lunch. 

Enjoy & let us know in the comments if we've inspired you! 

Make sure to share this blog with your friends or anyone who this blog may be helpful to!