Stay Vegan at the Salad Bar

I recently made the decision to adopt a vegan diet. While I enjoy the health benefits and weight loss from the diet change, I still have days when I feel as though I cannot face another salad from the salad bar.

A vegan diet is free from all animal products, including dairy, so even something as safe sounding as the cafeteria salad bar can have pitfalls. It is still, however, the best place to find healthy foods like fruits and non-animal proteins like beans and nuts. While the basic salad is always a safe choice, there are other options at the salad bar.

Since serving utensils vary from one salad bar to the next, measurements are simply a scoop or spoonful, whatever is used at the salad bar you frequent.

Kidney Bean Salad

An important component of a healthy meal for a vegan is protein. Kidney beans are a great way to get both protein and fiber in one food.

For kidney bean salad, simply put one scoop of kidney beans, one scoop or spoonful of shredded carrots, a scoop of black olives, one scoop of mushrooms and one scoop of chopped or sliced red onions in a bowl or on a plate. Drizzle with red wine vinegar and olive oil, and shake some sunflower seeds over the top.

This salad is creamy, filling, and the sunflower seeds give it a nice salty crunch.

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli is a great vegetable and high in fiber. For this leafy salad alternative, put a large scoop of broccoli on a plate. Add a scoop of cauliflower, a scoop of carrots, a sprinkling of white onions, and a shake of peanuts over the top. Drizzle Italian style dressing over the top and you have a healthy, nutrient-rich alternative to another plateful of leafy lettuce.

Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers are a vegetable I have avoided most of my life, but when eating vegan, the more tastes and textures, the better the nutrition in your diet, and the less likely you will become bored with your choices.

For a cool, colorful salad, place a large scoop of cubed or sliced cucumber on your salad plate. Next, top with as much red onion as you can tolerate (for me, that is a lot!), shredded carrots, cubed tomatoes, and black olives. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and add your favorite French-style dressing. This is a tangy salad loaded with flavor.

Regardless of your dietary choice, vegetables and non-animal proteins are a healthy addition to any diet. These three salads offer plenty of both of those things. The fact that they can be thrown together from any salad bar is an added bonus, and they can be adopted for vegans, vegetarians, and even low-carb dieters.

Don't shy away from the salad bar because you can't face another leaf of lettuce. Use these salads as a base for making and endless combination of healthy creations.