salads

Parsley usually sits on a plate as garnish, but in this traditional Middle Eastern dish, parsley is the star! The cracked whole-wheat grain bulgur ties the recipe together and adds some extra fiber and protein. Tabbouleh is also high in iron, manganese, and vitamins C and A, all important nutrients for the body, and the parsley, lemon, and mint each contain natural detoxing properties. Cutting back on the oil and salt used in more traditional recipes allows the bright, natural flavors to speak for themselves.

This salad is a nice foundation for a healthy lunch, or you can serve it as a satisfying snack with some fresh pita, as pictured. Learn how to make this tabbouleh salad after the break.

During Winter months, I feel particularly uninspired by salads. I need my starch — and my steak, too. That's what led me to create this Asian noodle salad with flank steak: it's hearty enough to keep you satisfied, even on the coldest of nights, but it's a nice departure from a warming but heavy meat-and-potatoes meal.

The star of the show is the flank steak, which can be substituted with ahi tuna or tofu if you want to avoid red meat. The key to making fantastic, umami-rich steak is to give it enough time to marinate: the beef soaks up the salty, gingery flavors, plus fibers in the meat make room for ginger, garlic, and coriander. Pair the beef with al dente rice noodles and fresh lettuce and herbs, and there's no chance of walking away from this salad hungry.

Keep reading for the recipe.

Do you believe in love at first sight? I do! Maybe not romantically, but rather in the case of what will please my palate. Specifically, I knew that I was destined to enter a whirlwind romance with this tart and tangy shredded kale and brussels sprouts salad as soon as I set my eyes upon it. In this case, my woman's intuition was spot-on; perfect in its original iteration (it's a favorite amongst our whole team), this salad-slaw hybrid is even better — at least better catered to my proclivities — with a few minor tweaks and additions (reflected in the recipe below).

Now, before you fear that this is all bluster, I've been so smitten that I've already made it three times in the past month — a rarity for someone whose job is to test recipes . . . So as the title says, I seriously urge you to get on board, and make this salad right now!

Some people care to receive flowers for Valentine's Day, but if you're like me, you would prefer an edible arrangement. While this salad isn't technically a bouquet of any kind, it does contain a colorful sprinkle of edible flowers. I chose purple pansies, snapdragon, and violets to keep in line with the Valentine's Day color scheme, but you can use bright yellow marigolds, orange nasturtiums, and other known edible flowers too. You'll find the flowers are mild in flavor and taste much like greens (slightly peppery and leaf-like).

Slices of pink grapefruit also adorn the salad. If you do not like the bitterness of grapefruit, try salting it before tossing the slices in with the greens. It neutralizes the tartness, letting the essence of the grapefruit flavor shine through. Slices of watermelon radish add a bit of crunch and vibrant color. Compared to other radishes out there, watermelon radish is mild in spiciness, plus it's fun to chomp on a naturally neon pink food!

Finally, Point Reyes Toma, a semihard cow's milk cheese, provides a creamy, buttery counterpart to the salad. Everything is tossed in a very simple vinaigrette to let the fresh ingredients dazzle your taste buds.

Click here to see the recipe.

Salad dressing is one condiment you can leave off of your store list; not only is it easier to make at home than running to the store, but it also becomes healthier when made in the comfort of your own kitchen. I like to use grapeseed oil so that I have the versatility of using the dressing in a warm salad as well as colder greens. Since grapeseed oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil, it doesn't degrade when heated up in a pan as olive oil tends to do.

Learn how to make this easy salad dressing after the break!

For a taste of Spring in the middle of Winter, spruce up your salad with this protein-rich spread fortified with an entire can of garbanzo beans, aka chickpeas. The pecans and apple pieces give this dish a crisp, fresh feeling.

This spread can be served many ways, but we like to use it as a replacement for tuna salad — perfect for all of you vegetarians out there. Try this chickpea salad on its own, with crackers or crudités as dip, or as a gluten-free wrap as demonstrated in this video featuring Chad Sarno, Whole Foods chef and coauthor of The New York Times bestseller Crazy Sexy Kitchen.

Keep reading to check out the recipe.