If you are anything like me, winter can take a toll on you in many ways. From the long periods of darkness to the extreme cold, I find myself in hibernation mode a bit more each year, dreading leaving the house after dark.
I work from home and can live in whatever I feel most comfortable in, so the wintertime has always been a battle regarding my mental and physical well-being. It’s historically been a time when I comfort myself through food and loose clothing and emerge at the end of the winter worse off and more depressed than I started.
Well, old habits are gone! This was the first winter I refused to eat mindlessly and emerge feeling like a raccoon working to escape from a trash can. I transparently struggled with the cold and darkness, which, true to form, took a toll on my mental health, but I am a work in progress, not perfection.
With spring right around the corner, I wanted to share five of my favorite easy salad recipes to keep on hand. These dishes are quick and easy to make with staples that my family often has in the house. If you start incorporating them into your meal rotation now, you’ll feel ready for the change in weather in no time!
1. Easy Bean Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can kidney beans
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Cilantro
Drain the beans and mix in a bowl. Add a splash of olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and cilantro to taste. Mix and serve! You can add or substitute any type of beans in this recipe, and it makes a nice high-protein breakfast, lunch, side, or dinner.
2. Pasta Tuna Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 lb pasta (I like rotini or another type of pasta that the tuna will stick to)
- 3-4 cans of tuna, depending on preference
- Mayonnaise
- Salt
Boil water and cook pasta as usual. Drain and cool. Once cooled, mix in drained tuna, mayo, and salt to taste. Start with less mayo—it’s much easier to add than remove! This salad is filling and delicious. Depending on preference, you can substitute gluten-free pasta if needed and add anything you desire, such as olives, tomatoes, or peppers for crunch.
3. Easy Corn Salad
This salad is flavorful and brings so much literal color and crunch to the table. You really can’t go wrong with it.
4. Cucumber Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 English cucumbers
- Sesame seeds
- Soy sauce
- Balsamic glaze
- Tajin (optional)
Wash and cut up your cucumbers. Everything is to taste – your soy sauce, balsamic glaze, and sesame seeds. Tajin is optional for a little kick. Mix well and serve. This is my daughter’s favorite afternoon snack!
5. Edamame and Black Bean Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 can black beans
- 1 package edamame
- 1 can corn
- 1 tomato
- 1 avocado
- Cilantro
- Olive oil
- Lime juice
- Salt
- Chili powder
- Cumin
Combine all ingredients. Add olive oil, lime juice, salt, chili powder, and cumin to taste. Stir and enjoy as is or with tortilla chips!
