All the health experts agree that you need to eat lots of vegetables to benefit from a variety of nutrients that your body needs to stay fit and strong. Many people often skip eating vegetables because maybe they don’t like the taste, or just don’t want to bother cooking them.

A fast and easy way to eat your veggies is just a bag away. There are many pre-made salads available at your supermarket that makes it easy to add fresh greens to your diet.

I like romaine lettuce because the deeper the green color the healthier it is for you. However, good ole iceburg lettuce is good too. Often these bags of salad contain carrots, radishes, and cabbage - all immune system boosting foods. You can add tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, croutons, peas, cheese, and anything else you may have in the fridge.

These days, you can literally make a healthy salad side dish in under five minutes!

Chicken Ceasar Pasta Salad

3-4 chopped boneless chicken breasts
Caesar or Italian Caesar salad dressing
2 cups broccoli florets
handful of cherry tomatoes (optional)
pimientos (optional)
4 cups Rotel pasta noodles
1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil

Directions

Cook chicken breasts until they are tender and chop into bite size pieces.

Cook Rotel noodles in boiling water for 7 minutes or until tender in water with oil.

Steam broccoli florets (over stove or in microwave) until

slightly tender (do not overcook!).

Cut tomatoes in halves and wash thoroughly.

Mix noodles, chicken breasts, broccoli and optional ingredients(pimentos and tomatoes). Drizzle salad dressing until pasta is slightly covered and stir salad until covered in dressing.

Serve either chilled or warm, accompanied by a bottle with extra dressing at table.

You can store leftovers in refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to two months.

If you enjoy making your salad from whole fresh lettuce, make sure you wash it thoroughly to remove dirt and any pesticide residue before cutting it up.

With a little more effort, you can make a nice pasta or potato salad. Some popular meat salads are chicken salad and tuna salad. These salads include a serving of protein and can often be substituted as a deliciously nutritious lunch or dinner.

If you’re a vegetarian, you can subsitute beans and chick peas for the meat without missing out on flavor and texture.

Salad made with fresh fruit also makes a great breakfast or lunch treat.

Remember, you don’t have to make the same bland salad every time. Mix it up with various flavors and ingredients. Salad should be a regular part of your meal plan. There’s a salad combination to suit everyone’s taste buds. Go ahead and try out a new salad recipe today.

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