10 Healthy and Hearty Salad Recipes That Make a Meal

Once the new year strikes, the food blogosphere is bombarded by a slew of healthy recipes. We begin seeing words like detox and antioxidants and healthified. In the spirit of a clean slate and the new year ahead, we adamantly resolve to make over our meal plan and shed that holiday fat, dust off the old scale and optimistically vow to stop avoiding the gym (or to join one).

But let’s be honest, shall we? January is rough enough. It can be a struggle to hoist ourselves out of our Christmas comas, resuming daily routines and work, and also re-evaluating our diets. It’s a sudden jolt back into reality once the time comes to trade in the cookies for kale, and the cocktails for lemon water.

We feel the transition should be smoother, which is why we’re after salads, but not salads of the goody-two-shoes variety.

Instead, think warm salads spiked with creamy cheese and roasted veggies. Salads that are hearty and nutritious, without being too upstanding on the health spectrum.

So grab a fork and get ready to get your greens on!

Crunchy Taco Kale Salad from How Sweet It Is

Shaved Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, and Kale Salad with Truffle Parmesan Dressing from Blogging Over Thyme

Buffalo Chicken, Blue Cheese Guacamole and Crunchy Baked Onion Ring Salad from Half Baked Harvest

Roasted Cauliflower and Farro Salad with Feta and Avocado from Cookie and Kate

Italian Chopped Salad with Marinated Chickpeas from FoodieCrush

Winter Chicken & Kale Salad from I Will Not Eat Oysters

Escarole, Bacon and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Dried Apricots and Pepitas from Heather Christo

Thai Beef Salad from Every Last Bite 

Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Kale Salad with Apple, Gorgonzola & Candied Pecans from Ambitious Kitchen

Caramelized Fennel and Farro Salad from Not Without Salt 

Thanks for stopping by and visiting FoodieCrush. What’s your favorite main meal salad? I’d love to hear from you. Let me know in the comments below.

This recipe round-up was curated by FoodieCrush contributor Hayley Putnam. Follow her foodie tastes and other flights of fancy on Pinterest and Instagram.

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