Salad

You sit down to a huge salad complete with mesclun greens and an array of veggies such as carrot shreds, cucumbers, diced red peppers, and cherry tomatoes — you even add chickpeas and sunflower seeds for protein. The fiber is supposed to fill you up and the protein sustains your energy, but an hour or so later, you feel famished.

If your salad is leaving you hungry, then add some extra fiber and protein by scooping a cup of cooked whole grains on top. Quinoa, barley, millet, buckwheat, or rice will beef up the calorie amount by about 200 calories, but you'll also be getting three to eight grams each of extra fiber and protein. Cook your whole grains in veggie broth for extra flavor, and add beans or chopped veggies while cooking for interesting texture and added nutrition.

Check out the chart below to see how these whole grains compare.

A common suggestion to lose weight is to eat salads for meals. While the fresh veggies are healthy and delicious, the tasty toppings of cheese and nuts can really add up — your simple salad could end up containing half a day's worth of calories!

Check out the list of popular salad toppings below, and be extra aware that the more toppings you add, the more calories are going into your body. Salads definitely make excellent meals, but hopefully this nutritional breakdown will help keep your bowl healthy.

Keep reading to see the nutritional info for other salad toppings.

Although microgreens are teeny tiny, don't let their appearance fool you. Thin and delicate, these greens are the first sprouts of lettuce varieties, herbs, edible flowers, and leafy vegetables. We've been seeing them at some of our favorite farm-to-table restaurants, but there's no need to save these beauties solely for a fine dining experience; you can probably find them in your local health-food store. Not convinced of the bountiful benefits microgreens bring to the table? Here are three big reasons you should get to know these little guys.

1. They offer a load of flavor: Don't judge a book by it's cover. Microgreens may be harvested when they're just about two inches high, but they pack an impressive punch of flavor. While there are quite a few varieties available, I'm partial to micro arugula and mustard greens.
2. They've got some serious vitamin power: Like alfalfa sprouts, microgreens have high levels of nutrients, namely vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium. And if you chow down on microgreens that have a little red pigment, then you'll be getting a serving of the immune-boosting antioxidant lycopene!
3. You can grow them at home: If you're interested in digging into the dirt and getting a green thumb for the first time, then microgreens are a great place to start. They're easy to grow and don't take up much space; you can grow them on any windowsill with ample light!

Source: Flickr user Danielle Scott

Fresh green peas are the first sign for Spring and since they have a short season, I always get my fill before they disappear come Summer. And just in the nick of time, I spotted a new recipe from Michelle Obama's upcoming book, American Grown.

The First Lady's pea salad calls for peas, shallots, leeks, and mint, all tossed together with a healthy cream dressing.
After shelling the peas, they are quickly blanched and immediately soaked in an ice bath after cooking to ensure they don't end up mushy. The whole process, which might sound a bit complicated, actually takes just a few minutes. Michelle's recipe originally called for adding puréed peas into the salad, but since I already had my blender out, I opted to add the lemon juice and olive oil in with the pea purée for an even smoother dressing. The result was a spring salad that'd be great to bring along to a seasonal party, since it can be made ahead, and the flavor only gets better with time.

My advice: run to the farmers market before all the year's peas are gone, then make this spring pea salad recipe.