With so many comfort food dinners on rotation and holiday cookies everywhere you turn, it's nice to add a fresh salad to the mix. These light dinners are full of flavor and packed with good-for-you ingredients.
A 7-Day Meal Plan of Fresh Salads
Updated on May 13, 2021
1/7
Sunday: Roasted Apple Salad with Spicy Maple-Cider Vinaigrette
Total Time
35 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
We bought loads of apples and needed to use them. To help the flavors come alive, I roasted the apples and tossed them with a sweet dressing. —Janice Elder, Charlotte, North Carolina
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 191 calories, 13g fat (3g saturated fat), 9mg cholesterol, 240mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 3g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 fat, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fruit.
2/7
Monday: Butternut Squash Panzanella Salad
Total Time
45 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This colorful salad is easy to make—and it’s even easier if you use precut chunks of butternut squash. You can use pecans in place of the almonds or watercress instead of the arugula or spinach. —Nancy Buchanan, Costa Mesa, California
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 361 calories, 26g fat (4g saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 435mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 4g fiber), 7g protein.
3/7
Tuesday: Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa Salad
Total Time
35 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
With Brussels sprouts for the green and cranberries for the red, I make a cheery Christmastime salad. Refreshing and versatile, it works with any kind of nut or dried fruit. —Cameron Stell, Los Angeles, California
Nutrition Facts:
2/3 cup: 286 calories, 15g fat (2g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 206mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 4g fiber), 7g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 fat.
4/7
Wednesday: Turkey and Apple Arugula Salad
Total Time
20 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This satisfying salad proves that turkey can be enjoyed outside of the holidays. Peppery salad greens, sweet grapes and rich walnuts combine to create a flavor sensation. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/2 cups: 354 calories, 17g fat (3g saturated fat), 94mg cholesterol, 301mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (17g sugars, 3g fiber), 30g protein.
5/7
Thursday: Caesar Salad in Peppered Parmesan Bowls
Total Time
35 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This cheese bowl salad looks impressive but is a cinch to make. I won’t tell if you don’t! —Melissa Wilkes, St. Augustine, Florida
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 138 calories, 9g fat (4g saturated fat), 17mg cholesterol, 463mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 9g protein.
6/7
Friday: Winter Beet Salad
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
To save a little time on this sweet and savory beet salad, we recommend using packaged salad greens in this original recipe. The simple dressing is easy to assemble. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 213 calories, 15g fat (2g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 80mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 6g fiber), 4g protein. Diabetic exchanges: 3 fat, 2 vegetable, 1/2 starch.
7/7
Saturday: Tarragon Tuna Salad
Total Time
10 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
It’s surprising how a few herbs can brighten up tuna salad. Made with reduced-fat mayonnaise, this version gets its zip from mustard. It makes a terrific light lunch or Sunday brunch dish. —Billie Moss, Walnut Creek, California
Nutrition Facts:
2/3 cup: 151 calories, 7g fat (1g saturated fat), 38mg cholesterol, 373mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 17g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1-1/2 fat.
