Hello, friends! I'm busy doing my typical Sunday thing and prepping meals for the rest of the week. I have it down to a science, so it goes really quickly. A few hours of work on Sunday saves a massive amount of time during the week! I also get to catch up on my favorite shows while I'm prepping. Since I've gotten in the habit of sharing a healthy food option on Sunday, today I wanted to share this delicious salad with fresh berries and coconut flakes.
Like all of my favorite salads, it's unbelievably easy to throw together! It only has five ingredients since I didn't use any dressing with it. (Scratch that. I added bacon for the final photo since it was so popular last week. Now it has 6 ingredients.) It's one of the most flavorful salads I've had in a while! I just love fresh berries.
Here's an easy salad idea for lunch this week...a spinach salad loaded with berries and protein. #lunchideas #salads #healthyliving Click To Tweet
Spinach Salad Loaded with Fresh Berries
This ingredient list makes 2 salads the size of the salads pictured above.
YOU’LL NEED: 3 cups baby spinach leaves (loosely packed) + 3/4 cup blueberries + 1 cup sliced strawberries + 2 tsp coconut flakes + 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans + 2 slices torn bacon (optional)
Rinse the spinach leaves well, then add them to 2 salad bowls. Rinse the berries and split them evenly amongst both bowls. Next, sprinkle on the coconut flakes and the pecan bits. Finally, the only thing left to do is eat and enjoy!
Since so many of you were fans of the bacon lovers salad I shared last week, I added bacon in one of the photos above to top it off. The bacon is a good addition for those of you who prefer the salty + sweet combination, as well as for anyone who isn't counting calories or watching their sodium levels. 🙂
I like tearing my bacon into bite-sized pieces, and I always prefer using freshly cooked bacon to the pre-purchased bacon bits that are loaded with preservatives.
TIP: For a healthier version, leave off the bacon altogether or use low-sodium bacon or turkey bacon. You can substitute the pecans for walnuts (slightly healthier) or for sunflower seeds. Coconut flakes contain protein, fiber, iron, and zinc, but they are also high in saturated fat. Be sure you're only using them as an occasional treat!
I hope that gives you an idea for something filling the next time you're having a craving for sweets. For an even easier (and healthier) strawberry salad, check out this option.
Have a happy and healthy week!