1. Jicama
A round-shaped vegetable with golden brown skin and white starch inside. If you’ve never had jicama before, it’s a root vegetable from Mexico and requires a long growing season. It is often called a Mexican yam or Mexican turnip.
It’s fresh, crunchy, slightly sweet, but savory. Full of antioxidants, good for gut health, and promotes digestion. Try it in salads like Jicama grapefruit salad, Jicama mango salad with cilantro and lime, Jicama salad with apples, etc.
2. Olives
Olives may be small, but they’re bursting with flavor. They are delicious, salt, and full of dietary fiber. One olive contains seven calories with a negative calorie load. You burn more calories by digesting olives than eating one.
Use olives in Mediterranean-inspired salad, tomato-olive salad, watermelon, olive and feta salad, etc.
3. Crunchy chickpeas
Crunchy chickpeas in salad add a ton of fiber, protein, and nutrition. They are gluten-free and super easy to make at home. You can also try to season them with cumin, coriander, and chili powder and then roasting them in the oven.
Cook them with no oil, add your oil and seasonings in the last five to 10 minutes. If you add oil at the beginning, the fat layer will make chickpeas moist, and you’ll not get crispy chickpeas. You can try them in salads like falafel popper, garlicky kale salad with crispy chickpeas, rainbow power salad with crunchy chickpeas.
4. Green onions
Green onions are a go-to ingredient in stir-fries. It contains cancer-fighting compounds, helps to control blood sugar and boosts bone density. It’s the perfect side for a Korean barbecue. You can try them green onions with herbs, Korean spicy green onion salad.
5. Turmeric
A super-powerful anti-inflammatory spice. It is a visual feast, adds great flavor and color to any dressing. It has always been a part of the Indian kitchen and considered a medicinal salad. You can try Anti-inflammatory salad, turmeric salad dressing, etc.
6. Freshly ground pepper
Black pepper is antibacterial, improves skin, and enables weight loss. Just make sure you’re using fresh pepper from a pepper grinder for the seasoning. It adds an extra fire and flavor in the salad. Ground pepper goes well with everything and adds a bright hint to any salad.
