The humble salad is the workhorse of the family diet. A salad can provide an accompaniment to a protein or be a full meal in itself.

There are so many ways to make a salad that the only limitation is your imagination.

Here's what every salad needs:

• Vegetables [Greens/Raw/Grilled/Roasted/Pickled]

• Dressing [Vinaigrette/Creamy]

• Crunchies [Seeds/Nuts/Croutons/Granola]

• Optional Protein [Meat/Cheese/More Cheese]

• Optional Extras [Herbs/Fruit/Grains/Etc.]

Vegetables

Choose at least one, or as many as you want:

Greens: Raw greens are what most people think when they hear the word "salad." And with good reason: Most greens are better eaten fresh. Choose tender lettuce leaves and greens, like spinach, Bibb or Little Gem, for more delicate salads; spicy or bitter greens, like arugula, dandelion greens, or chicory, for bossy vinaigrettes; or sturdy greens, like thinly sliced kale, for marinated and massaged salads.

Raw: Lettuce and greens aren't the only ones who can go raw. Try using a vegetable peeler to make fibrous veggies more palatable (looking at you, asparagus). For crunchy vegetables, like kohlrabi, just chop them into bite-size pieces and throw them in. For usually-cooked vegetables, like beets and squash, either slice them very thinly or grate them to make them easier to digest.

Grilled: Grilling vegetables like alliums, squash, eggplant, and more, adds smokiness and, depending on how aggressive you get, a nice char. If you can dream it, you can grill it (yep, even greens)—so provided your Weber is at the ready, feel free to toss those veggies on the barbie.

Roasted: And, as the saying goes: If you can grill it, you can roast it. At least, it's a saying now. Go easy on the oil, so your vegetables aren't weighted down with grease.

Pickled: Pickled vegetables add a funky, fermented note, and bump up the flavor in a big way. Combine them with raw vegetables or greens for a one-two punch; they're a bit too intense to make up an entire salad.

Dressing

Vinaigrette: A classic vinaigrette is made with fat and acid; traditionally, olive oil and either vinegar or lemon juice. 1 part to 3 parts

Thick and Creamy: Hearty salads with big flavors can stand up to creamy, rich dressings - think mayonaiise bases or miso, tahini or penut butter based.

Crunchies

Choose at lease one, or as many as you want:

Seeds: Some of our favourite options: Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds.

Nuts: Toast them first to bring out their flavor, and chop them for easier bites.

Croutons: We like homemade. Use any old loaf you have on hand. Or, pita bread!

Savory Granola: We always keep a batch of this close-by. Cayenne and fennel makes it savory.

Added Extras

Choose as many as you want.

Fresh herbs: Add big handfuls of tender and soft herbs, like mint, parsley, coriander, and basil. These work better with lighter vinaigrettes than thick dressings.

Fruit: Think beyond the berry. If it's ripe and ready, why not? Choose fruits that are complementary in flavor to the rest of your ingredients. Yes, avocado counts. Equally tasty: dried fruit, like raisins, dried cranberries, or dehydrated apple.

Protein: Cold leftover roasted chicken, hot and crispy ground lamb, poached eggs, basically any cheese ever… a little protein goes a long way when it comes to rounding out a salad.

Grains & Carbs: The easiest way to bulk up a salad is with a small addition of cooked grains, like quinoa, bulgur, couscous, barley, farro, lentils, chick peas…you get the picture.