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3 flavorsome and fiber-packed salad recipes that prove healthy meals don't have to be boring

3 flavorsome and fiber-packed salad recipes that prove healthy meals don't have to be boring

Clementine Haxby is a chef, recipe developer, nutritional advisor, and personal trainer.
She shared three recipes from her new book, The Salad Project.
They are designed to be filling, nutritious, and delicious.
For a long time, salads have had a bad rap. Many people see them as boring, bland meals only eaten in an attempt to lose weight.
But Clementine Haxby, the recipe developer and nutritional advisor for the London-based salad chain The Salad Project, wants to change that.
Haxby, a personal trainer and chef, has written a new book showcasing 30 dressings and 55 salad recipes, published in April 2025.
The recipes are "designed to redefine the historical notion of a salad — from something that provides the fewest possible calories, to a dish that offers the broadest possible range of nutrients to fuel the busiest of days," she told Business Insider.
They don't need to involve hours in the kitchen, either, but spending a little time cooking some ingredients rather than using solely raw foods can make all the difference. Haxby's top tip is to make generous amounts of dressings at the weekend to use over the week ahead.
A salad should be nutritionally balanced, containing protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat, dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine previously told BI. But don't forget about different flavors and textures, Haxby said.
"I'm pretty passionate about making sure people recognise just how broad the definition of a salad can be so we can all move on from thinking of salads as something exclusively green that you order to be 'good,' but ultimately leads to hunger pangs and an empty biscuit jar by 4 p.m.," Haxby said.
She shared three of her favorite salad recipes, and dressings, with BI.
The Salad Project Caesar
Haxby said: "There are few meals more perfectly balanced, or more likely to cause a bout of food envy. Here we have our classic SP Caesar, loaded with spiced chicken, juicy tomatoes, and crispy onions, but don't stop there. Get creative and customize. Go wherever the wind takes you — just don't use iceberg lettuce, please."
Ingredients:
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic granules
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon fine cooking salt
1½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
425 grams mini chicken fillets
50 grams kale, destemmed, rinsed, and dried
1 lemon (juice)
½ baby gem lettuce, leaves whole, rinsed and dried
100 grams cherry tomatoes
40 grams Parmesan
Sea salt and black pepper
4 tablespoons crispy onions
For the focaccia croutons (optional):
200 grams focaccia
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
For the chipotle Caesar dressing (makes enough for four to six salads):
35 grams Parmesan
1 garlic clove
130 grams mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
½ lemon (juice)
3 black peppercorns
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper, plus extra to taste (optional)
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, plus extra to taste (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
25 milliliters water
Method:
For the dressing:
Grate your Parmesan using a microplane or a fine grater and set aside.
Peel and crush your garlic using the side of a knife or a garlic crusher and a little sea salt to help turn it into a smooth paste.
Place all the ingredients, excluding the water, into a blender and blitz until silky smooth. Gradually add the water and mix with a fork or small whisk until you reach your desired consistency. Play with the spice level by adding more cayenne pepper for a hotter Caesar, or more paprika for something a little smokier. Store in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to one week.
For the salad:
Measure the spices, salt, and ½ teaspoon of olive oil into a medium mixing bowl and stir well to combine into a paste. Add the chicken fillets and use your hands to coat until the fillets are all well-dressed. Set aside at room temperature to marinate while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Finely chop the kale and place into a large mixing bowl. Dress with the juice of half of the lemon, a pinch of sea salt and a grind of black pepper. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the leaves to help soften and enhance the flavor.
Tear the lettuce leaves from the core and add them whole to the kale, gently folding through to distribute them evenly. Add two tablespoons of the dressing and use your hands to toss through.
Slice your tomatoes into halves and set aside.
Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat and add your marinated chicken fillets. Once sizzling, reduce the heat to medium—high to avoid the outsides burning. Cook for seven to eight minutes, flipping the fillets with tongs every couple of minutes, until nicely golden and cooked through. Remove from the heat and squeeze over the juice from the other half of the lemon, then finish with a sprinkle of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
Load the dressed leaves onto a serving plate, then grate over half of the Parmesan using a microplane or fine grater. Pile on your tomatoes and half the crispy onions.
After they've had a couple of minutes to rest, slice the chicken fillets (or leave whole) and lay them onto the salad. Top with the remaining dressing, the remaining crispy onions, and the grated Parmesan. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a hefty grind of black pepper.
For focaccia croutons (optional):
Preheat the oven to 200°C/350°F. Slice or tear the focaccia into five to seven-centimeter pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Use your hands to coat well, then place onto a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes before shaking the tray and returning to the oven for a further seven minutes until crisp and golden.
Chilled sesame noodles with balsamic mushrooms, lime slaw, and toasted furikake seeds
Haxby said: "Noodle salads are one of the greatest gifts to home cooks who are time-poor. With quick-cook noodles ready in two minutes, we're always shocked by how fast you can whip up something nutrient-dense that packs a flavor punch. This is a cold bowl of umami flavor pops that will recharge your batteries, while reserving your energy thanks to the minimal effort it requires."
Ingredients:
2 x 200-gram sachets pre-cooked udon noodles
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari or light soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
240 grams shiitake mushrooms or chestnut mushrooms
150 grams red cabbage
1 lime (juice)
1 pinch of sea salt
3 tablespoons kimchi (optional)
Small handful of fresh coriander leaves
2 tablespoons toasted furikake seeds
For the sesa-miso dressing (makes enough for four to six salads):
20 grams sesame seeds (black add lovely color, but white are great, too)
10 grams fresh ginger
80 grams tahini
30 grams white miso paste
40 milliliters rice wine vinegar
40 milliliters tamari or light soy sauce
80 milliliters water, plus extra if needed
Method:
For the dressing:
Place your sesame seeds into a dry pan and place over a medium heat, swirling the pan constantly, until they are nice and toasted — about three to four minutes. Set aside.
Peel your ginger using the edge of a teaspoon and grate into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients, excluding your toasted sesame seeds, and blitz until smooth. You can also just pop all your ingredients into a jar and give it a good shake if you don't mind a bit of texture from the ginger.
Finish by stirring through your toasted sesame seeds and adjusting the texture with a little extra water, if needed — but I'd recommend keeping this dressing on the thicker side, in case you want to use it as a noodle sauce. Store in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to one week.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/428°F and boil the kettle.
Place the udon noodles into a heat-proof bowl, then cover with boiling water. Let the noodles sit for two minutes, then use tongs to agitate them into individual strands. Drain off the hot water and either place the noodles in a bowl of iced water, or rinse with cold water to cool.
Place the vinegar, tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds into a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Rinse any dirt off the mushrooms, then tear or chop the largest ones in half. Keep any smaller ones whole, and remember they will shrink in the oven, so, if in doubt, leave them whole. Add the mushrooms to the bowl of marinade and use your hands to mix them well in order to coat, ensuring the sesame seeds are evenly distributed. Transfer to a parchment-lined roasting tray and place in the oven for 18 minutes.
While the mushrooms are cooking, thinly slice your red cabbage using a sharp knife, a mandolin, or a vegetable peeler. Place into a bowl and dress with the juice of half the lime and the pinch of sea salt. Mix well with your hands until the cabbage is well coated and starting to soften.
Add six tablespoons of sesa-miso dressing to the cooked and cooled udon noodles and pour onto your serving dish. Add the limey cabbage slaw, kimchi, and cooked mushrooms, making sure you include all the juices and sesame seeds left on the tray after cooking. Add sesa-miso dressing and the juice of the other half of the lime. Top with the toasted furikake seeds and a small handful of coriander leaves.
Hot honey halloumi and dill fattoush
Haxby said: "This delicious fattoush (a traditional Lebanese salad made with fried pita bread) is piled high with fresh herbs and has a bright acidity that meets its match in the oozingly sweet and salty halloumi. We like chopping the vegetables nice and fine and spooning this from a bowl, using the halloumi like little sticky boats — but this also makes for a gorgeous display salad if you're cooking for a crowd."
Ingredients:
2 pita breads
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
120 grams radishes
1 cucumber
150 grams cherry tomatoes
15 grams flat-leaf parsley
5 grams dill
5 grams mint
225 grams halloumi
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
1 tablespoon hot honey
2 tablespoons pickled onions
For the pomegranate and lime vinaigrette (dresses four to six salads):
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
40 milliliters red wine vinegar
1 lime (zest and juice)
1 teaspoon soft light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
100 milliliters extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
Method:
For the dressing:
Place your cumin and coriander seeds into a small dry frying pan over a medium heat. Swirl gently and allow to toast (careful they don't burn) for two to three minutes. You should be able to clearly smell the toasted spices. Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, add all the remaining ingredients to a blender. Once cooled, add your toasted seeds. Use the pulse setting to blitz the dressing — you want the liquid to emulsify, but you don't want to over-grind the spices. Rather, aim to crack them so they release their best flavors and give a nice crunch to the dressing. Store in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to one week.
Preheat your oven to 220°C/428°F.
Slice your pitas along the seams to give you four ovals, then slice four times across the width and three times down the length to give you rectangles. Place your pita chips into a bowl and add the sesame oil, the fennel, cumin, and coriander seeds, and a pinch of sea salt. Use your hands to mix well and coat your pita. Place into a roasting dish lined with parchment paper, making sure you use a plastic spatula to scrape all the oil and seeds that haven't stuck to the pita into the roasting tray too. Roast for eight minutes, or until golden and crispy. Leave on the tray to cool.
Top and tail the radishes, and then cut into quarters. Place into some iced water to crisp up.
Slice your cucumber in half lengthways, then use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds. Slice each half lengthways into thirds, then chop across the strands at one-centimeter intervals to give you small dice. Place in a serving bowl.
Quarter your cherry tomatoes and add them to the bowl.
Remove and discard the bottom two inches of the parsley and dill stems, and pick the mint leaves from the stalks. Set aside a couple of sprigs of dill for garnish, then pile the herbs together and roughly chop before adding to the mixed vegetables. Dress the herby vegetables with three tablespoons of pomegranate + lime vinaigrette, then mix in the pita chips.
Slice the halloumi into slices half an inch to 1 inch thick. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium—high heat. When sizzling hot, add your halloumi in a single layer using metal tongs. After two minutes, drizzle one tablespoon of hot honey over the halloumi, then turn to cook on the other side. Leave for three minutes, or until the bottom takes on a dark golden color. Once it is well colored, turn over once more to finish coloring the first side. Use tongs to place your warm halloumi over the chopped salad.
Top your salad with the radishes and pickled onions. Add three to four more tablespoons of vinaigrette and finish with a generous pinch of sea salt and a couple of sprigs of dill. Serve immediately for the best halloumi texture!
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Heated outdoor furniture exists — and extends patio season to all year long
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Heated outdoor furniture exists — and extends patio season to all year long

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Successful women shared their morning routines with us. Lemon water, dance parties, and phone time are key.

Business Insider

time10 hours ago

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Successful women shared their morning routines with us. Lemon water, dance parties, and phone time are key.

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"It's unrealistic," she said, adding that she sometimes prioritizes herself in other ways, like completing a skincare regimen. A makeup mogul scrolls Instagram before heading to a hip-hop class. Bobbi Brown, 68, is a legend in the beauty industry. She founded her namesake makeup line in 1991 and returned in 2020 as the CEO of a new cosmetics brand, Jones Road. She told BI that most days, she wakes up around 6:30 a.m., lets her dogs outside, and then has her first of three morning drinks: 16 ounces of water mixed with either AG1 powder, fresh lemon juice, or electrolytes. As soon as she's finished, she enjoys a double espresso in bed while scrolling through the news, social media, and Substack on her iPad. "Sometimes, I go down a rabbit hole on Instagram," Brown said. "I do that, scare myself silly, then jump up and exercise before I do anything else." Brown likes to weight train or attend hip-hop classes taught by instructor Lloyd Pearson. Most mornings, though, she takes long walks and calls her friends. "It's the time I find myself the most peaceful to talk, and not rushed or distracted," she said. "I usually call someone in the UK, or I have a couple of girlfriends I know are up early and could talk. Then I get my business calls out of the way. I usually walk for about an hour and fifteen minutes." Another healthy staple of her routine is a protein shake made with almond milk, chocolate Vital Proteins powder, a scoop of natural peanut butter, Greek yogurt, ice, and occasionally, a frozen banana. "I try to make the best choices as much as possible, but not beat myself up when I do something that doesn't make me feel great," she said. "If I wake up in the morning feeling inflamed or puffy or tired, I stop and say, 'OK, what did I do yesterday? Did I not drink enough water?' I guess it would be called intuitive wellness. Listen to yourself." A healthtech advisor relies on iced coffee and Amazon Alexa to start her day. Stephanie Davis, 38, was named a BI rising star in equity research for her work at banks including JPMorgan and Citi. Now, she's on advisory boards across the healthtech industry. Davis said her mornings rarely start at the same time. "Having a very set morning routine is a luxury for a lot of women," she told BI. "So generally, I wake up around 7 a.m., but there are days when it has to be a lot earlier. Other days, I'm so burned out from the week that I try to sleep in a little bit more." She's not a fan of alarm clocks and says waking up to loud noises sets a bad tone for the day, so she uses a $3,000 mattress pad from Eight Sleep, which warms to wake her up more naturally. She then likes to take her dog Lucky for a walk — preferably before checking her email as a reminder that she "gets to be human" before starting work — and drinks an iced coffee "for survival." Davis also relies on technology in her home, and says Amazon Alexa handles a chunk of her routine. "It opens the blinds, tells me the weather, runs through my schedule," she said. "Sometimes, I play a mindfulness minute while I'm brushing my teeth. Alexa allows me to do a lot of things for myself and be educated on what I need for the day, without having to seek that information myself." What's really key to Davis' productive start is knowing that "the morning starts the night before." "Being a woman in business, it's chaos. You're the CEO of your franchise and the COO of your family," she said. "So I look at my calendar the night before and say, 'All right, these are the things that need to get done tomorrow in my finite 24 hours. Let me figure out how to fit it all in there.'" A managing director likes to get a head start on work right after waking up. Fatima Boolani, 38, is a managing director of software equity research at Citi, where she also serves as cohead of the company's US software team. She's also a mom of two, so she wakes up between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. each day to check work emails, news, research reports, and more. "My priority is to get a head start on the day such that, while I'm shifting gears momentarily for personal and family reasons, I have a solid footing before I jump back into work around 8 a.m. or so," Boolani said. Her drink of choice is a "hot, strong cup of coffee," and Larabars are her go-to morning snack before breakfast. While exercise is a key ingredient to her success, Boolani said she prefers midday workouts. For her, mornings are about using a limited amount of time to her advantage and "filling that space and time with more intention." "I used to think waking up at 6 a.m. was so early," she said. "But now, how much power can be packed in that punch of an hour — especially with two children — is really awesome." A CEO of a beauty brand tests her new products while working out each morning. Wende Zomnir, 57, has spent decades in the beauty industry. She co-founded Urban Decay in 1996, led the brand until 2022, and then launched her beauty line Caliray. At this point in her career, she wakes up between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. each day and instantly drinks 20 ounces of water. Her second morning drink is coffee or coconut water with some protein powder. She chooses the latter on days that she exercises, one of the most vital aspects of her routine. "I lift, practice yoga, play tennis, or go rucking in the soft sand most mornings," she told BI. "I love playing beach volleyball, surfing, snowboarding, riding my bike — I like to move! And I test out makeup formulas I'm working on while I do it all." Zomnir said waking up early and jumping into physical activities helps her focus on her role as CEO and as a leader of her family. "I don't have to be thinking about when I'm going to squeeze my workout in later in the day," she said. "Physical activity is my drug of choice, so I work better when I've worked out." "As my kids got older, they needed me less in the morning, so I was able to shift from afternoon workouts to the morning," she added. "Making adjustments that sync with the life stages of my family and being willing to optimize my routine has made the biggest impact." A fintech communications CEO says dance breaks are essential. Grace Keith Rodriguez, 40, is the CEO of Caliber Corporate Advisers, a fintech communications agency. She gets the most done when she wakes up around 5:30 a.m. That gives her time to shower, get dressed, brew a cup of coffee (from Little Seed Coffee Roasters, a company founded by her sister and brother-in-law), and read the news from her front porch. Then, she can enjoy one of the most special parts of her mornings: a dance party with her two children. "It shakes the sillies out and gets you through the day," she told BI. "It's no cold plunge, but it sort of has the same effect." Keith Rodriguez's job also involves a lot of travel, so her routine changes slightly when she's on the road. Namely, she likes to take long walks around the city she's visiting. "I'd rather do that than sit in the hotel gym," she said. "I like to get out and see the city, because you usually don't get an opportunity to do that at conferences." No matter where she is, though, she says her children have changed how she starts her days. "Kids have made me realize how important routine is," Keith Rodriguez said. "I've always known that, but it just makes it so obvious that you can't ignore it. When you start the day on the right foot, it's really important for them, too." A chief marketing and impact officer listens to inspirational audio clips. Sadé Muhammad, 34, is Time Magazine's CMO. She usually checks her phone first thing in the morning, but doesn't scroll on social media. Instead, she opens her Notes app. "I have a bunch of affirmations for different categories," she told BI. "Based on what I'm feeling that day, whether it's personal, career, fitness, etc., I'll lean into what I need to fill me up." Muhammad also reviews a list of personal goals to monitor her progress and listens to 10-minute inspirational audios on the entrepreneur-focused app Alux. Her breakfast changes day-to-day, though she usually drinks water with lemon in the mornings. Her early workouts also vary, but she particularly enjoys strength training and morning walks. "Walking is my favorite physical activity," she said. "I like to go for a long walk in the park or through my neighborhood, and I'm either listening to an audiobook, some music, or I'm on a call." According to Muhammad, this flexible routine not only sets her day at a good pace but also allows her to focus on herself and her toddler. "If I want the chance to be present with him when he wakes up, but also to be present with myself and have some me time, I need to be up between 5 and 7 a.m.," she said. A skincare brand founder says lemon water and her personal trainer are her two constants. Erin Piper, 43, is a therapist, mother of two, and the founder of the skincare brand Saint Crewe. Throughout most of the year, she gets up around 6:15 a.m. to wake her 8-year-old and 11-year-old children and get them to school. "They are certainly old enough for an alarm clock, but somehow, that alarm clock is always me," Piper said. "Since it's summer, though, I usually have a few minutes to myself before all the chaos starts." Most days, she picks up her phone, checks beauty-industry news, and engages in "some mindless scrolling." "I'm on my phone entirely too much in the mornings," Piper said. "While I would love to get the recommended 30 minutes of sunlight before checking my phone, that rarely — OK, never — happens." Rather than having a big breakfast, Piper usually prefers to sip lemon water and eat a protein bar ahead of her morning workout with a "dear friend" and trainer. Most important to Piper, though, is embracing the chaos and unpredictability of her mornings. "Between having a family and launching a skincare brand, I've had to skip all sorts of things over the past few years, and no morning looks the same," she said. "But I do know that I'm a nicer person with coffee and exercise, so I try to keep that consistent."

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