Nourished Body Temple

Sometimes a salad needs to do more than just look pretty.

Sometimes you want lunch that feels fresh and light, but also actually fills you up. That is where protein really helps. Protein is important for building and maintaining muscle, but also for helping you stay full longer and feel more satisfied after a meal. If you exercise, walk a lot, do strength training, or just want to eat in a way that supports your body well, adding protein to your lunch is a very good idea.

And thankfully, protein does not have to mean boring.

A salad can be full of flavour, fresh ingredients, and still give your body something solid to work with. These are some of my favourite protein rich salads using only the combinations I already shared before. They are simple, tasty, and easy to make for lunch or a light dinner.

Chickpea Salad with Veldsla, Cherry Tomatoes and Feta

This is one of those salads that is incredibly easy but always works. The chickpeas make it filling, the feta adds a salty creamy touch, and the pumpkin seeds give it a bit of crunch.

What you need

• Cooked chickpeas
• Veldsla
• Cherry tomatoes
• Feta
• Pumpkin seeds

Dressing

• Olive oil
• Pepper

How to make it

Wash the veldsla and put it in a bowl. Add the chickpeas, halve the cherry tomatoes, crumble the feta on top, and finish with pumpkin seeds. Drizzle over a little olive oil and add pepper.

Beetroot Salad with Lentils, Feta and Walnuts

I really like this one when I want something a little more grounding. The lentils make it hearty, the beetroot adds sweetness, and the feta and walnuts bring everything together.

What you need

• Cooked beetroot
• Cooked lentils
• Feta
• Walnuts
• Fresh parsley

Dressing

• Olive oil
• Pepper

How to make it

Put the lentils and beetroot in a bowl. Add feta, walnuts, and chopped parsley. Drizzle with olive oil and finish with pepper.

Fresh Tuna Salad with Egg, Capers, Cucumber and Spring Onion

This one feels fresh and clean and makes a really good lunch when you want something high in protein without being heavy.

What you need

• Fresh tuna
• 1 egg
• Capers
• Cucumber
• spring onions
• Lettuce

Dressing

• Yoghurt
• Olive oil
• Pepper
• Sea salt

How to make it

Cook the tuna lightly and slice it. Boil the egg and slice it too. Put the lettuce in a bowl and add cucumber and spring onion. Place the tuna and egg on top and finish with capers. Mix the yoghurt with a little olive oil, pepper, and sea salt and spoon it over the salad.

Smoked Salmon Salad with Mozzarella, Romaine, Tomatoes and Blueberries

This is a lovely salad when you want something a little special without doing much work. The smoked salmon and mozzarella make it rich enough, and the blueberries give it a fresh twist.

What you need

• Smoked salmon
• Romaine lettuce
• Mozzarella
• Tomatoes
• Blueberries

Dressing

• Olive oil
• Pepper

How to make it

Wash and chop the romaine lettuce. Add the smoked salmon, mozzarella, tomatoes, and blueberries. Finish with olive oil and pepper.

Chicken Salad with Brie, Cashews, Paprika and Swiss Chard

This one is a bit more comforting and feels like a proper meal salad. Great for those days when a plain green salad just will not cut it.

What you need

• Cooked chicken
• Brie
• Cashews
• Paprika
• Snijbiet

Dressing

• Olive oil
• Pepper
• Sea salt

How to make it

Wash and chop the snijbiet. Slice the paprika and chicken. Add everything to a bowl and place the brie on top. Finish with cashews, olive oil, pepper, and a little sea salt.

Smoked Chicken Salad with Apple, Walnuts and Spinach

This is one of those easy lunch salads that feels fresh and familiar. The smoked chicken gives it plenty of flavour, and the apple keeps it from feeling too heavy.

What you need

• Spinach
• Smoked chicken
• 1 apple
• Walnuts

Dressing

• Yoghurt
• Honey
• Mustard
• Pepper
• Sea salt

How to make it

Wash the spinach and place it in a bowl. Slice the apple and add it together with the smoked chicken and walnuts. Mix the yoghurt with a little honey, mustard, pepper, and sea salt and drizzle it over the top.

Watercress Salad with Lentils, Feta, Avocado and Tomatoes

I love this one because it feels fresh but still filling. The lentils and avocado make it satisfying, and the orange dressing keeps it bright.

What you need

• Watercress
• Cooked lentils
• Feta
• 1 avocado
• Tomatoes

Dressing

• Olive oil
• Orange juice
• Pepper

How to make it

Wash the watercress and put it in a bowl. Add the lentils, avocado, and tomatoes. Crumble feta over the top. Mix olive oil with fresh orange juice and pepper and pour it over the salad.

Herring Salad

This is a seafood salad and I actually like how simple and straightforward it is. The apple freshens it up nicely, and the egg makes it more filling.

What you need

• Haring
• 1 apple
• 1 egg
• belgian endive
• scallions

Dressing

• Olive oil
• Pepper

How to make it

Boil the egg and slice it. Wash and separate the endive leaves. Slice the apple and scallion. Cut the herring into pieces and arrange everything in a bowl. Add a little olive oil and pepper if you like.

Spinach Salad with Apple, Walnut and Egg

This one is simple, classic, and just really good to have in your regular lunch rotation.

What you need

• Spinach
• 1 apple
• Walnuts
• 1 egg

Dressing

• Olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Pepper
• Sea salt

How to make it

Boil the egg and slice it. Put the spinach in a bowl and add sliced apple and walnuts. Place the egg on top and finish with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, pepper, and sea salt.

Why I like protein rich salads

I think protein rich salads are a good reminder that healthy eating does not have to mean eating tiny meals and being hungry an hour later. When you add ingredients like chickpeas, lentils, eggs, tuna, salmon, chicken, feta, or mozzarella, a salad becomes something that really supports your body.

It helps if you are building muscle, but also if you just want lunch to keep you going through the afternoon without constantly looking for snacks.

That is probably why I keep coming back to salads like these. They feel fresh, but they also feel like real food.

If you are trying to eat a bit healthier and also want meals that actually satisfy you, protein rich salads are such a good place to start. They are easy to put together, they taste good, and they make lunch feel a lot less boring.

At Nourished Body Temple, I love food that feels simple, nourishing, and realistic for everyday life. These salads fit that perfectly.

Rotate dressing as you like from here and let me know which one you like the most. 🙂