Ever since I discovered Life Alive, I have made my salads a bit different. Since then, I’ve become obsessed with including avocado, seeds, sprouts, hummus and beets in everything. Dried cranberries and raisins are also popular favorites that I typically throw into the mix. I know you are supposed to slowly reintroduce foods back into your diet after a cleanse but I was pretty hungry and just went all in. 
I made stringy chicken by boiling and shredding it in chicken broth. I find that since chicken breasts are often larger than the recommended 4 ounce serving, shredding chicken like in my crockpot salsa chicken, tends to enable me to make more meals out of it. To be honest, the chicken was frozen and I didn’t feel like waiting for it to completely unthaw and this option seems the best. I hate defrosting in microwaves.
The greens consisted of green leaf lettuce, sprouts, beets, raw pepitas seeds, avocado, cucumber and sliced sweet onion topped with Lighthouse Balsamic Vinaigrette. I also added a little hummus and nutritional yeast for added flavor. 
These new additions help create a powerhouse of nutrients. I obviously added chicken for extra protein but if you are vegan, the avocado, pepitas and sprouts contain protein as well as heart healthy fatty acids. The hummus adds a little protein as well! The beets aid in helping the liver detoxify your system. All the ingredients are rich in vitamins A, B, C, K as well as folate and anti inflammatory antioxidants. Have you spiced up your salads lately?
Hi Sarah,
I recently came across this Pinterest idea and it has been great since I am on the go a lot and don’t have a lot of time to whip a salad in 5 minutes. I have ate more salads than I have in months due to this and waste less produce since everything stays so fresh in the mason jar! 🙂 Thought I would share with you:
http://www.greenplaterule.com/recipes/mason-jar-salads/
Hey Sarah,
A trick to defrosting without having to wait as long (or use the microwave) is to put whatever you want to defrost into a sealed plastic bag with as little air as possible and put it under running water. I can usually defrost an entire chicken breast in 20 minutes or so.
Thanks for all the updates, I’ve learned and continue to learn tons from you.
Jon
I also have a question: I kinda hate salads. When I’m eating a meal, I usually want something hot and eating a bowl of lettuce usually just makes me feel gross afterwards. Do you have any alternative lunch foods I could eat and still maintain healthiness? Bonus Followup question: Do you know any places around Brookline that have healthy lunch choices?
Thanks!!
I saw in an older post that you used Balsamic glaze as dressing. I didn’t know where to buy it so I made some. Very easy, just a smelly process as the vinegar reduces. Anyway, it’s delicious- one of the best salad dressings I’ve tried, fat free and I’m guessing low calorie. Thanks for the idea!
Aside from the beets (yick) that salad looks tastilicious.
Great salad!! Love that I have come to the same realization as you, salads aren’t all about the lettuce anymore. I enjoy playing with all kinds of fun ingredients from sunflower seeds and tuna to shredded chicken, guac, and black beans for a great paleo homemade burrito bowl.
yum, this salad looks delicious!
xo, jin
Avocado is definitely the best in salads! It instantly makes any salad (or anything for that matter) amazing!
Sarah this looks amazing! I love adding different textures, colours and flavours to my salad! one of my personal favs is this one i made a few months ago.. try it out its amazing i promise 🙂 http://healthnutnutrition.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/the-big-buddha-salad/
I LOVE Life Alive, and have been addicted since I first discovered it about a year and a half ago. Now that I live in Central Square, I’m tempted to go every day but instead I make my own Life Alive-esque meals at home. My favorite? There warm bowls (especially the Swami) which is so fun & easy to make at home. Sometimes I go there for the environment and an extra treat though 🙂
I love your posts that include fun/hip/healthy restaurants to try! Being a fellow bostonian and huge foodie I get excited when I come across these places I have yet to discover