June 24, 2025

347: Why Your Salads Are Boring (And 5 Plant Based Secrets That Fix Everything)

Send us a text Okay, real talk - if you find yourself thinking "I know I need to eat more greens, but salads are boring," this episode is about to change your life! We get it - we used to be the "I ate my side salad with ranch" people too. We literally thought that was what salads were supposed to be, so no wonder we weren't excited about eating our greens! But here's the thing - when you're trying to lower cholesterol naturally, lose weight and keep it off, escape low energy, and fin...

Send us a text

Okay, real talk - if you find yourself thinking "I know I need to eat more greens, but salads are boring," this episode is about to change your life!

We get it - we used to be the "I ate my side salad with ranch" people too. We literally thought that was what salads were supposed to be, so no wonder we weren't excited about eating our greens!

But here's the thing - when you're trying to lower cholesterol naturally, lose weight and keep it off, escape low energy, and finally feel good so you can fully enjoy life - eating more whole plants isn't optional.

And the key? Learning the way to make it enjoyable and doable with real life so you'll actually stick with it long-term.

Here's what we're sharing with you today:

Why your "light" salad leaves you reaching for snacks an hour later (and how to fix it)
The store-bought dressing trap that's keeping your salads bland (plus our 5-minute homemade solutions)
How to get that satisfying crunch without the unhealthy additives that are keeping you stuck in health struggles
Why you're in an ingredient rut and how to break free with the flavor inspiration that changes everything!

This episode is perfect if:

You're tired of forcing down boring salads in the hopes of "getting healthy"
You want meals that actually satisfy you for hours
You're ready to ditch those mystery-ingredient dressings that don't even taste good
You want to feel excited about healthy food instead of deprived

We're sharing the 5 exact strategies we use in our own kitchen every single day - the same methods we teach our Alumni who've gone from salad-avoiders to people who genuinely smile when they eat their greens.

These aren't complicated chef tricks. They're the simple, sustainable changes that will have you actually looking forward to your next salad.

Ready to transform what you think about salads? Let's dive in!

💃🏻 Ready to learn how to actually enjoy eating whole plant foods so you can finally feel great and fully experience life? Inside Accelerator, we'll take you by the hand & walk you step-by-step through our proven 5-Step WFPB Framework so you can heal naturally & actively live your God-given dreams. Join the Waitlist Here... the Doors are Opening Soon!

🎁 Not yet a member of our FREE plant-based community, PIE? Once you're on the inside, every single podcast episode becomes searchable for you. 😲 Join the family to gain the plant-based encouragement, real health-changing ideas, and sustainable plant-based inspiration you've been praying for! 💕

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00:00 - Welcome to Power on Plants

02:50 - Strategy 1: Make Salads Filling

04:34 - Strategy 2: Homemade Dressings

06:22 - Strategy 3: Keep the Crunch

08:00 - Strategy 4: Global Flavor Inspirations

09:28 - Strategy 5: Eat with Your Eyes

12:14 - Recap and Call to Action

WEBVTT

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Well, hey there sunshine.

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Welcome to another episode of Power on Plants, where we're making plant-based living simple, sustainable and absolutely delicious, so you can stop being held back by a body that doesn't feel good and start fully living.

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I'm Anita, a nurse, certified integrative nutrition health coach and your plant-based mentor and friend.

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And I'm Jared, a physician assistant and certified lifestyle medicine professional, and we are so excited you've joined us today because we're tackling one of the most common struggles we hear from our community.

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Oh my goodness.

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Yes, if I had a dollar for every time someone had said to me Anita, I know I need to eat more greens, but salads are boring I'd probably have enough money to buy a lifetime supply of organic kale.

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And you know what?

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I totally get it.

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I used to be that guy who thought a salad was just iceberg lettuce, some carrots sprinkled on top and perhaps a tomato with some ranch dressing drizzled over the top.

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Right.

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And then we wonder why we're not excited about eating our greens.

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But here's the thing salads don't have to be boring.

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In fact, they can be the most exciting, satisfying and nourishing part of your every day.

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It's so true, and today we're going to completely transform how you think about salads.

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We're sharing five simple strategies that will have you actually craving your greens instead of trying to avoid them.

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And these aren't just theories we're sharing.

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These are the exact methods we use in our own kitchen every single day, and the same strategies we teach our alumni, who are now enjoying more and more salads with a smile.

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So grab your favorite notebook, because you're going to want to write these down.

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Let's dive in.

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Hey sister, welcome to the Power on Plants podcast.

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Are you tired of staring into the fridge wondering what to eat so you can just feel better?

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Do you want to avoid spending hours in the kitchen making complicated meals in the name of health?

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Would you love to leave fatigue behind and finally have the energy to do all the things you want to do?

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Hi, we're Jared and Anita Roussel, christ followers, healthcare professionals, parents of four and big fans of great tasting food.

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We, too, tried exercising more, eating natural and clean foods, but we still found ourselves struggling with what we thought were changes that come with age or bad genes, and we weren't finding answers the traditional route.

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So we dug into the research and created our secret nutritional weapon sustainable plant-based living.

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The truth is, you can eat more whole plant foods and it's not hard.

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You just need the way.

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That's realistic and delicious so you never feel deprived.

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If you're ready to enjoy your meals, no longer be held back by your health struggles and actively live your life, then you're in the right place.

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So grab your favorite plant-based cup of happy.

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Then you're in the right place.

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So grab your favorite plant-based cup of happy, pop in those earbuds and let's get started.

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All right, strategy number one and this is huge Make your salads filling with healthy additions.

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Now, I know what some of you might be thinking, but Anita, isn't a salad supposed to be light?

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That's old school thinking.

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Right there, a salad can absolutely be a complete, satisfying meal that keeps you full for hours.

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In fact, I think that's what they should be.

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Exactly, the key is adding what I call stick to your ribs ingredients, those additions that add substance and some healthy fats to your bowl.

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So what are we talking about here?

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Think beans and legumes chickpeas, black beans, lentils, white beans.

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These are food powerhouses that will keep you satisfied.

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You're making me hungry.

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And do not forget about nuts and seeds.

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Consider things like hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and almonds.

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These add that satisfying flavor that your body craves.

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And here's something that might surprise you Cooked grains, quinoa, brown rice, farro these turn your salad into a complete meal.

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I also love adding leftover roasted veggies too Last night's roasted Brussels sprouts or cauliflower, or even potatoes.

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Those make the perfect salad toppers.

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You're getting more bang for your cooking buck when you don't waste your leftovers and also creating happy variety right inside your salad bowl.

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The beauty of this approach is that you're not just eating a salad, you're eating a nutrient-dense, complete meal that happens to have a leafy green base.

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And when you're truly satisfied after eating, you're not going to be reaching for those unhealthy snacks an hour later because your body got the nutrients it needed.

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Strategy number two is all about the dressing, and this one can change everything when it comes to wanting to eat salads.

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Oh my goodness.

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Yes, If you're still buying bottled dressings from the store, we need to have a heart-to-heart conversation.

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There are so many health-sabotaging ingredients in there.

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Now, we're not trying to dressing shame anyone here, but the truth is most store-bought dressings are loaded with oils, preservatives and ingredients you can't even pronounce here.

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But the truth is, most store-bought dressings are loaded with oils, preservatives and ingredients you can't even pronounce.

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And they all taste pretty much the same after a while, don't they?

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That's one of the big reasons your salads feel boring, but when you make your own dressings, you open up a whole world of flavor.

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And it's so much easier than you think.

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Some of our favorite quick dressings start with a base of tahini, cashew cream or even just a little lemon juice and herbs.

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Now, if you're sitting there thinking, okay, y'all this sounds great, but I have no idea where to start with making my own dressings, I've got you covered If you want to know how to make the easiest five-minute dressings that will have you eating salads on repeat, like our incredible Thousand Island, or Better Than Ranch or Blue Cheese.

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Asian Peanut Sauce, chigno Way Sauce, smoky Paprika and Tahini Dressing.

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Head over to poweronplantscom.

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Forward slash cookbook and grab your recipes today.

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Yeah, these aren't just any old dressings.

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These are the exact recipes that transformed how we think about salads, and they'll do the same for you.

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The point here is to stop eating the same old, boring salads on repeat when there are so many amazing options that you'll absolutely love.

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I promise you, the right dressing will change everything for you when it comes to looking forward to eating your greens.

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So don't wait, go grab the cookbooks right now at poweronplantscom.

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Forward slash cookbook.

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I promise, as the official taste tester of the family, your taste buds are going to thank you.

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And that brings us to strategy number three keep the crunch in.

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And yes, I know what some of you might be thinking.

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But, Anita, I'm trying to lose weight and get healthy, so I'm trying to eat less bread and skipping the traditional croutons with all the unhealthy additives.

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Listen, I hear you, but don't skip the crunch completely.

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It's part of what makes a salad really satisfying and enjoyable to eat, right?

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Then how can you get that satisfying crunch without your old favorite croutons?

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Well, that's the perfect question, babe, and there are so many ways.

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One of the possibilities is taking a bit of healthy whole grain bread, toasting it up, cutting it into little cubes, then you just sprinkle a little bit of your salad guilt-free.

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And don't forget about adding nuts and seeds.

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I love adding sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, even pumpkin seeds, to my salad.

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These add incredible crunch and nutrition.

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And those are all amazing options.

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Oh, and here's another favorite Break up a healthy dehydrated cracker, like our delicious flax cracker recipe, right over the top of your salad.

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It's so good.

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Ooh, and even sprouted.

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Dehydrated buckwheat works great for added crunch.

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Now for those of you insider accelerator and alumni programs, be sure to check out the step-by-step in the kitchen videos where we show you exactly how to make these super delicious buckwheat crunchies.

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You'll find it inside module five.

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Now, if you've not yet joined us inside our accelerator coaching program, why not?

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The things we teach you on the inside are going to make all the difference for you.

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It only opens a few times a year, so be sure to get your name on the wait list at powerimplantscom forward slash accelerator so you don't miss out the next time it's open.

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And now for strategy number four, one of my personal favorites mix up your ingredients and think globally.

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This is where you get to be even more creative and adventurous with your salad additions.

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So, instead of thinking salad, start thinking bowl of deliciousness inspired by cuisines from all around the world Exactly.

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Like what if you made a Mexican inspired salad bowl with black beans, corn bell peppers, avocado and our cilantro lime dressing?

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Or you could go Mediterranean, with chickpeas, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes and a balsamic mustard dressing.

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Ooh, that sounds good.

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Or how about an Asian-inspired salad with edamame and shredded cabbage carrots and our Asian peanut sauce?

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The key here is to think about flavor combinations that you already love and translate them into salad form.

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Oh, and don't be afraid to add fruit either.

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Think about how great apples with walnuts or berries with spinach might taste together.

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Those sweet and savory combinations can be absolutely incredible.

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This approach also means you're getting a much wider variety of nutrients, because you're rotating through different ingredients instead of eating the same thing every single day.

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That's right.

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This is super important for your gut health and overall nutrition.

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Variety is truly something that can make all the difference, especially when it comes to plant-based eating the sustainable way.

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And that brings us to our fifth and final strategy Make it visually appealing.

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It really is true that we eat with our eyes first, especially when it comes to salads.

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You are so right.

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Think about it.

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When, instead of a boring plain old side salad, you see a beautiful, colorful salad, Doesn't it just make you want to dive right in?

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Absolutely it does.

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So you want to consider color variety.

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The more colors you have in your salad, the more different nutrients you're getting and the more beautiful and exciting your salad will be to eat.

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Add in things like red bell pepper, orange carrots, yellow corn, green spinach, purple cabbage, tanned chickpeas, orange potatoes.

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This really is like eating the rainbow.

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Also, don't just throw everything together in a bowl.

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Take a minute to arrange your ingredients thoughtfully.

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Maybe put your greens at the base, then arrange your toppings in sections or patterns all around the bowl.

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It sounds fancy, but it literally takes an extra 30 seconds and can make such a difference in how appetizing your salad looks.

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And here's something fun.

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Get your kids involved.

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Let them's something fun.

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Get your kids involved.

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Let them help arrange the colors and make patterns.

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They're much more likely to eat a meal that they helped to create.

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Plus, when you take that extra moment to make your food beautiful, you're actually saying to yourself that you're worth the effort.

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You're prioritizing your number one asset, which is you.

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We're so excited for you to start feeling good so you can not only live a long life, but a life that's alive with possibilities.

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So true.

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Now, before we wrap up, I want to address one more thing.

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Some of you might be thinking this all sounds great, but I don't have time for all this prep work.

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I hear you and I want you to know that you don't have to implement all five strategies at once, and it really doesn't have to take long at all to eat this way.

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Actually, all you need to do is take one of the salad upgrade strategies that we've shared with you today and use it.

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Start with one that resonates with you most.

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So maybe this week you just focus on trying one new dressing recipe, then next week you experiment with adding a new ingredient, like some baked sweet potato cubes, to your usual salad that you don't normally use.

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Just making small, sustainable changes can be the start to lasting health transformation.

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And remember, the goal isn't to make salads complicated, it's to make them exciting and satisfying, so that eating your greens becomes something you actually look forward to.

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Because when you're excited about your food, when it tastes amazing and makes you feel incredible, that's when plant-based living becomes effortless.

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And that is exactly what we want for you the way of eating that supports your health, satisfies your taste buds and fits seamlessly into your real life.

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All right, sunshine, let's do a quick recap of our five strategies for making salads exciting.

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Number one make them filling by adding healthy stick-to-your-rib additions like beans, nuts, seeds and grains.

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And second, change up your dressings using the simple five-minute flavorful homemade options.

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If you're not sure where to start, you can grab our exact recipes at poweronplantscom forward slash cookbook.

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Number three keep the satisfying crunch with healthy options like buckwheat crunchies, dehydrated flax crackers, nuts seeds and more.

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Number four don't get into a rut using the same old ingredients.

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Mix things up and think globally for flavor inspiration.

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And number five make your bowl visually appealing with loads of color.

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Now we want to hear from you which strategy are you most excited to try next?

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Leave a quick podcast review and let us know.

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And when you try any of these strategies, please share a photo of your creation inside our free group at poweronplantscom forward slash pie.

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That's poweronplantscom slash P-I-E.

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We can't wait to hear all about it.

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And until next time, remember you are loved, you are prayed for for and we will see you again very soon.

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Thank you.