Salad might just be some veggies atop a bed of greens, but fit guru Rachel Dashae has turned that easy meal into the central component of her model diet plan. Here’s how to make the best salad of your life, and the rest of her secret model eating tips, revealed.
What are your top ways to avoid over eating?
The best idea is to always to put the right amount of food on your plate and no more. Sometimes when I cook, I’ll make my plate and put in the oven and put all of my leftovers away before I even sit down to eat. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Also portioning a plate out in your head before you eat. When I’m out to eat I’ll say, “I’m gonna eat half of my meal and nothing more”. It just means you’ll also have leftovers, who doesn’t like eating something delicious twice?
What’s in your grocery basket?
Essentials! Spring salad mix, a bag of avocados, cherry tomatoes, one treat (vegan ice cream: YUM), seasonal fruit and always one simple meal “plan.” I usually go with some sort of organic veggie burger, vegan mac and cheese, or rice and beans.
What are your favorite ways to eat healthy?
My favorite thing to do is to eat everything in salads! It might seem silly, but it is a fun way to get all your nutrients and your raw food intake. You can skip the bread on any type of sandwich and throw all the ingredients on a bed of salad instead.
I also love being adventurous with herbs and spices. Raw food doesn’t do it for some people, and I blame bad preparation. Mint, fresh basil, or cilantro can go a long way in adding a little flair to a basic salad. I also like to add seeds and dried herbs to dressing.
What’s a desert that’s actually not bad to eat?
The simple answer is fruit! But when you have a horrible chocolate craving; fruit is the last thing you want. I always keep a bar of dark chocolate in my house. If that’s not doing it for you, I love coconut based ice cream. I went through a paleo diet a few years ago and I discovered Luna and Larry’s Organic coconut based ice cream. And it’s seriously amazing. I usually put a scoop in a bowl with fruit, and even crumble up a little bit of my dark chocolate bar.
Which fresh summer eats are you currently obsessed with?
Summer strawberries! I’ll even have a few with a little maple syrup drizzled on top.