Lunch salads need not be boring. Experiment with these tastier, lighter combinations, including Spinach Salad with Sardines and Crispy Prosciutto, Made-over Waldorf Salad, and Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds.

Make over the classic salad with our swaps and healthy additions. You can make your own delicious dressing with low-fat buttermilk, or lighten the richer salad-bar version by adding a dash of lemon juice or vinegar.

Make a big batch of this healthy salad at the beginning of the week to save you time when things get busy. Prep and refrigerate the beet slaw first, and then add greens, avocado, and seeds just before eating.

Sardines go sophisticated, and add enough heft to call this bright and balanced salad a full meal. Lightly baked strips of prosciutto play beautifully off of tart lemon zest and sweet golden raisins.

Pile your plate with healthy dark, leafy greens for a tasty salad with detox cred. Kale, which boasts a cool 45 flavonoids (plant pigments that promote antioxidant activity in the body), helps lower cholesterol as effectively as some prescription drugs.

A vegetable peeler is the only tool you need to create this unique salad. Celery root has an earthy, mellow charm (somewhere between celery and parsley) but fennel would work nicely here, too.

No melted-butter baths here. Instead, succulent sweet lobster is tossed with Ruby Red grapefruit dressing, a pleasingly tart counterpoint with a hint of mint.

Quinoa, which is used like a grain but is really a seed, is packed with protein. Try making it in this quick salad filled with vegetables and nuts.

We used chicken breast and turkey bacon for a leaner version of this popular salad. If you prefer, you can use roasted turkey breast instead of poached chicken.

Give this detoxifying bean salad a kick with jalepenos.

Raw kale salads may be in the spotlight these days, but Swiss chard is the next star green. The earthy leaves can stand up to the pungent Caesar trinity: anchovies, garlic, and Parmesan.

Choosing clean seafood is a great way to minimize the amount of toxins (like mercury) you take in. Wild-caught Pacific sardines, rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12, are one of the greenest fish choices you can make.

This colorful salad features nicoise olives, which have an appealing nuttiness that complements peppery arugula.

Poached chicken is only as flavorful as the broth it's cooked in. Fortify your poaching liquid with leftover vegetable scraps, like onion peels and parsley stems.

Add the delicate flavor of peas to a whole-grain farro salad for a satisfying lunch.

Tofu can be magically versatile -- or woefully bland. To make the most of its taste-absorbing talents, put it on the plate first, drizzle it with dressing, then add your other ingredients. Mix right before eating.

The secret to crispy croutons is tearing the bread -- the nooks and crannies absorb more olive oil than evenly sliced pieces. (Of course, the real challenge is not devouring the whole batch when they're warm and fresh out of the oven.)

Add corn and pumpkin seeds to protein-rich quinoa for a healthy lunchtime salad.

A mixture of almonds, feta, and oregano adds a sweet, salty, aromatic finish to this crisp, tangy salad that you can prep in just 10 minutes.

Chickpeas and feta take care of the protein requirement, olive oil brings good fats, and whole-wheat couscous and broccoli make up the healthy carbohydrates in this salad that can be made ahead of time.

Avocados in a seafood salad help the body to absorb the beta-carotene in crispy endive leaves.

Thin golden beets and basil come together in this fresh, light salad.

Looking for a hearty salad? Try this summertime meal made with Italian country bread.

Chopped up in a salad, avocado adds a creamy texture without the saturated fat of cheese or dairy-based dressings.

Chopped coarsely and dressed in a vinaigrette full of chives snipped from the herb garden, the most common vegetables (Boston lettuce, celery, and cucumber) make a delicious, fresh salad.

Loaded with slow-digesting veggies and a protein-packed egg, this make-ahead salad makes the perfect lunch. The avocado and olive-oil-based dressing deliver enough healthy fats to make you feel full. If you want to add more good carbs, pair the salad with a whole-grain roll or a piece of fruit. 

A garlicky fava-bean salad brings together the abundant protein and fiber in beans and a slew of antioxidants from corn, cucumber, garlic, and parsley.

Parsley spruces up this side salad of protein-rich quinoa and crunchy green beans.

Golden raisins, parsley leaves, and ruby-red pomegranate seeds add color to this fiber-rich bulgur salad.

Consider adding a small handful of edible flowers to this light salad as a beautiful (and tasty) garnish.

Cold-pressed sunflower oil is available at some health food and import stores. It has a deep, nutty flavor and provides vitamin E.

For a tastier and healthier side dish, try this fresh spin on an old standby at your next summer outing.

A surprisingly good source of vitamin C, raw parsnips have slightly more of the antioxidant than their cooked counterparts.

Our rice salad, which can be served chilled or at room temperature, includes three types of the grain -- wild, brown, and brown basmati -- as well as tomatoes, cucumber, celery, onion, and peppers. Any combination of rice or commercial blend of rice would work well in this recipe.

Our version of three-bean salad, a perennial picnic favorite, is made by tossing haricots verts, kidney beans, and cannellini with a tangy honey-mustard vinaigrette.

Serve this rich, zesty combo as a warm salad or over pasta for an even heartier dish.

Salads don't get much more colorful than this one, which features yellow and red baby beets and sugar snap peas lightly tossed in vinaigrette.

The salad-bar standby perks up with the addition of peppery arugula and chopped roasted red pepper.

Try this fun, easy way to eat a detoxifying avocado salad.

Poached shrimp, honeydew, and jicama result in a refreshing salad. Tangy lemon, salty fish sauce, and black pepper form the dressing for this refreshing dish.

Top fresh herbs and vegetables with an irresistible avocado-buttermilk dressing.

Maple syrup heightens the sweetness of the pumpkin, while red-pepper flakes give this salad a kick.

Use up chicken leftovers by adjusting the quantity of the ingredients depending on what you have, the flavors you like, and the number you're serving.

Enjoy this heart-healthy recipe for lunch. Tuna is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which may protect against heart disease, high blood pressure, and many cancers. Capers bring Mediterranean flair -- and antioxidants -- to this dish.

Section citrus (and any other juicy fruits) over a bowl or parchment paper and return the juices that collect to the recipe in some way. Here, the tangerine juices become an ingredient in the vinaigrette.

Toss together tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and feta cheese for a healthy, Mediterranean-inspired dish.

The low-calorie green provides an excellent source of both vitamins A (as beta-carotene) and C, along with a decent amount of fiber. Use it in a salad with Gouda, pear, and walnuts for a satisfying midday meal.

Nutty, high-fiber barley becomes even more compelling with the addition of sweet figs and chicken.

This recipe uses 8 to 10 cups of greens. Experiment with different varieties of chicory, such as endive, radicchio, and escarole.

This salad's diverse grains complement one another quite nicely, although you can make it with any combination you prefer.

Earthy-flavored, chewy wheat berries are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and disease-fighting compounds called lignans.

Upgrade your Greek salad by using a cheese sparingly. Your salad's chief protein source should be lean meat or beans, like chickpeas. Think of the cheese as a little something extra.

This salad features madras curry powder, a blend of spices that includes turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon -- all of which are antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and detoxifiers. Use organic chicken whenever possible to reduce your intake of toxins.

Avocado and walnut oil (or olive oil) make the dressing for this salad, a refreshing mix of crispy apples, kale, and walnuts.

This dish benefits the eyes: The spinach, corn, and avocado all deliver on either lutein or zeaxanthin, or both. Other antioxidants present include vitamin E (almonds), selenium (chicken), and catechins (grapes).

Combine some of fall's best flavors with this good-for-you salad.

Poached shrimp, honeydew, and jicama result in a refreshing salad. Tangy lemon, salty fish sauce, and black pepper form the dressing for this refreshing dish.

It's easy to go green with herb-heavy pestos, but what about other colorful produce? This raw carrot and pistachio blend was an instant hit in the Whole Living test kitchen. You could also thin it with lemon juice and olive oil and use as a salad dressing.

When grilled, marinated bell peppers and onions caramelize into juicy, sweet vegetables.

Combine whole-wheat orzo with pesto, avocado, and broccoli for a healthy lunch.

The sweetness of the lobster and tomatoes is balanced by a light but flavorful lemon-orange dressing. Tarragon adds a fresh zing.

Steaming these vegetables for a few minutes renders them more digestible ( “the body works harder to break down raw foods”) without ruining crunch. With their anti-inflammatory and healing properties, the fresh herbs in the dressing lend an additional cooling boost and also can help with digestion.

Top shaved summer squash with fresh ricotta for a healthy summer salad.

This salad features Madras curry powder, a blend of spices that includes turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon -- all of which are antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and detoxifiers. Use organic chicken whenever possible to reduce your intake of toxins.

The combination of fresh seafood with fennel, capers, and tomatoes is typical of Sicilian dishes.

Try this nutty salad over greens for a light meal.

Bean salad, that summer-picnic mainstay, becomes an elegant entree when tossed with whole-grain pasta.

We suggest you BYOS: Bring your own sardines. Or anchovies. Or canned salmon. Some tinned fish are a healthy treasure -- low in mercury and full of protein -- and they're a cinch to tote to work.

In this classic French dish, components are typically kept separate, not tossed together. But you can still mix it up with delicate ingredients. Simply put bulkier items at the bottom of your bowl, and layer lighter ones on top.

Tear a toasted pita into pieces and toss with red kidney beans, feta, and cucumber in this tasty salad.

Made with the staples of carrots, watercress, cashews, and orage, this salad is easy to make any time of the year.

When you're too tired to cook, this recipe comes to the rescue. Add ready-to-go bagged arugula and drained canned tuna to boiled pasta, top with coarsely chopped parsley and a bit of olive oil, and you're ready to eat.

This spring dish combines both green and white asparagus.

Protein-rich freekeh, young wheat berries that have been sun-dried and roasted, can stand in for brown rice, barley, or couscous in recipes.

Delicata squash is tossed with kale, cranberry beans, and a tangy balsamic dressing. Compounds in kale prompt the liver to release enzymes that may fight cancer.

Soy provides as complete a protein as steak, without the saturated fat. What's more, research shows that genistein, an active compound found in soy, may promote weight loss as it inhibits the body's growth of fat cells.

This simple salad is juicy and refreshing, especially on a hot summer day.

Tomatoes are roasted and then layered with the other traditional ingredients of a caprese salad -- mozzarella and basil -- over mushrooms.

Sweet, meaty beets would overpower most light, raw vegetables, but celery, lentils, and blue cheese are up to the challenge. Nuts are also welcome: Just about any kind will work, from walnuts to toasted pecans and hazelnuts.

Tender, nutty quinoa makes for a hearty hash when pressed with vegetables. Top each helping with a poached egg and you've got brunch.

Chop roasted beets to use in this colorful, flavorful salad.

This mixed salad combines cherry tomatoes, two kinds of greens, four additional vegetables, and omega-3-rich tuna. The olive oil from the jarred tuna infuses the dish with flavor.

Enjoy this crisp, refreshing slaw on its own or pair it with a hearty main course. The mellow flavor of the raw fennel balances beautifully with the radishes' spicy bite. Nutty Parmesan brings it all together.

Chicories tend to be strong and bitter tasting. You typically find them sauteed or wilted, but it's best to eat them raw, tossed with a warm, slightly sweet vinaigrette and crisp apples.

Change up this recipe by using half olive oil and half walnut oil, and top the beets with tossed walnuts. You can also use a mixture of beets such as Chioggia, golden, and red.

A twist on the traditional turkey companion, this dish uses farro (also known as emmer wheat), a popular Italian whole grain with a nutty taste that's making its way into American kitchens. You can typically find it in speciality stores.

When using raw kohlrabi in a salad, it's important to use a mandoline to slice it wafer-thin. This allows you to make the most of its delicate, crunchy texture. The dressing's creamy roasted garlic is an ideal counterpart to the crisp kohlrabi.

Flaxseed oil is high in heart-healthy omega-3 fats. Better yet, its rich, nutty taste brings out the sweet, tart flavor of apples and cranberries.

Grains make a salad more substantial. They also continue to absorb moisture as they sit, so if you've made the salad in advance, you might need to add more dressing or lemon juice to perk it up when serving.

Making your own yogurt cheese is easier than you may think; all it takes is a little time. It will be ready in three hours, or you can make it before you go to bed and let it drain overnight.

Fennel and blood orange are a perfect combination -- balanced with spinach leaves, this salad makes a bright lunchtime meal.

Be sure to use crisp apples with a tart edge, such as Empire or Winesap, for this salad.

You can swap any fall veggie -- brussels sprouts, turnips, or cabbage -- into this warm salad. Just make sure you cut everything to about the same size for even roasting. Don't skip the celery leaves: they may seem delicate, but they pack a lot of flavor.

Roasted cauliflower florets are the crunchy centerpiece of this salad, which is dressed with a sprightly vinaigrette.

This salad, filled with purifying fruits and vegetables, powers both the body and mind.

Lettuce leaves, chopped tomato, and slices of avocado give a dose of fiber to this Mexican-inspired twist on shrimp cocktail.

A main course and a salad in one: polenta, arugula, and portobellos with a warm balsamic sauce.

This quinoa salad can be made in advance and served at room temperature.

A study in contrasts, this dish has both crunchy and smooth textures, as well as hot and cool flavors.

In this dish, tofu shows its smoky side and grilled shrimp takes on the spicy and sweet flavors of honey, ginger, and chili paste.

Sprouting your grains may make them easier to digest and increase their nutritional benefits.

This cold salad with soft soba noodles and creamy tofu and avocado gets crunch from sesame seeds.