I know that I’m supposed to be eating more dark, leafy greens but green salads seem so boring. What can I add to my salad to make it more appealing?

The only limits to exciting green salads are limits of the imagination. Enhance the eye appeal, flavor and nutrition of a green salad by adding colorful fruits and vegetables. Keep it light by limiting the amount of salad dressing to about 1 tablespoon per 1 1/2 to 2 cups of greens. Then make the flavor really pop by adding some of the following ingredients. You can either put them on top or mix them in with your salad.

While some of these salad additions are higher in fat than others, just small amounts (about 1 tablespoon) can give extra flavor without too many calories. Also, many provide a nutrition boost. Add from one to three of these flavor accents, depending on how many other ingredients are in your salad.

• Sliced marinated artichoke hearts.
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
• Whole grain croutons.
• Dried fruit — cherries, cranberries, raisins.
• Freshly chopped herbs — basil, chives, dill, parsley. Start with about one teaspoon of herbs per person and adjust according to taste preference.
• Fresh fruit — apples and pears. Slice apples with their skins into salads. The skin adds eye appeal and important dietary fiber. Some commonly available apples that may be especially tasty in salads include Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Red Delicious and Winesap.
• Pitted olives — black or green. Experiment with different types for different flavors. For example, many people enjoy the rich flavor of kalamata olives. The easiest method to pit olives is with a cherry pitter. A second method is to use a rolling pin and lightly roll over the olives to loosen the pits then pick out the pits.
• Nuts — toasted almonds and walnuts. Though almonds are a source of fat and calories, they contain mostly unsaturated fat that may help protect against heart disease. They also provide vitamin E, a nutrient that may be good for your heart. Almonds have about 7 calories apiece. Likewise, the fat in walnuts is mostly unsaturated. Walnuts also provide heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A tablespoon or two of walnuts adds just 50 to 100 calories to a meal.
• Red onions.
• Oranges — navel and mandarin.
• Toasted sunflower seeds. Add some vitamin E by tossing a tablespoon of sunflower seeds per serving into salads. One tablespoon provides about 50 calories and mostly unsaturated fat.
• Radishes.

How do you toast nuts and sunflower seeds?

They can be toasted in the oven or on the stove top.

• Oven method. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts before chopping them into smaller pieces. Almonds may be toasted whole, sliced or slivered.

Place nuts or seeds in a single layer on an ungreased shallow pan or rimmed baking sheet such as a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Do not use a baking sheet without sides. You may have nuts or seeds all over the oven if you accidentally tip the sheet when removing it from the oven. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until they are golden brown. A toasted nut or seed may look more golden than brown. They will continue to brown slightly after they’re removed from the oven. Stir once or twice or shake the pan during toasting to aid in even browning. Sliced and slivered almonds will toast faster than whole almonds. Remove from pan to cool. The first time you try toasting nuts or seeds, it’s better to error on the side of under-toasting than over-toasting. As nuts and seeds toast, you’ll notice a change in their fragrance as well as their color.

• Stove top toasting. Stove top toasting works well for small batches of nuts. With this method, the parts of the nuts or seeds touching the skillet may become darkest, unlike the oven method where the nuts and seeds become more of an overall golden color. Toast walnuts before chopping them into smaller pieces. Almonds may be toasted whole, slivered or sliced. Heat nuts or seeds in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until they’re golden brown and they give off a rich, toasty fragrance. Watch closely when using this method because it’s easy to burn them. Whole almonds will take longer than slivered or sliced forms. Stir or toss nuts or seeds frequently for even toasting. Remove from pan to cool. Store nuts and seeds in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 1 to 2 weeks for best quality.

How can I make my own whole wheat croutons?

Select any whole grain bread. Use olive oil, olive oil flavored cooking spray or garlic flavored cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If using olive oil, lightly brush top side of bread with olive oil. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes and spread in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet.

If using a cooking spray, cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes and spread in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Spray bread cubes lightly with cooking spray. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 10 minutes or until brown and crisp.