A great salad is about so much more than iceberg lettuce, some limp carrots and a drizzle of dressing. With these robust yet healthy alternative recipes, you'll feel sated for hours thanks to varied ingredients that provide a formidable combination of protein, fiber, nutrients and vitamins. Update your shopping list with the components of these three filling, fresh lunch or dinner salads.

Barbecue Cauliflower Salad

This Mexican-inspired vegan option packs plenty of veggies, not to mention a solid dose of flavor. Use the following recipe to throw together a quick lunch for two:

Chop the cauliflower into florets, then bake in a 350-degree oven for five to seven minutes. Take out the florets, brush them with BBQ sauce and bake for about two more minutes. Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl and top with the dressing of your choice. We prefer ranch, but look for a cashew-based version if you want to keep this recipe free of animal products.

Chicken Salad With Tortellini and Arugula

This simple spring salad uses a combination of pre-made and fresh ingredients to land on your table in just 20 minutes. For four servings, you'll need:

Cook the tortellini according to package directions, then mix with the shredded chicken in a large bowl. Next, mash the chopped garlic together with the salt to form a paste in a smaller bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and black pepper, whisking to combine into a dressing.

Add the dressing to the bowl with the chicken and tortellini, then toss to coat. Fold in arugula and shallots, then top with shaved Parmesan before serving.

Superfood Quinoa and Chickpea Salad

This summer salad contains ample amounts of disease-fighting antioxidants. The following recipe makes four large servings:

Rinse the quinoa in warm water, then combine with bulgur wheat in a medium saucepan. Add a cup of cold water, then bring the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to a lower simmer and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 15 minutes, then let sit with the lid on and the heat off for an extra 10 minutes.

While your grains cook, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and add a layer of chopped scallions. Toss with 2 T olive oil and 1/4 tsp. each of black pepper and salt. Roast the mixture until a light char forms on the onions, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Puree the charred scallions with the rest of the salt and pepper, the Dijon mustard, and the lemon juice then slowly add the rest of the olive oil and blend in the food processor until smooth.

Toss the dressing with the finished grains in a large bowl. Add the remaining salad ingredients and toss to combine. Serve this filling grain salad at room temperature or even straight from the fridge.

Take meals in your home to the next level with these three innovative, nutritious salad recipes.

It's easy to see why cold brew coffee is all the rage. Its smooth, low-acid taste makes it infinitely drinkable. Although there are several styles of cold brew coffee makers on the market, you don't need any fancy equipment to make it at home. One of the easiest ways to make it is in a french press, but you can also use a mason jar, large measuring cup, or pitcher, as long as you're willing to strain out the spent coffee grounds or tea leaves afterward.

Classic Cold Brew Coffee

The basic ratio for making cold brew coffee concentrate is 1:2, meaning one part coarse ground coffee to two parts fresh, filtered, room temperature water. So, if you're using a one-quart mason jar, for example, aim for 1.5 cups of coffee grounds and three cups of water. All you need to do is add the grounds and water to the jar or pitcher, shake or stir, and let sit overnight (at least 12 hours). At the end of the steeping time, filter the mixture, save the liquid, and toss the grounds. (Do you see how a French press would make this part easier?) What you have now is cold brew concentrate, ready to be mixed with water or milk and served over ice.

Frozen Cafe Mocha

Have you ever made frozen hot chocolate? It's basically a smoothie made with milk and hot chocolate mix. If you have some hot chocolate mix on hand, toss it in a blender with milk and cold brew coffee concentrate for the ultimate chocolatey treat. If you don't have a blender, you can also mix it up with a whisk and serve over ice. A dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup make this the perfect cold dessert on a hot summer night.

Cold Brew Mojito Iced Tea

Cold brewing is the perfect process for iced tea because the result is so smooth, without the bitterness of heat-extracted black tea. The extra time it takes is well worth it, especially for this refreshing mocktail. For each cup of cold water, use one bag (or one teaspoon, if looseleaf) of black tea, a pinch of lime zest, and one or two mint leaves. Steep for 8-12 hours, strain, and add sugar if desired. If you don't have fresh limes to make zest, add a squirt of lime juice (to taste) just before serving.

Dirty Iced Chai

If you like chai, but also coffee, you will probably enjoy a dirty chai. It may not sound delicious, but it is. It's also super simple to make. All you do is add a shot of espresso or a serving of cold brew concentrate to a serving of iced chai. If you don't have any chai concentrate on hand, you can make that with the cold brew method, too. Measure out of two tablespoons of looseleaf chai (or use an equal amount of chai teabags) and combine it with one quart of water. Brew overnight, strain, and then mix 2:1 with your preferred milk. To make it dirty, add a serving of undiluted cold brew coffee concentrate.

So, you want to cut back on gluten, like what you find in wheat, barley, and rye, or on grains in general. Whatever your reasons for wanting to change your eating habits, you may be wondering what's left when you remove bread, pasta, pancakes, crackers, and all those other delicious grain-based foods. You may even think that you need to purchase expensive gluten-free versions of those foods. Well, you can buy gluten-free substitutes if you want to, but it's not necessary! Here are five delicious foods that do not contain gluten.

Spiralized Veggies

If you don't have a fancy machine to cut your veggies into spiral shapes, you can use a vegetable peeler to get the same effect. Although zucchini is the most popular vegetable to use this way, carrots also work well. All you do is cut your preferred veggie into long, thin strips, cook briefly in boiling water, and top with your favorite pasta sauce.

Corn Tortillas/Tortilla Chips

You may not have thought of this, but corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free, and so are the wonderfully crunchy chips that are made from them. So, although you may have to rethink your PB&J, taco night is here to stay. The same goes for enchilada night, tamale night, and huevos rancheros night, as long as you remember to use corn tortillas, not flour.

Cauliflower Rice

Cauliflower has no gluten and is a healthy vegetable in the brassica family. Once you've processed a head of cauliflower in a food processor and steamed it for a few minutes, it's ready to be served as a rice alternative or combined with cheese and eggs to form a delectable pizza crust. Regular rice is gluten-free, too, but the reason cauliflower rice made this list is that it's super versatile and less calorie-dense than rice.

Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

You may be going gluten-free to be healthier, but even healthy eaters want a sweet treat now and then. That's why these last two items are decadent, gluten-free desserts. To make gluten-free peanut butter cookies, all you need is a cup of peanut butter, a cup of sugar, and an egg. You beat the three ingredients together, roll small scoopfuls into balls, place them on a baking sheet, and use a fork to add those cute little criss-cross lines to the tops. Then bake in a medium oven (around 350 degrees) for about 10 minutes. That's it!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake only has three ingredients: a pound of chocolate, eight eggs, and two sticks of butter. Beat the eggs in a stand mixer until frothy and doubled in volume. In a separate bowl (in the microwave or double boiler), melt the butter and chocolate together. Gently fold the eggs into the melted butter/chocolate mixture, a little at a time. The trickiest part about this recipe is the actual baking part: the best way to do it is to bake your cake in a springform pan in a water bath. First, wrap the outside of your springform pan in a couple of layers of aluminum foil, and then place the whole thing inside another pan containing some hot water. Bake for about 25 minutes at 325 degrees.

As you can see, going gluten-free doesn't mean giving up all of your favorite foods. It also doesn't have to mean expensive grocery runs! With a few tweaks here and there, you can eat gluten-free and not feel like you're missing out at all.