Salad addition ideas?

thelittlewittyshop

Are you bored with your salad of greens, cukes and tomatoes??? I love salads, but they don't have alot of protein and are very low in calories, so I have started adding roasted veggies in mine and what a difference. You use less dressing bc the veggies are so flavorful. I LOVE roasted sweet potatoes in tiny chunks! Just put veggies you love (similar in size) on a roasting tray and drizzle with a little olive oil and salt and pepper and roast in 425 degree oven for 30 minutes..then, add to your salad and enjoy! Anybody else have other yummies we can add while keeping it low in calories?

nossmf

I enjoy slivered almonds and salted sunflower seeds for a little crunch and protein.

AnnPT77

I like nuts/seeds, too; and use those with just vinegar rather than adding oil. Dry-roasted soybeans are good, too, and protein dense.

Roasted veggies are great. It's maybe a texture issue for some, but I like roasted eggplant, too. Roasted sweet corn is great (I roast it on the cob, then cut it off), or roasted sweet red peppers. (The peppers usually are blackened over a flame, then peeled.)

Beans, especially black beans.

Jicama, celeriac, kohlrabi in thin slices or matchsticks for extra crunch.

Dried cherries or cranberries in reasonable portions. Sometimes fresh fruit like citrus, pears.

Hobartlemagne

Toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

mjbnj0001

I Just made an "empty-the-fridge" version of a "cowboy caviar" salad this evening. Assortment of on-hand veggies (tonight: cukes, bell peppers, scallions, tomatoes, celery), corn kernels, beans (tonight: chick peas and black beans), herbs and spices in a vinaigrette dressing. Lots of recipe variants found online. Protein and veg together, about 1/2 beans and 1/2 diced veg by volume. Tasty and satisfying.

AuroraUwU0

I also love adding a bit of fruit. Mangoe, apple, tangerine or strawberry will make any salad pop with flavor.

Athijade

A little bit of a very flavorful cheese like feta or blue cheese. You don't need a lot so it doesn't impact calories too much.

I am also a fan of roasted sweet potatoes.

Hobartlemagne

Cotija is great as a seasoning cheese. I think of it as Mexican feta. Its very strong flavored.

acpgee

Smoked chicken thinly sliced. I like pairing anything salty such as smoked chicken, smoked salmon, blue cheese, feta with something sweet such as halved grapes (same mouth feel as peeled grapes), sliced pears, peaches or berries. Salad pictured contains feta, candied nuts and halved grapes.

Ronnie_happy2ranch

Tuna and chickpeas

R_Bedard

I love a strawberry salad! Spinach topped with sliced strawberries and whatever nut mix I have (Usually has almonds, cashews, cranberries, yogurt chips) and raspberry vinegarette dressing. I have also done it with raspberries and blueberries instead of strawberries and it is delightful too!

ammajay916

Yum! You have Lots of good ideas already. I will sometimes add just a Tbsp of French-fried onions. Counterintuitive, I know. But you don’t need very much at all and it adds a lot of flavor and a satisfying crunch. Really nice

ericanahnahnah

I tend to go for salty tart sweet and textures. My favorite add ins are pepitas, apples, dried cherries and blue cheese with a vinegarette or goat (or feta) cheese, apricots and sunflower seeds with a balsamic honey dressing. We also found fried garlic at our Asian Market and it definitely changes the flavor profile and adds some crunch. Also Everything Bagel Seasoning is magic on salad.
You only need a tablespoon or two of dried fruits, nuts and seeds and cheese so those add ins are alot of oomph for the calories and are my go tos. But I do love a roasted veggie salad.

mmfromkc

I often eat salads as my main lunch meal. I add protein like leftover chicken (shredded, chopped), steak, or hard boiled eggs or whatever extra protein I made the night before. I often add quinoa too. Almost always sprinkle with pepitas for some good texture!

mkksemail

thelittlewittyshop wrote: »

Are you bored with your salad of greens, cukes and tomatoes??? I love salads, but they don't have alot of protein and are very low in calories, so I have started adding roasted veggies in mine and what a difference. You use less dressing bc the veggies are so flavorful. I LOVE roasted sweet potatoes in tiny chunks! Just put veggies you love (similar in size) on a roasting tray and drizzle with a little olive oil and salt and pepper and roast in 425 degree oven for 30 minutes..then, add to your salad and enjoy! Anybody else have other yummies we can add while keeping it low in calories?

LOVE this! I really do not like raw veg very much, but lovve roasted veg! What a great idea.

PS - roasted veg also are great add-ins, along with cooked protein, to homemade soup. 💡

MinTheKitCat

I've been enjoying adding some marinated cukes + extras lately.
Marinade: rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, chili crisp. Might add some peanut butter at some point.
Extras: green onions, sliced garlic, peanuts (honey roasted are especially yummy), edamame, sliced or chunked celery.

Gonna try some mushrooms nexts 😋