Lunch Salad Ideas

ybodwen

Hi everyone!
I'm looking for ideas of filling salads I can have for lunch.
Preferably without meat/chicken/eggs.
Thanks!

SweetChilly

Here's a list of vegetarian salads

http://busycooks.about.com/library/recipes/blmainvegsal.htm

SmugCanucksGal

Good fillers in Salads that i use are Almonds, Hemp-hearts, Raisins, and a little bit of cheese.

nisijam5

spinach, strawberries, sliced almonds, goat cheese & Marie's poppy seed dressing

lettuce, black bean salsa, tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, avocado, sour cream & Marie's chipolte dressing (you can also squeeze lime)....I add chicken in this one

Asil76

Bump

xAdrianax

You could make a nicois salad minus the egg?

I believe its green beans, tuna, olives and capers and add a dressing of your choise!

Green beans always fill me up !

sjcply

this is my salad I have everyday for lunch and I LOVE it!
you can just omit the chicken (although you need some protein in it)

50/50 spring mix and spinach
baby carrots
lite string cheese ( i cut it up small slices)
grilled chicken 4 oz
10 strawberries cut up
2 tblspn of Fat free Raspberry vinaigrette

Its yummy and filling!

ybodwen

Wow thanks for the quick responses!
nisijam- those sound delicious!! Going to try the strawberry one.
canucks- what are hemp hearts?
chilly- going to check those out

Thanks!

drog2323

Good fillers in Salads that i use are Almonds, Hemp-hearts, Raisins, and a little bit of cheese.

also, not sure if Tuna qualifies as "meat". but Tuna is really good in there and I find very filling.

Walnuts are also really tastey in there, cranberries, pumpkin seeds.

I toss in lots of veggies + chard, dandelion greens and lettuce. mix it up a little.

ybodwen

I'm Ok with tuna or salmon (the meatless eggless is mostly cuz I'm a picky eater
Do you do tuna straight from the can or add mayo etc. first?

pinkakira1

bump!

FlipThis112

Mix spinach, romaine lettuce, red peppers, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, sunflower seeds and avocado and top it with a balsamic vinegar reduction. One of my fave combos!

Jeff92se

anyone try cutting up an apple? I find that it adds volume and sweetness to a salad.

drog2323

I'm Ok with tuna or salmon (the meatless eggless is mostly cuz I'm a picky eater
Do you do tuna straight from the can or add mayo etc. first?

i pop it in right from the can. also, warmed up salmon is awesome in a salad.

then for my dressing I use Rice vinegar (no cals) and Extra Virg. Olive Oil (sometime apple cider vinegar).

also, try some beans in there. Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are really good in there and add extra fibre and a little protein (i think).

as others said, avacado, apples and oranges are also really good in there.

melaniecheeks

My salad lunches are rarely the same twice:

I combine

1. Something crunchy (cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, celery)
2. Something fancy (marinated artichokes, mushroom antipasti in a jar)
3. Something with a kick (black olives, capers)
4. Some protein (cheese, tuna, shrimp, chickpeas)

Some freshly squeezed lime juice and some black pepper, and we're done!

jennarandhayes

I made a Mediterranean Zucchini and Artichoke Salad today and served it over spinach with shrimp and a few baby plum tomatoes on top.

Saute in cooking spray until just barely tender: 3 zucchini, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
Place the above veggies in a bowl and add: 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
A quarter of a cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
Mix well and let marinate for a few hours. I made it last night to take to work today.

Just the zucchini/artichoke salad makes a little more than 8, 1/2 cup servings at 55 cals per serving.

kitkat415

My absolute favorite is :
2 cups baby spinach chopped
1 cup broccoli florets steamed, chilled, chopped
1 medium green apple cored and diced
1/4 c walnuts
2 tbsps non-fat raspberry vinegarette

It's cool and crunchy with two servings of veggies (that you can't really taste after the apple) and it keeps me full all day.

This is about 380 calories, but usually halve the amount of walnuts to 1/8c to cut back on calories. I'll buy a bag of steamable broccoli, steam it in the microwave, chop it up and store it in the fridge all week. The apples can be cut ahead of time too, but I'd squeeze some lemon juice on them to keep them from browning. Chopping the lettuce isn't really necessary, but I've found that it tastes more like a great store bought one that way.

Espressocycle

Check out crunchy sprouts - lentil, chick pea, etc - that's some power.

jgic2009

I had an awesome salad today!

Spinach
Broccoli slaw
Tuna (from a can, drained)
Navy beans (from a can, drained and rinsed)
Whole wheat macaroni (optional--I was just using up leftovers)
Black pepper (to taste)

Tossed in a bit of fat-free Italian dressing (by Kraft) + small drizzle of EVOO + squeeze of lemon juice.

SmugCanucksGal

Hemp Hearts - yes they do come from the hemp plant! - But dont worry they're not going to get you in trouble! Its actually a seed. They are the most Concentrated and Best Balanced Source of Proteins, Essential Fats and Vitamins in Nature.

They help people in many different ways:
BENEFITS

People interested in preventative health and wellness

Diabetics

People with obesity

People with high blood pressure

Individuals on carb-reduced diets

Individuals battling high cholesterol

People with Celiac Disease

I can eat it by the spoonful! I sprinkle it on my oatmeal as well. Adds a good texture.

ybodwen

Wow thanks for all the ideas!
Keep em coming- I'm going to print this for future use.
Canucks- where do you get the hemp hearts? Sounds good- maybe as a topping for greek yogurt?

Pebble321

I've been having salad for lunch every day at work and it's usually a variation on this:

Salad leaves -spinach, rocket or a leafy mix
Celery or cabbage
Steamed broccoli or green beans
Red or yellow capsicum or cherry tomatoes
Steamed sweet potato or corn kernels
Olives or sundried tomatoes or fetta
With a drizzle of balsamic vinegar for dresssing

I add sliced roast beef or left over chicken breast or a boiled egg or tuna. You could add canned chickpeas or other beans or cheese or cashews or other nuts instead for a bit of fat and protein.

Healthy_Hannah483

My favorite is Waldorf salad:
lettuce
1/2 granny smith apple, cubed
1/2 cup red seedless grapes
candied walnuts (I candy my own on the stove in a saucepan with a bit of water and Truvia on medium heat)
dried cranberries

You can use whatever dressing you like of course, but for this salad I use...
2oz fage 0% greek yogurt plain
1 tbsp lemon juice
pepper to taste