Salads.......how I love thee!

Pollywog39

So, I've been MFPing about a year..............LOVE this place Have made many changes in how I eat, how I act, all that good stuff.

And I've decided that I love salads. Green, crispy, nummy salads. Oh, I've ALWAYS liked them, but didn't eat them very much. Too much like work to chop all that and who has time for such things? Ahhh, my secret? I buy all the stuff I need on Sundays, pack it in a big bag, bring it to work, and make a fresh, crunchy salad for lunch each day.

A year. Almost every day......and I'm NOT tired of them. I look forward to lunch! Some of my favorite things to add:

I'm a basic lettuce girl. Yeah, I know it's not the most nutritious, but I LIKE IT. A big head of plain ole lettuce.
Spinach........nummy!
Raw cauliflower - oh, I could just eat that whole head!
A radish or two - adds color and crunch!
Cukes or zucchini

Then maybe an egg or chopped ham or turkey, for some protein.

Blue Cheese dressing (light) and a bit of French, too.

Never tire of 'em!!!

What's your favorite food that you NEVER tire of?

WhatDoesLisa

Umm..buttercream frosting. It is my favorite food group. It is hard for me to get the sugar/fat monkey off my back. More power to you since you love salads!

Oh, ok I have one healthy one..halibut. I could eat it 5 out of 7 days.

Pollywog39

I can avoid the frosting pretty much, but you put a piece of chocolate, fudgy cake in front of me? Oh dear...............


better get back to my salads :blushing: :blushing: :blushing:

gloriapiz55

Me too, love my lunch salads.. I make it the night before after I clean up from dinner. I use those Zip lock bowls that come with the little tiny bowl that snaps into the lid.. it fits 2 tablespoons of dressing.

I do:

Spring mix
petite baby carrots
grape tomatoes
cukes
red onion
a tsp of craisins


Fave dressings: Wishbone light buffalo ranch or light french or light ranch, sometimes a light balsamic

for protein I do a can of swanson white meat chicken drained, tuna, boiled egg, cold cut meats or some left over meat from dinner.

Never tire of this yumminess!!

head_in_rainbows

spinach, gorgonzola, strawberries, spring onion and dressing (one teaspoon of olive oil, splash of soysauce and one teaspoon of honey + peper)

chopped fennel, lettuce, tomato, onion, garlic, olives, reddish, + vinegret

nortx

Pollywog39, congrats on getting healthy. I am on the same journey and feeling so much better. I have re-introduced fruit and vegetables into my diet after so many years of having my doctor tell me not to eat these foods because of a digestive health issue I have. Now, I am eating 95% of my diet from fruit, vegetables and fish of all types.

My salads are almost daily foods and I add all the regular stuff, red lettuce (easier on the tummy), tomatoes, sweet red peppers, zucchini of all colors (chopped or in ribbons), tiny sweet carrots... anything else I can find.

For a dressing, I mix 2 Tablespoons of Pace Picante and 1 Tablespoon of either Hellmann's Low Fat mayo or So Delicious gluten/dairy free plain yogurt. This makes quite a lot of dressing and is delicious. It's creamy with a bite.

Once again, Pollywog39, good luck, I admire you!:flowerforyou:

verptwerp

I eat at least one salad a day ..... some combination of .......

Greens
Chopped veg
A bit of cheese
Nuts
Beans
Fruit
A bit of protein

With plain rice wine vinegar ..... or Newman's LIme Vinaigrette ..... or just lemon or lime juice .....

My husband likes iceberg lettuce & bluecheese dressing ...... mostly he eats what I give him, but every so often he gets his favorite salad :drinker:

samblanken

I eat at least one salad a day ..... some combination of .......

Greens
Chopped veg
A bit of cheese
Nuts
Beans
Fruit
A bit of protein

With plain rice wine vinegar ..... or Newman's LIme Vinaigrette ..... or just lemon or lime juice .....

My husband likes iceberg lettuce & bluecheese dressing ...... mostly he eats what I give him, but every so often he gets his favorite salad :drinker:

Ohhh now I have to go find Lime Vinagarette that sounds yummy!

Pollywog39

Mmmm, yes...........

I like some of your ideas, folks!

I've tried other dressings, but also go back to that Blue Cheese/French combo.........it makes me so happy! I like some of the oriental tasting dressings, too.

I've never put beans in a salad - are you talking green beans, or more like garbanzos & such?

Robinsond61

Being a college student, I get some off looks by my apartment mates about eating so much salad. I'm a big guy but I just can't get enough. I usually 'beef' up my salads. I buy the pre-packaged stuff from trader joe's just for the convenience factor, then chop in a cucumber and a couple carrots. I top it off with a couple ounces of lite turkey slices, or roast beef slices, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, and a bit of oil & vinegar. A low calorie filling meal all in 1 bowl! Keep on eating that rabbit food!

RachelLovitt

rice wine vinegar .

Rice wine vinegar has got to be the BEST salad dressing ever!

And garbanzo beans are delicious in a salad, as are any other bean...

Finally, I love a bit of cilantro for freshness, though I know some people feel that it tastes like soap.

stephenson2012

Another salad lover. I like fresh spinach. I usually get the 50/50 mix with spinach. I fill a glad bowl with lid with mix and then through in cherub tomatos and mushrooms. I usually add carrots and broccoli and then Balsamic vinegar & oil dressing. I do it in the morning when I am fixing breakfast and make llunch for that day.

RachelLovitt

I usually 'beef' up my salads.

I love throwing leftover beef, chicken, pork or seafood into my salad, too.

xshortiex

Granola.

Vonnie2006

My favorite salad of all time: spinach, gargonzola cheese, strawberries, walnuts, craisins and grilled chicken breast on and Newman's Light Raspberry Walnut Vinagiarette (sp?)

My new discovery. (1) I'm a light dressing girl, never was a fan of ranch or any other creamy dressing BUT I love Wedge of Lettuce, turkey bacon pieces, blue cheese and Kraft Light ranch dressing with a few baby tomatoes and cucumbers cut up on it. Nom nom nom

NikkiSixGuns

Salad lover here, too! And I'm also a basic iceburg lettuce kind of gal. Nothing wrong with other types of lettuce (as long as they're not bitter) and I LOVE spinach, but I will never turn down iceburg lettuce! I eat salad at least once a day... Usually twice.

For veggies I love red onions, broccoli, bell pepper, white mushrooms, pepperoncinis, pickles, olives (black or green, but preferably no pimiento), roasted peppers, and cucumber.

As for other stuff... chopped Ball Park smoked turkey hot dogs (don't knock it 'til ya try it!), Amy Lu's carmelized onion chicken burger patties, kidney beans, chickpeas, (any kind of bean, really), thinly-sliced steak, ground turkey seasoned like taco meat with a few crushed tortilla strips, a light string cheese stick shredded up (I split one over two salads), turkey pepperoni, whatever!

We have a pizza place in town that is known for making all kinds of crazy pizzas - ones with mashed potatoes, refried beans, hamburger meat, bacon, pasta, peanut butter, pesto sauce, etc. etc. etc. You name it - they make it. Their slogan is "On a pizza???" Anyway, they will make any of their pizzas into a salad - all the toppings, just served on a bed of lettuce and/or spinach. OH MY GOSH THEY ARE TO DIE FOR! They have inspired me to put all kinds of stuff on my salads. If it's good off a salad, it's probably good on one! Hey - I'll try anything once.

As far as dressing... I like 'em with just salt & pepper or some really good pico de gallo salsa. Ahhh!!! So delish!

Pollywog39

Being a college student, I get some off looks by my apartment mates about eating so much salad. I'm a big guy but I just can't get enough. I usually 'beef' up my salads. I buy the pre-packaged stuff from trader joe's just for the convenience factor, then chop in a cucumber and a couple carrots. I top it off with a couple ounces of lite turkey slices, or roast beef slices, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, and a bit of oil & vinegar. A low calorie filling meal all in 1 bowl! Keep on eating that rabbit food!

OH, NUM!

I try to keep my low-cal, so don't usually add cheese (maybe a piece of cut up lite string cheese), but your salad sounds awesome!!!
Mine is usually in a huge bowl, too. I think I get all my veggies in that one meal, so don't have to think about that part of my nutrition for the rest of the day!

lind3400

Cottage Cheese

CallMeCupcakeDammit

I eat them a lot too. One of my favorites is spinach with avocado, tomato, canned salmon, mozzarella and Newman's Own lite honey mustard dressing. Another is just like a taco salad without the shell...romaine, avocado, ground turkey or a cut up Morningstar spicy black bean burger, black beans, salsa and either reduced fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.

Looser5555

bump for later

Robinsond61

Being a college student, I get some off looks by my apartment mates about eating so much salad. I'm a big guy but I just can't get enough. I usually 'beef' up my salads. I buy the pre-packaged stuff from trader joe's just for the convenience factor, then chop in a cucumber and a couple carrots. I top it off with a couple ounces of lite turkey slices, or roast beef slices, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, and a bit of oil & vinegar. A low calorie filling meal all in 1 bowl! Keep on eating that rabbit food!

OH, NUM!

I try to keep my low-cal, so don't usually add cheese (maybe a piece of cut up lite string cheese), but your salad sounds awesome!!!
Mine is usually in a huge bowl, too. I think I get all my veggies in that one meal, so don't have to think about that part of my nutrition for the rest of the day!

Yeah it's delicious! I do try to keep my cheese consumption down as well. 1 tablespoon on top is all i really need, that clocks in at around 50 cals (not bad for all the flavor it packs). And if i'm eating salad as a meal I'm gonna enjoy it! haha. To each their own, but it is quite nomnom inducing!

KlaMorgan

i love salads!!. i add sunflower seeds and dried cranberries or strawberries!.

Pollywog39

I eat them a lot too. One of my favorites is spinach with avocado, tomato, canned salmon, mozzarella and Newman's Own lite honey mustard dressing. Another is just like a taco salad without the shell...romaine, avocado, ground turkey or a cut up Morningstar spicy black bean burger, black beans, salsa and either reduced fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.

Oh, I love that taco salad idea. Are the Morningstart burgers good? haven't tried them.......did discover recently that I like turkey burgers (never thought I'd say that!!!)

You guys are giving me awesome ideas...........LOVE it!

:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

rpoupard99

I LOVE cilantro in my salads too!! For me it just MAKES it...takes a plain-tasting salad and gives it such a good taste!

spikefoot

I love salads and felt the same until an hour ago... I have polished off 18 cups of romaine lettuce today and am rethinking my decisions...lol

nyctraveler

I love salad too! I must say i'm addicted to Arugula...so good and i love making my own mustard dijon vinaigrette but most days i just squeeze lemon and sherry vinegar with a bit of olive oil

My favorite ingredients:
- tomatoes are a must
- marinated artichokes (in water)
- beets
-avocado
- mango
- pea shoots ( my new find)
-green olives
-red onion

ckay220

My absolute favorite salad is the Apple PecanChicken Salad from Wendy's w/o pecans b/c I'm allergic. Didn't feel like spending $7 everyday though, so I got the ingredients to make my own! And it was less calories than theirs! :glasses:

TinaS70

bump to read later..love salads

120weeks

I was just thinking about this today. I absolutely cannot seem to tire of avocado. They make me soooooo happy. I've been eating them with breakfast, OFTEN. Love them.

And I agree with you, I never tire of salads!

Love2HikeMT

I grow my own organic produce ~ so, fresh from the garden spinach, toasted pine nuts, sheep feta, cherry tomatoes, with balsamic-olive oil dressing and seasonings.

Pollywog39

I love salads and felt the same until an hour ago... I have polished off 18 cups of romaine lettuce today and am rethinking my decisions...lol

sounds like an addiction.......is there a group for that?

lol.