What do you throw in your salad?

Brenda_1965
Brenda_1965 Posts: 314 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've been having a lot of fun with my salads since starting MFP. I will tell you first what I toss in, and it would be great if you could add other creative ingredients to spice it up!

I use regular heads of lettuce and cut them with a knife for small pieces. (I'm done with the bag salads because I eat lettuce so much that it makes more sense to buy the more natural form.)

I throw in lots of stuff in very small quantities, and use NO salad dressing. Here are some things that I add to my lettuce. Not all in one salad, but at various times, depending on my craving that day.

1/2 head lettuce
cottage cheese 1/6 cup
shredded cheese 1/6 cup
tomatoes 1/2 small
cucumbers
cucumbers and celery soaked in the pickle jar
celery
carrots
spinach
green peppers
sweet onion
pickles
pickle juice
mild banana peppers (what a treat to bite into one of these!)
banana pepper juice
salsa
Stove top stuffing crumbs (instead of croutons because they are MUCH lower calorie!)

What spices do you throw in? Itallian, anyone? Pepper?

I figure three things when I eat a salad...
1. I'd better be FULL when I'm done.
2. I'd better enjoy it.
3. It better be low calorie, or I could've had a steak!
«13

Replies

  • leo02098
    leo02098 Posts: 106 Member
    I use lots of things in my salads!
    I ALWAYS use baby spinach. If there's no baby spinach in my fridge, it's a sad day!
    But other things I've used are:

    toasted nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)
    raw hemp nut
    strawberries
    raspberries
    blackberries
    red onion
    green onion
    cheese (the kind depends on what I have in the fridge!)
    dried currents
    flax seed
    lemon juice (as a "dressing")
    tomato (all different types)
    cucumber
    avacado (chopped in small cubes)
    carrots
    peppers

    hmmmmm....I'm sure that there are TONS more that I've used..but really my list could go on for a long time if I kept at it!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    baby spinach leaves (lettuce is banned at our house)
    mushrooms
    bell peppers
    shredded cheese
    chicken breast
    diced tomatoes
    seasoned croutons


    Sometimes I will have a little more, if I'm at a salad bar or someplace where I don't have to cut it all up.

    ETA: When our finances get more settled, I will be back to buying hemp seeds and tossing them in. Raw or toasted either one.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    romaine/spinach/arugula or some combination

    tomatoes

    beans

    edamame

    peppers

    sprouts
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I use lots of things in my salads!
    I ALWAYS use baby spinach. If there's no baby spinach in my fridge, it's a sad day!
    But other things I've used are:

    toasted nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)
    raw hemp nut
    strawberries
    raspberries
    blackberries
    red onion
    green onion
    cheese (the kind depends on what I have in the fridge!)
    dried currents
    flax seed
    lemon juice (as a "dressing")
    tomato (all different types)
    cucumber
    avacado (chopped in small cubes)
    carrots
    peppers

    hmmmmm....I'm sure that there are TONS more that I've used..but really my list could go on for a long time if I kept at it!

    How do you "cube" avocados without making a mushy mess?
  • vipena786
    vipena786 Posts: 22 Member
    My favorite salad is baby spinach with green apples, almonds, and a raspberry vinaigrette. It is soo sooo yumm!
  • voncilec
    voncilec Posts: 9 Member
    I ate a really great salad today
    - baby spinach
    -tomato
    -mini english cucumber
    -green olives
    -soft boiled egg
    -roasted red peper hummos
    -chunk light tuna in water
    Came in at less than 200 calories! I didnt finish it and I was stuffed :)
  • SusieSonshine
    SusieSonshine Posts: 252 Member
    Chia seeds
    Brown rice couscous
  • manueljw
    manueljw Posts: 15
    I've been having a lot of fun with my salads since starting MFP. I will tell you first what I toss in, and it would be great if you could add other creative ingredients to spice it up!

    I use regular heads of lettuce and cut them with a knife for small pieces. (I'm done with the bag salads because I eat lettuce so much that it makes more sense to buy the more natural form.)

    I throw in lots of stuff in very small quantities, and use NO salad dressing. Here are some things that I add to my lettuce. Not all in one salad, but at various times, depending on my craving that day.

    1/2 head lettuce
    cottage cheese 1/6 cup
    shredded cheese 1/6 cup
    tomatoes 1/2 small
    cucumbers
    cucumbers and celery soaked in the pickle jar
    celery
    carrots
    spinach
    green peppers
    sweet onion
    pickles
    pickle juice
    mild banana peppers (what a treat to bite into one of these!)
    banana pepper juice
    salsa
    Stove top stuffing crumbs (instead of croutons because they are MUCH lower calorie!)

    What spices do you throw in? Itallian, anyone? Pepper?

    I figure three things when I eat a salad...
    1. I'd better be FULL when I'm done.
    2. I'd better enjoy it.
    3. It better be low calorie, or I could've had a steak!

    If it's a veggie available at Subway, it is in my salads(bought or made).
  • leo02098
    leo02098 Posts: 106 Member
    I use lots of things in my salads!
    I ALWAYS use baby spinach. If there's no baby spinach in my fridge, it's a sad day!
    But other things I've used are:

    toasted nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)
    raw hemp nut
    strawberries
    raspberries
    blackberries
    red onion
    green onion
    cheese (the kind depends on what I have in the fridge!)
    dried currents
    flax seed
    lemon juice (as a "dressing")
    tomato (all different types)
    cucumber
    avacado (chopped in small cubes)
    carrots
    peppers

    hmmmmm....I'm sure that there are TONS more that I've used..but really my list could go on for a long time if I kept at it!

    How do you "cube" avocados without making a mushy mess?

    I guess I use my avacados before they get to mushy?? I just slice the avacado in half, pop the pit out, "cube" while the meat is still attached to the skin...turn it outwards and slice off.....guess that's not so much chopping..but still manage the cube effect.
  • leo02098
    leo02098 Posts: 106 Member
    I ate a really great salad today
    - baby spinach
    -tomato
    -mini english cucumber
    -green olives
    -soft boiled egg
    -roasted red peper hummos
    -chunk light tuna in water
    Came in at less than 200 calories! I didnt finish it and I was stuffed :)

    ooo that sound yummy!
  • deb3129
    deb3129 Posts: 1,294 Member
    Romaine lettuce
    Spinach
    Baby Carrots
    Red onion
    Kidney beans or black beans or butter beans
    nutritional yeast
    tomatoes
    bell pepper, assorted colors
    sometimes 1/2 an avocado
    lemon juice in place of dressing
  • CottonCandyKisses
    CottonCandyKisses Posts: 246 Member
    Hard boiled egg whites
    Chicken breast
    Green olive slices
    Crasins
    Chopped carrots/broccoli
    The "greens"
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    oh yes forgot...

    eggs
    tuna
    cheese
    salsa
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    I've been having salads of romaine, cherry tomatoes, chicken, croutons, and fake bacon bits with some light ranch dressing.
  • Restybaby2012
    Restybaby2012 Posts: 568 Member
    Romaine Lettuce
    Tomatoes
    Cucumbers
    Mushrooms
    Onions
    Shredded Cabbage
    Shredded Carrot
    Shredded cheese
    Croutons
    .......bacon tomato dressing
    .......sprinkled with belly button cheese (LMAO)

    I would virtually live on salads. I can think of only one thing that takes precedence over a salad and that's a nice juicy grilled Porterhouse Steak
  • debbiestine
    debbiestine Posts: 265 Member
    Today I had:
    spinach, half an avacado, sunflower seeds, kerrygold cheese and a can of salmon with a homemade balsamic viniagrette :)
    high calorie,fat,protein + low carb = :)
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    i love salad so much, but before i changed the way I was eating, I was too lazy to prepare them. Now that I take the time to prepare my meals, salads with tons of different things in them are truly one of my favorite meals.

    I do love the standard lettuce/tomatoes/cucumbers/etc, but also...
    for crunchy roughage variety I like to add shredded broccoli or cabbage cut for slaw (great for people who don't love lettuce)
    left-over cooked veggies that have chilled in the fridge overnight are a great addition too
    cubed firm tofu is a great protein to add because it really absorbs the flavor of whatever dressing you use
    chick peas!
    edamame
    cashew pieces
    goat cheese yum!
    (usually just 1-2 protein choices, not all at once!)

    my standard dressing: a little balsamic vinegar mixed into a couple of tablespoons of fat free thick plain greek yogurt. It makes a GREAT low fat but super creamy dressing, and you only need a little balsamic to give it the tangy-iness, so it's less sugar than using the balsamic alone (bc you'd usually need more to coat the salad well)
  • Wabbit05
    Wabbit05 Posts: 434 Member
    Celery, spinach, feta cheese, apples, strawberries, mango, walnuts, sliced almonds, chicken, carrots, cucumbers.

    Obsessed with raspberry walnut vinegarette at the moment!

    *had to add my dressing :)
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Today I had:
    spinach, half an avacado, sunflower seeds, kerrygold cheese and a can of salmon with a homemade balsamic viniagrette :)
    high calorie,fat,protein + low carb = :)

    I love the way you think. I HATE avocados so i'd prefer an egg but it's all good :) sounds scrumptious.
  • AddieOverhaul
    AddieOverhaul Posts: 734 Member
    I love spinach salads, or mixed greens and they can have any of the following (not all of these at once generally): feta, strawberry slices, craisins, raisins, apple, cucumber, red pepper, shredded carrots, shredded beets, nut and seed salad mix, chia seeds, candied walnuts...
  • Brenda_1965
    Brenda_1965 Posts: 314 Member
    My salad today was only 169 calories, and I am stuffed! Ice cream could NOT tempt me! I have to go shopping now! I LOVE beans! Do you grind your flax?
  • opuntia
    opuntia Posts: 860 Member
    Anything and everything - whatever I have. This could include:

    spinach
    lettuce
    kale
    rocket
    cabbage
    carrot
    cucumber
    tomato
    pepper
    onion
    avocado
    radish
    beetroot
    broccoli
    celery
    peas
    fresh herbs
    pomegranate
    grapes
    apple
    nuts
    seeds
    cheese
    egg
    lentils/pulses
    meat
    fish
    pasta
    quinoa
    rice
    potato

    I love making salads. I make huge salads that last several days.

    And for a dressing, I use olive oil, wine vinegar, lemon, orange, honey, mustard seeds, garlic, tabasco sauce, peanut butter, tahini. Not necessarily all these at once - but if I had them all at one time, I might! :-)
  • leo02098
    leo02098 Posts: 106 Member
    Do you grind your flax?

    I just use whole flax, never thought to grind it, but I don't see the harm in it at all!!
  • Missklara
    Missklara Posts: 282 Member
    My favorite is:
    -pasta(integral)
    -tuna
    -cucumber
    -light mayo and/or jogurt

    i like to add some pasta to my salad because i could never be full from vegetables
  • DesireeLovesOrganic
    DesireeLovesOrganic Posts: 456 Member
    My fave salad is baby spinach leaves or spring mix topped with fresh raspberries, walnuts, and Bragg organic Braggberry dressing (20 cal for 2 tablespoons and it's got no added sugar, just fruit and apple cider vinegar and goji, and acai.) Yum!
  • voncilec
    voncilec Posts: 9 Member
    Has anyone ever tried collard greens, kale, or mustard greens in a raw salad? I have eaten a DELICIOUS collard wrap marinated in an oil & vinegar mix (guessing from taste) then, it was stuffed with red pepper, orange pepper, red onion, and avocado.... Im' thinking it could be recreated in a salad...just not sure if I should marinate the greens before hand? The wrap was not soggy at all, I liked that part!
  • Damiilla
    Damiilla Posts: 66
    Has anyone ever tried collard greens, kale, or mustard greens in a raw salad? I have eaten a DELICIOUS collard wrap marinated in an oil & vinegar mix (guessing from taste) then, it was stuffed with red pepper, orange pepper, red onion, and avocado.... Im' thinking it could be recreated in a salad...just not sure if I should marinate the greens before hand? The wrap was not soggy at all, I liked that part!
    This sounds so yummy! I am forever jealous of people who can get their hands on collard greens...they don't sell them in England. :(
  • mss_anthropy
    mss_anthropy Posts: 31 Member
    does no one use raw broccoli anymore? lol they also sell a pre-shredded broccoli slaw mix at the grocery store that's pretty good in salad. and ofcourse olives.... lots of them. morning star veggie hotwings are pretty good in salad too.
  • voncilec
    voncilec Posts: 9 Member
    This sounds so yummy! I am forever jealous of people who can get their hands on collard greens...they don't sell them in England. :(

    It was very yummy! Do you have access to kale? I like kale too. It tastes like a spinach/mustard green combo to me.
  • lovinmomnwife
    lovinmomnwife Posts: 49
    I like to put defferent kinds of lettice, walnuts, grapes, half a can of tuna, carrotsand a little cheese. Its very good and i find it satisfing.

Categories