Favorite Salad Ingredients

justagrrl898
justagrrl898 Posts: 27
in Food and Nutrition
So I am trying to get back on the road to my diet. I am going to be eating salads for lunches, but I am tired of my same ingredients. What are your favorite salad toppings that don't add a ton of fat and calories? I usually do the 50/50 mix of spinach and spring mix, with some cheese, cucumbers, cranberries, tomatoes, and chicken. I need something to liven it up so its not the same daily. Also....do you mix it all up at once? I have to bring my lunch to work and with getting the kid ready in the am I am to lazy to make it daily, so I have been going to a salad bar and that's getting expensive! Thanks!
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Replies

  • pland54
    pland54 Posts: 132
    Strawberries and sunflower seeds! Also try adding some ruccola in there. And type of cheese can totally change up your salad. Try white cheddar this week, and crumbled goat cheese next week.
  • newmangrrl
    newmangrrl Posts: 11 Member
    croutons, peas, fresh mushrooms, boiled eggs

    Like you I like the spring mix mixed with spinach. I also mix my dressings to add some zest to it. I will premake the salad the night before (minus the dressing), so all I have to do is grab and go.
  • Better4Summer
    Better4Summer Posts: 120
    Love tuna, olives, tomatoes, carrot & lettuce ;)
  • sharnut751
    sharnut751 Posts: 103 Member
    I have been roasting large pans of various veggies with just a bit of olive oil and seasonings and adding them to salad. It's a nice change from the typical salad inredients. Also to liven things up, I like to use a low sodium (or homemade) salsa in place of salad dressing. It makes me feel like I'm eating a taco salad without all the extra calories.
  • capnlizard
    capnlizard Posts: 73 Member
    I cut up an entire head of Romaine lettuce and put it in a a big tupperware container. I have a smaller contained that is the size you would use for dressing, and I fill that one with a chipotle salsa and stick it IN the big container, on top of the lettuce (easier storage). I then bring a small container of grilled chicken (those screw-top containers that you can put soup in), already cut up, and I bring a whole avocado. When I want my lunch, I heat up the chicken, cut up the avocado with a plastic knife (I keep a box in my classroom), and toss all of it into the bowl, salsa included. I put the top back on the big container and shake it up to combine everything and mush up the avocado.

    I usually grill off a couple of pounds of chicken on Sunday nights so that my husband and I can both bring lunch all week. Then, each night, I chop up my lettuce and put together my salsa, my portion of chicken, etc. That way, I can just grab and go in the morning. Although it seems like a pain in the *kitten* to have so many containers, it all fits in a lunch bag or a big purse and it keeps my salad from getting soggy. I think the whole thing comes out to around 450 calories, but that can be adjusted to lower cal by reducing the amount of avocado you use.
  • Nacho12
    Nacho12 Posts: 155 Member
    I buy romaine lettuce and chop it in bottom of the bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, celery, boiled eggs, salmon or tuna and boiled eggs. I sometimes add sunflower seeds or slivered almonds or garbanzo beans or kidney beans. You could make the salad the night before, just add the salmon or tuna when you get ready to eat. I just use a ready made salad dressing, Newman's basil and balsemic or italian.
  • bdburch
    bdburch Posts: 127
    I love spinach, strawberries, blueberries, and chopped pecans. Also, if it's available, a pomegranate vinaigrette. If not, I usually go with some olive oil or eat it dry.
  • cnjazvac
    cnjazvac Posts: 9
    Avocado! Yes it's calorie rich, but full of vitamins, potassium and GOOD fats. And it really fills me up.

    Salsa is a great salad topping. Low calorie, works like a dressing and has TONS of flavour.

    Also try having kale or arugula salads, they have a LOT more flavour than the spring mix.
  • hddeuce1966
    hddeuce1966 Posts: 104
    Strawberries go really well with spinach. I also like tuna on romaine and spinach with wal-mart fat free italian.
  • kristinahollowell
    kristinahollowell Posts: 3 Member
    I love garbanzo beans, black beans, mexi corn, a meat full of protein, and a just a touch of blue cheese. SOOO much flavor, and the toppings have so much fiber and protein that it keeps me full for a long time! Just be sure to measure your quantities....I only do anywhere from 1/8 to 1/4 a cup per topping.
  • palmerar
    palmerar Posts: 489 Member
    Berries, apples, pecan or almonds, goat or bleu cheese (just a few crumbles)

    Carrots, corn cucumbers, green peppers bleu cheese (just a few crumbles)

    I like really any type of vinaigrette but mostly balsamic

    Look up salad jars online, you make the whole salad including dressing in a mason jar ahead of time (Sunday night?) You put the dressing on the bottom, then toppings then lettuce, and vacuum seal the jars shut, the ingredients stay fresh for days. (I haven't tried this method but it has been floating around for a while so it may just work!)
  • lizjohnson2169
    lizjohnson2169 Posts: 25
    I like the 50/50 mix too. That is all we eat at my house. Sunflower seeds, chicken, tuna, boiled eggs, mini pepperoni (only a few because they are high in sodium), bell pepper slices ,and tomatoes are amongst our favorites. Of course if we do chicken we don't also do tuna lol
    I prefer a fat free low calorie honey mustard dressing.
  • justagrrl898
    justagrrl898 Posts: 27
    croutons, peas, fresh mushrooms, boiled eggs

    Like you I like the spring mix mixed with spinach. I also mix my dressings to add some zest to it. I will premake the salad the night before (minus the dressing), so all I have to do is grab and go.

    Don't croutons add a ton of calories? Or is there a good kind to get? I love the crunch of them but not enough to cut out other things!!!!
  • lcnelson
    lcnelson Posts: 279 Member
    Artichokes, Olives, Mandarin oranges are staples for me!
  • al369
    al369 Posts: 170 Member
    FETA. Salad is so much better with feta cheese on it. I keep it simple with, spring mix/spinach, feta, roma tomato, shallots, and some vinaigrette dressing.
  • rjc0914
    rjc0914 Posts: 28 Member
    Apple sliced up and balsamic dressing go really good together IMO. Also, I know you said low cal/low fat, but enjoy a handful of raw cashews on my salads too. High in fat, but its essential healthy fat.
  • abbyrae1
    abbyrae1 Posts: 265 Member
    Add some protein! --fish, chicken, even lean steak will help jazz up your salad and make it more filling....otherwise here are a couple other ideas....
    chicken, avocado, tomatoes, corn (small amounts), onions, peppers, and use a lime instead of actual dressing
    hardboiled eggs, turkey, ham, carrots
    dried cherries, goat cheese, walnuts or pecans, strawberries
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
    I like mine with tomatoes, cucumbers, banana peppers and jalapenos! It adds some zing. :D
  • lizsmith1976
    lizsmith1976 Posts: 497 Member
    I also love spring mix, but chop up some fresh dill (or any herbs, basil is also good) and add to it. Completely changes the flavor and is so good.

    Add shrimp/chicken - protein and few calories, grill or roast some of the veggies you add, add kidney beans or chickpeas - again, protein + fiber, and not that many calories for what you get.

    I sometimes do a "warm" salad, with rice and chicken on top of the salad bed.

    Try veggies you don't usually see or use - baby corn, mushrooms, mukimame (easy to find frozen, it's the soybean "peas" out of the pod, lots of protein).

    Banana peppers can give it a bit of a spicy kick. Use salsa as the dressing to do the same thing.

    I love salads. So easy to get all of your vitamins and servings of vegetables if you eat a salad :)
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    I love those Target salads with the grilled chicken and the goat cheese wheels and dried cherries. It comes with a really good dressing, too.
  • lizsmith1976
    lizsmith1976 Posts: 497 Member
    Oh, and your other question - I mix everything up at once unless there is something I am going to heat in the microwave, then add dressing right before lunch and shake in the container.
  • jessicawrites
    jessicawrites Posts: 235 Member
    some of my favorites:
    pickled red onion with pan-fried salami
    grapefruit, mahi mahi, avocado
    shrimp, 1 crumbled slice of bacon, avocado, tomatoes
    shrimp, cilantro, tomatoes, thin sliced red pepper
    strawberries, spinach, walnuts
  • Finchtastic1
    Finchtastic1 Posts: 60 Member
    avocado, chick peas, black beans, quinoa, green and red peppers, feta and or goat cheese. A salad of just quinoa, black beans, avocado, canned corn, red onion, with like a lime/chili vinegarette is awesome and quinoa is filling and you can make a bunch ahead and eat plan with meals and then add to salads!
  • kcritter77
    kcritter77 Posts: 162 Member
    The Salad in a Jar works!

    There's a whole thread about it that is pages and pages long with different ideas.

    I have done them a week out with dressing on the bottom, pickled beets, cucumber, tomato, avocado, baked tofu, salmon, carrot, green pepper, snap peas, okra, beans, and spinach or lettuce. I change up the dressing and at least one ingredient every day or two to keep it interesting.

    You start with all of the wet ingredients at the bottom and work your way to the dry and then the greens at the top. I use self sealing mason jars I got at the grocery store.
  • chrislynn_marie
    chrislynn_marie Posts: 77 Member
    Fruits: Strawberries, pears, apples, arils, dried cranberries, raisins, Mandarin oranges

    Veggies: Carrots, cucumbers, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, peppers, olives, tomatoes

    Fats: Sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, avocado, pine nuts

    Dairy: Shredded cheese, hard boiled egg, goat cheese, feta, crumbled blue cheese

    Protein: Shredded chicken, tuna, salmon, beans, shrimp, a good cut of steak, crumbled bacon

    Change up your dressing. Use salsa.
  • perfectionisntme
    perfectionisntme Posts: 205 Member
    I like adding tangerine slices, kale, black beens, salsa, shaved almonds, rice noodles, my list goes on.
  • katy84o
    katy84o Posts: 744 Member
    Four favorite things to add to my salads:

    Peas
    Mushrooms
    Sunflower seeds
    Blueberries or Raspberries whichever look best at the grocery.
  • geerunz
    geerunz Posts: 163 Member
    I grill chicken on Sunday for the week. Each night I make my salad for the next day, so no crazy rush in the morning. Usually it is spring mix, carrot, multi colored peppers, cucumber, campari tomotoes and 4 oz of chicken. I use 1 super small tupperware (about 1T) for the dressing. This months favorite dressing is Bolthouse Farms. Loving all of teh suggestions! :love:
  • jharb2
    jharb2 Posts: 208 Member
    35 calories for 2 TB of croutons
  • MizSaz
    MizSaz Posts: 445 Member
    Red meat. Seriously. One serving of steak looks SO SAD on a plate, but if you slice it up and throw it in a salad, it goes a lot further! Also, don't put dressing on until you're just ready to eat it!

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