SALAD EATERS UNITE!

JeniferEverx3
JeniferEverx3 Posts: 219 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So. I actually really love salad. Most kinds of salad. My favorites are Caesar (especially from Glory Days Bar and Grill), Olive Garden's house salad, chef salad (you know the kind with ham and hard boiled egg) and baby greens (I LOVE spinach and kale). I love most dressings but my favorite is thousand island or italian. However, I do not like cucumbers. I like tomatoes, but not in my salad (I have no clue why, just don't). And I hate those weird crunchy purple things that I still to this day don't know the name of :laugh:

What's your favorite salad or salad ingredients? What about dressing? What restaurants do you go to that you would say have the best salad?

Also, do you ever go to salad bars either in restaurants or grocery stores - I cannot bring myself to do this because I feel like I have no idea who has touched, sneezed on, accidentally (or maybe even purposely) spit on the food that is just out in the open like that. :sick:

Replies

  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
    The "crunchy purple things" you speak of are pieces of shredded red cabbage ...

    Salads can be anything you like, salad just means a mixture ... I like petite green peas and sunflower kernels in my salads ...

    ETA: as far as "germs", if your aren't immunocompromised, I wouldn't worry about it ... Despite my culinary background, personally, I don't wash any fruits or vegetable that I prepare for myself (for others or a group, yes, but me, no ...) ... Casual exposure to "germs" makes your immune system stronger ...
  • SlimJanette
    SlimJanette Posts: 597 Member
    My favorite is a Greek Salad.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    And I hate those weird crunchy purple things that I still to this day don't know the name of

    Cabbage.
  • psych0kitty
    psych0kitty Posts: 313
    As for salads prepared by someone else, my favorite is the Cobb with Avocado at Panera Bread. But no tomatoes (I'm with you OP) and I get feta instead of gorgonzola (bleu cheese tastes gross to me).

    But a lot of times, I buy a tub of babby spinach and then add shredded carrot, maybe sliced red bell pepper, shredded cheese, and sliced deli meat and/or roasted chicken and/or hard-boiled egg. I make my own dressing with olive oil, some type of vinegar (sherry vin lately), and some spices. Delish.
  • JeniferEverx3
    JeniferEverx3 Posts: 219 Member
    The "crunchy purple things" you speak of are pieces of shredded red cabbage ...

    Salads can be anything you like, salad just means a mixture ... I like petite green peas and sunflower kernels in my salads ...

    ETA: as far as "germs", if your aren't immunocompromised, I wouldn't worry about it ... Despite my culinary background, personally, I don't wash any fruits or vegetable that I prepare for myself (for others or a group, yes, but me, no ...) ... Casual exposure to "germs" makes your immune system stronger ...

    Thank you for all this information :drinker:
  • Breepa123
    Breepa123 Posts: 66 Member
    There's a restaurant across the street from my office that does a salad with mixed greens and typical salad stuff like cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. But, the salad also has roasted beets and goat cheese. It is to die for!

    I love any kind of salad really, and I'll eat almost anything in it. At home a make a salad with mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, fresh cilantro and parsley and a little red onion. I also make one with the above, but instead of mushrooms, cilantro and parsley, I add a little gorgonzola and some dried cranberries. And my absolute favorite salad dressing is thousand island but I also like italian and bleu cheese (at certain times).

    I have been known to really pork out on the salad at Olive Garden as well... :blushing:
  • JeniferEverx3
    JeniferEverx3 Posts: 219 Member
    As for salads prepared by someone else, my favorite is the Cobb with Avocado at Panera Bread. But no tomatoes (I'm with you OP) and I get feta instead of gorgonzola (bleu cheese tastes gross to me).

    But a lot of times, I buy a tub of babby spinach and then add shredded carrot, maybe sliced red bell pepper, shredded cheese, and sliced deli meat and/or roasted chicken and/or hard-boiled egg. I make my own dressing with olive oil, some type of vinegar (sherry vin lately), and some spices. Delish.

    I HATE blue cheese. And that recipe sounds delicious. I may have to start making that.
  • JeniferEverx3
    JeniferEverx3 Posts: 219 Member
    There's a restaurant across the street from my office that does a salad with mixed greens and typical salad stuff like cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. But, the salad also has roasted beets and goat cheese. It is to die for!

    I love any kind of salad really, and I'll eat almost anything in it. At home a make a salad with mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, fresh cilantro and parsley and a little red onion. I also make one with the above, but instead of mushrooms, cilantro and parsley, I add a little gorgonzola and some dried cranberries. And my absolute favorite salad dressing is thousand island but I also like italian and bleu cheese (at certain times).

    I have been known to really pork out on the salad at Olive Garden as well... :blushing:

    I love red onions - this is exact reason I am with you on that last sentence. I crush Olive Garden's salads (minus the olives - don't like olives).
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
    Don't go out for a salad I just don't see the point, unless maybe it has chicken in it. When I do have them I need them covered in dressing otherwise I can't eat them - french dressing or caesar are my fave. I'll have anything but tomatoes or olives.
  • molissep
    molissep Posts: 452 Member
    I love salads too!

    My favs are taco salad make with (ground turkey, taco seasoning, peppers, onions, corn, shredded cheddar and salsa for dressing) and cobb...minus the blue cheese, I hate blue cheese! I'm making cobb for dinner actually :)
  • FerretBuellerr
    FerretBuellerr Posts: 468 Member
    I loooooooooove salad. I'll try any kind!!!! I make some pretty wimpy salads at home myself with whatever vegetables I have that week (always tomatoes in my salads :wink:) and make my own salad dressing with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and this amazing honey mustard marinade. Myself and my SO are also doing an experiment in raising quails, so I'll often keep a bunch of their eggs until I get a decent amount, boil them, and then add them to my salads as a little something extra!

    I would get crazy but being the only one that eats vegetables on a consistent basis, a lot of what I could put in would go bad from not eating it all fast enough :frown: The grocery store a walking distance from my apartment has a salad bar and I use it at least once a week for those "I don't want to cook" evenings, and it beats going to the McDonalds across the street!
  • JeniferEverx3
    JeniferEverx3 Posts: 219 Member
    I loooooooooove salad. I'll try any kind!!!! I make some pretty wimpy salads at home myself with whatever vegetables I have that week (always tomatoes in my salads :wink:) and make my own salad dressing with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and this amazing honey mustard marinade. Myself and my SO are also doing an experiment in raising quails, so I'll often keep a bunch of their eggs until I get a decent amount, boil them, and then add them to my salads as a little something extra!

    I would get crazy but being the only one that eats vegetables on a consistent basis, a lot of what I could put in would go bad from not eating it all fast enough :frown: The grocery store a walking distance from my apartment has a salad bar and I use it at least once a week for those "I don't want to cook" evenings, and it beats going to the McDonalds across the street!

    Raising quail - sounds interesting! I bet quail eggs are delicious. I've always been curious what other species of birds' eggs taste like. I've only ever had chicken eggs.
  • capnrus789
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,736 Member
    Salad is what my food eats.
  • CharityGC
    CharityGC Posts: 499 Member
    I love salads of all kinds. Dole has these new salad kits that I'm obsessed with right now. You won't like them, they have cabbage. But I cook up some chicken, mix it in, and half a bag is lunch or dinner. I did get the Olive Garden salad dressing recently and I've been dipping veggies in it as a snack.
  • mamma_nee
    mamma_nee Posts: 809 Member
    Give me salad and I am in heaven LOL

    I buy every type of lettuce I can get my hands on and mix a different salad for every meal ,I also love throwing in escarole and dandelions in the mix . Top with more veggies like green peas, tomato,red onion,artichoke hearts, I eat salad 2 to 3 times per day to make it a meal, I`ll add grilled chicken, tuna,grilled salmon ,egg whites. or cheese.

    I make my own home made salad dressing in a gallon - evoo , red wine vinegar- grated cheese,salt , pepper, water, fresh minced garlic & minced jalapeno ,oregano MMM MMMM


    My favorite salad when dining out is from our Diner , the salads are huge and I always take half home - My all time favorite is Greek salad .

    I do not ever buy salads from fast food places ! They are not salads at all to me LOL
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    Pretty much any salad, with no onion. As for salad dressing, I like Imo's house italian, Delallo Sweet Italian, and Hidden Valley light ranch. I don't care for Thousand Island
  • Syntiah1
    Syntiah1 Posts: 7
    I hated salad until I discovered Balsamic vinegar. Now I eat at least one salad everyday with the salad greens covered in balsamic vinegar. Yummy! :-)
  • dstrugg
    dstrugg Posts: 4 Member
    I'm with you, I love the Olive Garden salads, which are a rare once or twice a year treat (Olive Garden in general).

    As for salads at salad bars, the salad bars I do tend to be the ones where restaurants have them. Used to be a great restaurant called Barbers Crossing and I enjoy Ruby Tuesday's salad bar when I go. I always get a mixed green romaine-iceberg lettuce mix with shredded cheese, croutons, carrots, red onion, dressing and hard boiled egg. Bacon bits! That's not often tho lol, it's my fave salad I can make.

    I love Wendy's Apple pecan chicken salad with the pomegranate dressing, get it without the blue cheese. I do NOT like cucumber or tomatoes in my salad either. Any restaurant that does a good salad with some good fruits, nuts and some decent cheese is good.

    At home, generally iceberg lettuce, carrots, onion and dressing. I dont eat salad at home enough to be honest, mainly because I buy lettuce and then don't use it all quick enough.
  • Emilie04444
    Emilie04444 Posts: 151 Member
    I can eat anything with Newman's Own Light Honey Mustard dressing. In fact, I am going to have salads next week for dinner
  • CharChary
    CharChary Posts: 220 Member
    Favorite salads are my own: baby spring mix, black beans, kidney beans, corn, peas, tomatoes, a bit of salsa, cucumbers, and greek yogurt ranch. amazing.
  • Michuka
    Michuka Posts: 3
    How do you know how many calories you are eating in a mixed salad with black beans, kidney beans, corn, peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, couscous etc.?
  • colortheworld
    colortheworld Posts: 374 Member
    Love Ruby Tuesday's salad bar, they have so much stuff!!!

    My favorite salad, no matter how many times I eat it, is romaine lettuce, garbanzo beans (chick peas), cucumbers, and feta with Good Seasonings italian dressing (made with olive oil and extra vinegar. Sometimes I add olives and/or grilled chicken. It's sooo delish.
  • colortheworld
    colortheworld Posts: 374 Member
    How do you know how many calories you are eating in a mixed salad with black beans, kidney beans, corn, peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, couscous etc.?

    I enter the ingredients individually.
  • kezzola
    kezzola Posts: 65 Member
    I'm probably doing the wrong thing but I don't even log my salad calories. But the salads I mean consist of various types of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion and mushrooms. I always log the calories if I have potato salad, coleslaw etc. that have dressing on them. Do other members follow this system or not?
  • piersonj
    piersonj Posts: 62 Member
    I'm probably doing the wrong thing but I don't even log my salad calories. But the salads I mean consist of various types of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion and mushrooms. I always log the calories if I have potato salad, coleslaw etc. that have dressing on them. Do other members follow this system or not?

    I always log salad ingredient because along with the calories I also track my fiber intake. Depending on the ingredients, you can get a good amount of fiber in a salad.

    If you like Thousand Island dressing, then I recommend Bolt House brand. It is made with yogurt. Tastes great and has 40 calories per 2 Tablespoons.

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