spice up my salad

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skunks2008
skunks2008 Posts: 7 Member
in Recipes
What do you use for toppings on your salads to spice it up? I rotate mine so I have chicken, cucumbers, green peppers and tomatoes but that is starting to get old so I need some new ideas.
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  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,568 Member
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    feta cheese
    bacon or turkey bacon
    sliced almonds (toasted)


    simple nice salad

    romaine lettuce
    strawberries (fresh) or mandarin oranges (canned)
    red onion
    feta cheese
    toasted almonds (sliced or slivered)
    poppy seed or raspberry vinagarette dressing

    you can add crutons if you like
    and chicken for your protein
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,623 Member
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    nuts: toasted walnuts, pecans, or pine nuts (toast on a dry skillet with low heat and keep an eye on them so as not to burn them).
    fruit: dried cranberries, halved green grapes, sliced pear, sauteed apple or pear.
    meat: smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, smoked chicken or turkey, leftover roast chicken, bacon
    cheese; grated parmesan, mozarella, crumbled blue cheese, feta
    other: avocado, olives, capers

    Some combinations I find particularly good:
    toasted pecans, halved grapes and blue cheese.
    dried cranberry and feta
    any of the fruits and smoked chicken
    leftover roast chicken and avocado
  • gmitch240
    gmitch240 Posts: 16
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    Eye thank you those combos sound delish
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
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    I like banana peppers and nutritional yeast.

    Also, Monterrey Steak Seasoning.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
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    Here is some spice:

    RICHARD-SIMMONS-SALAD-1317076575.jpg
  • amberrenee813
    amberrenee813 Posts: 395 Member
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    My fav salad, a Brio restaurant knock-off

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1277120-brio-tuscan-harvest-salad
  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
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    Jicama!!
  • silver_arrow3
    silver_arrow3 Posts: 1,373 Member
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    Here is some spice:

    RICHARD-SIMMONS-SALAD-1317076575.jpg

    What was seen, cannot be unseen...
  • kathyk519
    kathyk519 Posts: 197 Member
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    I do the usual lettuce (spring mix and baby spinach), tomatoes, cukes, peppers...I put wasabi peas on it for crunch - and it is a great flavor. I sometimes will put chick peas or avocado or sauteed mushrooms or feta or walnuts...
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    Red pepper flakes.
  • jwooley13
    jwooley13 Posts: 243
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    I bake chick peas with olive oil and some cajun seasoning! They're crispy, spicy, and protein rich. Highly recommend.
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,568 Member
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    My fav salad, a Brio restaurant knock-off

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1277120-brio-tuscan-harvest-salad

    That looks delicious! I totally want that for dinner!
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
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    lettuce mixed with spinach
    tomatoes
    onions
    cut up potato
    green beans
    salmon or other fish
    avocado
    corn (not always)
    light champagne viniagrette
  • Abells
    Abells Posts: 756 Member
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    i like to put strawberries in mine with almonds and pork -- got meat?

    one of the most slamming salads ive had is a lentil goat cheese -- google some recipes :)
  • Randyamc
    Randyamc Posts: 365 Member
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    In for the great ideas.
    I also do the Jicama and walnuts/almonds.
    Going to try the greek yogurt and ranch seasoning packet for dressing this week.
  • Tree72
    Tree72 Posts: 942 Member
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    just about any fresh fruit; thinly sliced or cubed apples or pears, any type of berry, small pieces of pineapple or mango
    sliced carrots
    sliced celery
    steamed or canned beets (both red and golden are delicious)
    a hard boiled egg
    canned tuna or salmon
    roasted nuts of any sort (pecans, walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pine nuts)
    roasted seeds such as sunflower or pumpkin
    dried fruits (cranberries, apricots, figs)
    crumbled feta or blue cheese

    Occasionally I'll do an anti-pasto type salad with sliced salami, provolone, and mozzarella and some gardinera (mixed pickled vegetables).

    Sometimes I'll do an Asian themed salad and add shredded cabbage and sesame seeds and serve it with a peanut or ginger dressing. These flavors go really well with grilled or roasted chicken.
  • wpwarrior88
    wpwarrior88 Posts: 1,503 Member
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    Besides the lettuce greens and spinach I add (not all at once - depends what I have at home or am craving):

    kale
    mustard greens
    collard greens
    cucumbers
    radishes
    jalapeños
    capers
    roasted red pepper
    bell pepper - green, red, yellow
    onion - red, yellow, sweet, green
    olives
    celery
    carrots
    frozen peas
    cauliflower
    broccoli
    zucchini
    yellow squash
    asparagus
    artichoke hearts
    avocado
    beans - black, red, garbonzo, butter, etc
    lentils
    rice - brown or black
    cooked grains - quinoa, barley, bulgar
    apples
    cranberries
    raisins
    mandarine oranges
    mangos
    cayenne pepper
    black pepper
    nutritional yeast
    Italian seasoning
    garlic powder
    raw almonds
    sunflower seeds - unsalted
    peanuts - unsalted
    pine nuts
    vinagar - balsamic, tarragon, apple cider, rice, red wine

    Occasionally:
    tuna, chicken, fish or steak
    oil
    Bragg healthy vinaigrette
    cheese

    so many possibilities!! Don't be afraid to experiment!!
  • ElvenToad
    ElvenToad Posts: 644 Member
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    Substituting croutons for plain cheerios is surprisingly good!
  • EddieHaskell97
    EddieHaskell97 Posts: 2,227 Member
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    Tossing it is a bad thing.
  • thomregan
    thomregan Posts: 25 Member
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    I replaced avocado with sliced almonds this week so that I could get some extra protein in my diet (vital since I'm going vegetarian). I also rotate between feta cheese and crumbly goat cheese for variety's sake. I love having cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half, sprinkled with salt on the exposed flesh. I recently made a Mark Bittman mango salsa that is fairly low cal in small doses that makes a delicious addition to a bed of baby spinach and some of the other items I've listed here. Bonus for the salsa: there's some lime juice mixed up in there, which helps the mango last longer than it would if I were just slicing one up every day (I think!). Granted, all this is for a 400-500 calorie salad, because I like having a big, filling refreshing lunch.

    OH, and instead of croutons, I like to tear up half a loaf of pita bread and mix it into the salad, since sometimes I like just stuffing the salad inside a pita for lunch, and this way I don't have to buy two different things.

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