Crazy for Salads!

jpeterburs88
jpeterburs88 Posts: 201 Member
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I have been on this "salad craze" lately but my salads are getting kind of boring. It's always the same things: lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, pea pods, chicken and light dressing. They are so easy to bring to work and super low cal, but I need some variety of flavors or I am going to burn out- fast.
I was wondering how you all like your salads and if you have any recommendations to spice things up???

Replies

  • wysmom2000
    wysmom2000 Posts: 101 Member
    Spring mix lettuce, red onion, artichoke hearts, and chicken with balsamic vinegar dressing. That's my go to salad!
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,849 Member
    Salsa for dressing is amazing.
  • ReadyToLoseMoore
    ReadyToLoseMoore Posts: 13 Member
    I do reduced fat feta cheese,almonds, and craisins. Sometimes I add some fresh deli meat to it. My favorite salad dressing is Maple Grove Farms Fat Free Honey Dijon.
  • jacquejl
    jacquejl Posts: 193 Member
    I LOVE making salads!! Try this one:

    Tender Ruby Reds (Fresh Express)
    Deli sliced roasted red peppers (in the jar)
    Sliced toasted almonds for crunch (just a few)
    Avacado slices (1/2 avacado)
    1 Tbsp Jalepeno Ranch dressing

    Delish!!

    Or, recently I've tried squeazing lemon over my salad instead of dressing. Tastes great!!
  • Melissajojo3
    Melissajojo3 Posts: 100
    try a taco salad, add turkey ground beef with some salsa, 1/4 of shredded cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, bell pepers, avocado, and hard taco shell.... mmmm soooo good and under 500 calories.... :)
  • thefitnessmodel
    thefitnessmodel Posts: 6
    Taco salad!
    - ground turkey with taco seasoning
    - red. fat ranch dressing mixed with hot sauce
    - corn
    - 100 cal doritos

    Feta Garlic Salad!
    - hard boiled egg
    - feta cheese
    - grilled chicken
    - Newman's own Garlic Balsamic Light dressing

    Cajun Lemon Lime Salad!
    - Mccormick grill sensations packet of cajun lime seasoning marinade (chicken or shrimp)
    - Corn
    - M.Y.O dressing (put a little of the seasoning marinade on the side
    - crushed baked tostitos (optional)


    YUMMMMMM!
  • Vanishing_Gordies
    Vanishing_Gordies Posts: 174
    ginger carrot dressing, homemade pesto, try adding sunflower seeds. Just experiment!
  • depurs20
    depurs20 Posts: 29
    Dried cranberries, feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and fat free poppyseed dressing on spinach is amazing.
  • helvetikat
    helvetikat Posts: 21
    Try mixing in fruits and nuts for different flavors. Some of my favorites to add are oranges, craisins, and walnuts.
  • fitnesspirateninja
    fitnesspirateninja Posts: 667 Member
    My favorite salad is baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and sliced almonds with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

    A close second is romaine lettuce, feta cheese, cucumbers, bell peppers, and grilled chicken or steak with red wine or apple cider vinegar and olive oil.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Here's a few I add to a romaine and spinach mix:

    Reduced fat blue cheese crumbles, dried cranberries and sliced almonds (plus veggies) with a light Italian or balsamic vinaigrette.

    Hard boiled eggs, avocado, turkey, ham, chopped tomatoes, cucumber and cheddar with reduced fat blue cheese or ranch.

    Tuna salad with cucumbers, celery and tomatoes and light Italian dressing.

    Black beans, corn kernels, tomatoes, tortilla strips, turkey or chicken and salsa for dressing.

    Good luck!
  • skinnylizzard
    skinnylizzard Posts: 460 Member
    try raspberry vinaigrette, cut up orange, toasted almonds and low fat goat cheese.(also good with sesame asian dressing)
    or:
    low fat chedder, black olives, peppers, tomatoes, romain, sprinkled with taco seasoning and a touch of low fat three cheese ranch. Baby corn is good in it too!
  • jb_2011
    jb_2011 Posts: 1,029 Member
    I like to make a 3 bean salad with garbanzos, kidneys, green beans, chopped onion, a little oil and vinegar, then put a little scoop of it on top of my green salads.
  • jpeterburs88
    jpeterburs88 Posts: 201 Member
    thanks, everyone!!!!
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,849 Member
    There are some amazing suggestions here. I may have to try some. :smile:
  • BeautyFromWithin
    BeautyFromWithin Posts: 290 Member
    So I am currently in love with a version of Hungry Girl's chopped BLT salad. I make mine a little differently though.

    2 cups Romaine Lettuce (I buy it in the salad bag form)
    1/2 - 1 (depending on how much you like them) Roma Tomato
    1 slice Sara Lee 45 calorie delighful wheat bread
    3 slices Jennie-o turkey bacon
    Optional - 1/2 avocado

    So you've got to put the bacon in a skillet and cook it according to the package it comes in and when that's done, I cut it up into small pieces. While it's cooking though, put your romaine lettuce and tomato in the bowl and toast the piece of bread. Then rip or cut the toast up into pieces the size of say your ring finger's nail. Then add the bacon when its done and the avocado if you chose it. I love adding it in because yes, it's high in fat and calories, but its so healthy for you and there's potassium and it's a good source of Vitamin B. Not only that, but I prefer the texture in my salad because it doesn't have any dressing or anything, so some moisture is good!

    I absolutely love this salad. It tastes like a real BLT!
  • Mixmode
    Mixmode Posts: 332
    Sunflower Seeds
    Pumpkin Seeds
    Tortilla Strips (moderated)
    Feta or Blue Cheese crumbles
    Boiled eggs
    <3 bacon but I've stayed away from it the past few months.

    Salad bars ROCK~!
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    If you fancy a really delicious, light salad for dinner try this Salad Nicoise by Gordon Ramsey:

    http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4580/salad-nicoise

    Obviously mess around with the quantities of some of the ingredients (especially the olive oil) to suit your diet.
  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,223 Member
    So I am currently in love with a version of Hungry Girl's chopped BLT salad. I make mine a little differently though.

    2 cups Romaine Lettuce (I buy it in the salad bag form)
    1/2 - 1 (depending on how much you like them) Roma Tomato
    1 slice Sara Lee 45 calorie delighful wheat bread
    3 slices Jennie-o turkey bacon
    Optional - 1/2 avocado

    So you've got to put the bacon in a skillet and cook it according to the package it comes in and when that's done, I cut it up into small pieces. While it's cooking though, put your romaine lettuce and tomato in the bowl and toast the piece of bread. Then rip or cut the toast up into pieces the size of say your ring finger's nail. Then add the bacon when its done and the avocado if you chose it. I love adding it in because yes, it's high in fat and calories, but its so healthy for you and there's potassium and it's a good source of Vitamin B. Not only that, but I prefer the texture in my salad because it doesn't have any dressing or anything, so some moisture is good!

    I absolutely love this salad. It tastes like a real BLT!

    I LOVE that salad - I also love HG's In & Outrageous Animal Style salad - kind of a lot of sodium but it's sooo yummy!
  • spatticus
    spatticus Posts: 230 Member
    ken's steakhouse light poppyseed dressing is the best! I put that over romaine and any fruit I want. I also love to make Greek salad. Feta, green pepper, red onion, olives and light Greek dressing.
  • jojoworks
    jojoworks Posts: 315 Member
    I roast beets weekly, then dice them and dress with vinegar and spices to "pickle" them. I add a serving of my pickled beets to my salads daily. I generally use champagne vinegar, maybe a squirt of lime juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, ancho chile powder, cayenne and italian seasonings. NUM!
  • grace173
    grace173 Posts: 180 Member
    Wow alot of people put in alot of effort into their salads!!

    Can't believe nobody said Caprese Salad!
    Filling and simple.

    I never used to be a big fan of tomatoes but then I discovered Caprese salad and I was converted!

    Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

    1 pound fresh mozzarella 4 large heirloom tomatoes 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil, torn Sea salt Freshly cracked black pepper Balsamic vinegar Extra-virgin olive oil

    Slice mozzarella and tomatoes 1/4 inch thick; arrange on serving platter. Sprinkle with fresh basil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle to taste with balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.
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