Salad bowl ideas

Spitspot81
Spitspot81 Posts: 208 Member
edited November 25 in Food and Nutrition
I love salads, I eat them everyday and really enjoy them. However I like to add different things to my salad to change them up a bit. I might add broccoli, cashews, raisins, feta...just to add some variety.

What do you guys add to your salads to keep it varied and interesting?

Replies

  • LifeWithPie
    LifeWithPie Posts: 552 Member
    Strawberries.
  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,989 Member
    Peas, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, olives, mushrooms, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds.
  • andreaen
    andreaen Posts: 365 Member
    raisins and other dried fruit, fresh fruit (mango, apples, even bananas can work), cheese, nuts, coconut..
  • mutantspicy
    mutantspicy Posts: 624 Member
    Avocado, ricotta cheese, almonds, hard boiled egg, blue berries, sunflower seeds or pine nuts, Are some of my go tos. I like spinach and arugula blends.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,267 Member
    edited April 2018
    Strawberries, mandarin oranges, walnuts, almonds, seeds, goat cheese or gorgonzola, dried cranberries, eggs, pickles, spinach and arugula, olives, different infused olive oils, different infused vinegars
  • stephanne13
    stephanne13 Posts: 212 Member
    Arugula & Spinach, pepperoncini, marinated artichoke hearts, flavored tuna packets, dried apricots, olive tapinade, avocado, different nuts & cheeses, sundried tomatoes, cottage cheese, dill, endless possibilities..
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    edited April 2018
    Arugula, goat cheese, beets and smoked salmon (can add walnuts).

    Spring mix, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, roasted peppers and tomatoes.

    I really dislike nuts and fruit in my salads typically.
  • nicholahmola
    nicholahmola Posts: 18 Member
    Chick peas, cucumber, mushrooms, small amounts of those crispy onions that are generally used for green bean casserole....yum!
  • Whey125
    Whey125 Posts: 189 Member
    Bean sprouts, different types of beans / chick peas / pulses, craisins, olives, pickles, jalapenos, hard boiled eggs, smoked salmon, sun dried tomatoes, quinoa, corn, slivered almonds, roasted veggies ..so many options
  • artbyrachelh
    artbyrachelh Posts: 338 Member
    Nice thread! Awesome suggestions!
  • workinonit1956
    workinonit1956 Posts: 1,043 Member
    I love salads! I have a big one every day for lunch. I start with a lot of field greens (a lot) and some things I like on them are grape tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, radishes, craisins, shredded carrots, chick peas and my favorite thing is to top it off with a half cup of cottage cheese (I mix it in instead of dressing). Kinda weird I know :)
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
    I like things that are different temperatures.

    spring mix, warm roasted cauliflower, warm stewed tomato, curry powder, cold chickpeas, cold chicken
    spring mix, warm grilled zucchini, carrot and onion, cold tomato, chilled shrimp
    spring mix, warm butternut squash, grilled red onion, cold tomato, steak
  • mutantspicy
    mutantspicy Posts: 624 Member
    I just made a light kale salad, with sardines, baby sweet peppers, and balsamic vinegar. It was quite simple but great combination.
  • 08_GreenEyedMomma
    08_GreenEyedMomma Posts: 62 Member
    I went through a phase where almost everything I made for the family for dinner, I ate as a salad. So I've had salads with a cheeseburger (no bun), chicken breast/nuggets/tenders, steak, taco meat, chili, sausage meatballs from spaghetti (without the sauce), porkchops, rotisserie chicken, bbq meat and on. In fact, tonight I am making burritos, but I will probably have a salad with a scoop of everything on top w/ taco sauce & sour cream as dressing since the tortillas are over 200cal each. I almost exclusively use a bagged romaine mix or romaine hearts for greens. I know it sounds weird, but I don't make a salad without raisins or cucumbers unless I have to.

    Also good on salad: peanuts, almonds, any kind of cheese you like (shredded or crumbled I think is best), apple, tuna, chicken salad, strawberries, corn, onion, olives, and of course - croutons.
  • Kathleen_noel
    Kathleen_noel Posts: 5 Member
    edited May 2018
    For my salads, i love to use the Boston Butter lettuce. So much good flavor! I also like to put in the little halos, golden raisins or regular .. and always have to have some chicken. Also enjoy carrots, radishes and my home made cilantor, lime & honey vinegerette dressing :) yum! Also gotta have my croutons! Have to have that crunch there .. but I may try walnuts in a salad in place of those carbs.
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
    Tomorrow I am having a salad of roasted butternut squash, spinach, pistachios, and a lemon olive oil vinaigrette. Also on the menu this week: salad of spinach, oranges, red onions, and pistachios with capers and red wine vinaigrette.

    My most basic salad that I still eat quite a bit has no lettuce: just chickpeas, red bell peppers, cucumbers, mushrooms, and thousand island dressing. Sometimes I have it over romaine if I feel like more veggies.
  • rose2_0
    rose2_0 Posts: 150 Member
    Anything I can put in a carby bun, pizza, or taco...I put in a salad.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    Goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and red onion.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited May 2018
    Harvest - grilled chicken, feta cheese, tangy apples, craisins, pecans, and Newman's Apple Cider Vinaigrette.

    Asian - grilled chicken, snap peas, mandarin oranges, wonton strips and Newman's Sesame Ginger.

    Caesar - grilled chicken, parm cheese, and a few croutons. Ken's lite caesar.

    I make a no lettuce salad with shredded carrots, diced celery, thawed peas (thawed French style green beans work too) and Newman's Sesame Ginger dressing.

  • aliblain
    aliblain Posts: 175 Member
    08_GreenEyedMomma wrote: »
    I went through a phase where almost everything I made for the family for dinner, I ate as a salad. So I've had salads with a cheeseburger (no bun), chicken breast/nuggets/tenders, steak, taco meat, chili, sausage meatballs from spaghetti (without the sauce), porkchops, rotisserie chicken, bbq meat and on. In fact, tonight I am making burritos, but I will probably have a salad with a scoop of everything on top w/ taco sauce & sour cream as dressing since the tortillas are over 200cal each. I almost exclusively use a bagged romaine mix or romaine hearts for greens. I know it sounds weird, but I don't make a salad without raisins or cucumbers unless I have to.

    Also good on salad: peanuts, almonds, any kind of cheese you like (shredded or crumbled I think is best), apple, tuna, chicken salad, strawberries, corn, onion, olives, and of course - croutons.

  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
    I can’t believe no one mentioned BACON!

    I do like a good taco salad! Lettuce, taco meat, onion, black beans, corn, a little cheese, salsa as my dressing, and crunched up tortilla chips.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Spiralized zucchini or yellow squash in addition to many of the ingredients listed upthread.
  • lanasweat
    lanasweat Posts: 4 Member
    All of these ideas are great! I will use many of the suggestions! One of my favorites is taco salad using chicken and all of the fixings - cilantro, cheese and salsa as the dressing
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    On some weekends I do a quick pickle of bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, and cucumber. It is convenient when I want a salad without spending time cutting up vegetables. Roasted vegetables are a nice change. Pickled beets are a regular favorite.

    I like to make a piece of cheese toast and cut it up instead of croutons on occasion. The same goes for left-over onion rings. I especially like onion rings when I am going with bleu cheese crumbles and dressing. Today I used a piece of margherita pizza.

    Most of everything that was suggested in this thread has also made an appearance. If all I am eating is salad for lunch (my biggest meal of the day) I really try to get the calories up over 1k so pretty much nothing is off-limits.
  • Lizakabibbis
    Lizakabibbis Posts: 370 Member
    nuts, hemp seeds, fruit (grapes, apples, oranges, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, raspberries, blackberries), edamame, cucumber, green onion, peppers, carrots, avocado, tomatoes, celery, boiled eggs, chicken, steak, lunch meat, different cheese, broccoli slaw, chickpeas, corn, shrimp, roasted beets, roasted garlic, radish, lentils, black beans, kidney beans.

    I will add pretty much anything to a salad....a salad is the perfect clean out the fridge meal. I like my salads w/no dressing but the calories still add up!
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