Any exciting salad ideas?

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AP2o12
AP2o12 Posts: 20
in Food and Nutrition
I try to eat a salad every day for lunch but lately I'm getting so bored with it. I usually mix organic greens, pecans, goat cheese, avocado, bell pepper, and chicken...and I typically only use olive oil for dressing if any. It tastes great to me but I'm a little bored with the flavors and want to spice it up. I want to be excited to eat my lunch! So, any ideas? What do you all put on your salads?
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Replies

  • DizzyLinds
    DizzyLinds Posts: 856 Member
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    I've recently been putting taco turkey, balck beans and a small amount of rice on mine with a bit of guacamole. Hold the rice if you are watching carbs. I also have turkey, bacon, egg white and avocado or tuna, egg white and new potatoes
  • rob_v
    rob_v Posts: 270 Member
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    I am also a salad nut. Been eating it for lunch forever. try dropping some fresh fruit in there. Chopped apples or rpears are great, blue/ras/black/strawberries when in season.

    Also try some twists on ur dressing. Take some Balsamic Vinager, brown mustard, minced garlic, and a bit of splenda for a sweet/tangy change.

    if u use nuts at all and have the time put them on a hot dry frying pan on the stove for a few mins to give them a great flavor pop .
  • KoH_
    KoH_ Posts: 4
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    iceburg lettuce, red onion, bell pepper, tomato, cucumber, apples, grapes, dried fruit and nuts.

    for dressing it's alright with just grated cheese as it's quite juicy from the tomatoes and the grapes. But any old dressing like salad cream.

    It's good to dive up everything into cubes and mix it all together so you can eat it with a fork and not look embarrassing. and its so much easier.

    If i'm spoiling myself i chuck a nice slab of salmon next to it.. ;)
  • vonnywaft
    vonnywaft Posts: 182
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    mixed beans or chickpeas? Perhaps with a bit of chilli in the dressing.
  • Starla_
    Starla_ Posts: 349
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    i also put fruit in salad, as rob_v said, apples and pears are good as are berries... but you can use stone fruit, citrus and grapes as well.

    i dont use dressings but i will sometimes use fresh chopped herbs

    toasting the pecans or roasting the bell pepper can be a easy way to change flavours too.

    try different vegies, fruits, try some dried noodles for texture, different meats... when it comes to salads there are no limits.
  • pstaceyca
    pstaceyca Posts: 306 Member
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    BUMP!
  • JK19672012
    JK19672012 Posts: 1
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    Apple, pineapple and cheese salad

    * chop an apple and mix in some lemon juice to stop it going brown
    * add some chopped pineapple chuncks - fresh best but whatever you have
    * mix in some 0% fat Greek yoghurt and some black pepper - add a little milk if you prefer a runnier consistancy
    * mix all of this with some mixed leaves
    * add about 30g of cheese cut into small chunks - my favourite is Gorgonzola, but not everyone is a blue cheese fan
  • roslynds9
    roslynds9 Posts: 139 Member
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    I love hot salads and often find it's really nice to cut up a couple of slices of bacon or some chorizo and fry them off with some mushrooms and cherry tomatoes (or whatever I have lying about in the fridge) and then pour the hot mix over a nice fresh, crunchy, salad =) nom nom nom

    Prawns are particularly nice if you stir fry them in a some lime juice, nam pla (fish sauce) and chillies then pour them over a salad
  • charlotte66
    charlotte66 Posts: 248 Member
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    bump! need some yummy salad ideas
  • adriayellow11
    adriayellow11 Posts: 140
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    cashews! of course :)
  • vonnywaft
    vonnywaft Posts: 182
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    prawns and avocado works really well together.
  • rmhand
    rmhand Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Spring Salad:
    Arugula, dried apples, raisins or dried cherries, walnuts, sunflower kernels, fat free raspberry vinaigrette.
  • monkeymouse74
    monkeymouse74 Posts: 288
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    Roasted pear thinly sliced with slice's of bree and finely sliced red onion on top, crumble toasted walnuts, black pepper and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to finnish. Truely yummy!!!!
  • mtaylor1601
    mtaylor1601 Posts: 1 Member
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    I have found good flavour and chop down the leaves and mix in ready to eat lentils and mixed grains - They come in different flavours including sundried tomato and mushroom with the mixed grains. Merchant Gournet are the best. Watch the Carb content through! Matt
  • lvnspoonful
    lvnspoonful Posts: 391 Member
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    bump!
  • artcaro1972
    artcaro1972 Posts: 42
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    I second the grains idea. I add 1/4c quinoa or lentils to a head of butter or red leaf lettuce.

    I also second the bits of salty meats idea. Add a little but of fresh sauteed proscuitto or bacon.

    For dressing, I frequently mix hummus and vinegar.

    Finally - the Asian salad. Blend soy sauce, fresh ginger and water for the dressing. I use LOTS of ginger. This is good with shrimp or chicken over a big bowl of fresh vegs. Any fresh veg you like. I always just use what I have in the house so it's different every day.
  • devfit
    devfit Posts: 3
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    Definitely try fruit.

    Roasted beetroot will go great with goat's cheese, pear, walnuts, grapes, mint etc. Beetroot can take a bit of chilli too.

    Roasted sweet potato or pumpkin would make a nice addition to what you have. I would dress it with a good vinegar rather than oil. Or you could leave out the goat's cheese and make a wasabi flavoured dressing.

    The cooked grated cauliflower trick makes a good base for a cous cous style salad.

    Or a morrocan style carrot salad is great too. So is asian style coleslaw. You could use a boiled egg instead of chicken, let's face it it has more flavour.

    Or what I would do is buy whatever is in season at the markets on the weekend, then go home and google up some recipes.

    hummus and yoghurt mixed makes a great dressing too.
  • bitterbrownie
    bitterbrownie Posts: 369
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    thanks for all these ideas!
  • Hoakiebs
    Hoakiebs Posts: 430 Member
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    substitute some blue cheese for the goat cheese, or try a simple salad that is one of my favorites, butter lettuces, with paper-thinly sliced cucumber and cubed avocado, sprinkle with onion powder and add equal parts olive oil and WHITE Balsamic vinegar, then toss.

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  • SKHaz1
    SKHaz1 Posts: 145 Member
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    I like walnuts in my salad...and also someone mentioned chickpeas...haven't tried chickpeas andwalnuts together tho!

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