salads?

Chereallyx
Chereallyx Posts: 5
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
I am bored of the same old lettuce, tomato, cucumber onion scenario. Anyone got any ideas on how I can I make it a bit more exciting, or some nice salad dressings x
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Replies

  • schninie82
    schninie82 Posts: 502 Member
    Cous cous
  • Jesseann
    Jesseann Posts: 35 Member
    I buy the low fat/low cal creamy dressings and use a teaspoon of it and mix in two tablespoons of fat free sour cream. That way I can have more dressing and less calories. I also add sliced or diced peppers to my salad...fruit salad is good too
  • paigemarie93
    paigemarie93 Posts: 778 Member
    Add some grilled chicken or some tuna?

    Tuna french salad is my favourite!

    Drain one can of tuna, mix with a table spoon of light mayonnaise, add to tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, lettuce & red pepper, then drizzle with one tablespoon of light French Salad Dressing.

    Or add grilled chicken to the same salad basics & drizzle with two tablespoons of light Caesar salad dressing.
  • mrichternh
    mrichternh Posts: 29 Member
    We add different meats. Whatever we cook up on the weekend in bulk is what we add in. Sometimes it might be taco meat, chicken, pork, beef. I also make my own dressings using a variety of citrus, italian seasoning, and olive oil. You could add fruits (mandarin oranges, beets, apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, raspberrries). We might also add hardboiled eggs and some walnuts or almond slivers to boost protein. I have found two dressings I love are from Light House (blueberry pomeganate - 25 calories) and Walden Farms (all have 0 calories).
  • virgomuse
    virgomuse Posts: 33 Member
    I have eaten salad EVERY DAY for at least one meal/day for a year.

    To make it excitng and varitety by adding fruit (apples, pears, marandian oranges, raisins, grapes, cranberries, pineapple), different veggies, (snow snap peas, peppers sweet red/yellow/green/orange, mini cucumbers, pickles, mushrooms, fresh broccoli or cauliflower) adding nuts like almonds, walnuts, different kinds of cheeses by the slice or shred/crumb (mozerella, colby jack, goat, feta, swiss) Some times I'll add meat (turkey, beef, salmon, tuna), a boild egg. I can't eat avacado, but I use to and this was ALWAYS in my salad. Same w/ pasta, but now I sub quinoa or rice. Also changing up your greens, there are some yummy lettuce varieties out there and you can always add spiniach.

    As for the dressings I ALWAYS MAKE MY OWN, because they are way healthier and tatse way better.
    here are my top three: Keep them in fridge, i put mine in picinic (diner ketchup looking) bottles.

    honey mustard dressing 1 tablespoon = 80 calories
    1/2 cup olive oil
    1/3 (local) honey
    1/4 lemon juice
    1 tablespoon mustard (yellow, but try other flavors for a spicy change)

    classic french dressing 1 tablespoon = 80 calories
    (will become creamier as it sits in fridge)
    1 cup olive oil
    1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
    1/4 cup lemon juice
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
    1/2 teaspoon paprika

    herb vinaigrette 1 tablespoon = 80 calories
    1/2 cup olive oil
    3 tablespoons white vinegar
    1 tablespoon of dried Italian herbs
    1/2 tablespoon of dried parsley
    1 tablespoon of dried onion
    1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic
    1 teaspoon of sea salt
    1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flake (optional add to taste for spicy flavor)
  • blytheandbonnie
    blytheandbonnie Posts: 3,275 Member
    Excellent dressing. So good:

    Low-Cal Italian

    1 package Good Seasons Italian dressing Mix
    1 can (6 oz) V-8 (or tomato) juice
    2 tsp parsley flakes
    1/4 cup vinegar (apple cider preferred)
    1 Tbsp Olive oil

    Mix together. Chill (or not)
    One Tbsp = 20 calories and 1.7 grams of fat

    Adjust it as it makes you happy, but it is so good, and you can have a mixing bowl size bowl of salad with ALL this dressing and still not go over 300 cals. Add some chicken breast and you are golden.. Assuming you are not watching your sodium. As always, this is a once upon a time thing. Not an always thing. But as a dressing for a tablespoon? It's good, no sugar, and you can eat it knowing there is almost no fat and all the flavor does not come from sugar and artificial flavors. Not bad stuff.
    Throw it together with some steamed veggies and whole wheat pasta?
  • FitzyFitzpatrick
    FitzyFitzpatrick Posts: 188 Member
    What about varying your lettuce options? I love a day with a spinach only, as my lettuce choice. I topped it with one hardboiled egg, and some fresh strawberries; topped with a lite poppyseed dressing. Another day could be ice berg only with a totally different dressing...another day could be spring mix with something light.
  • lissrn
    lissrn Posts: 60 Member
    My favorite is....crasins, goat cheese or any soft cheese and either walnuts or slivered almonds. A little higher in calories but worth it! I just make sure I measure everything so I don't go overboard. For the dressing I make the good seasons packet with balsamic!
  • patricia909
    patricia909 Posts: 205 Member
    bump
  • Wendysworld13
    Wendysworld13 Posts: 225 Member
    I ALWAYS have a variety of fruits and veggies available for my salad as well as protein options. Beans, eggs, whatever is in the fridge is fair game. If it is lettuve you are sick of, try quinoa, couscous, brown rice, etc - just don;t go overboard. Experiment while walking through the veggie aisle at your local supermarket - yum, that would be good, then go and add it!
  • jact9799
    jact9799 Posts: 1 Member
    Have you tried the Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Dressings? The Ranch is only 40 calories per serving (2 TBSP) and the Chunky Blue Cheese is 35 calories per serving. Best part is it tastes great! I get mine in the vegetable/fruit section of the store.
  • emhill21
    emhill21 Posts: 126 Member
    One of my favorite salads is baby spinach with red grapes, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
  • AJs_Journey
    AJs_Journey Posts: 40
    I ue different types of greens, I also add nuts, cheese, different meats, dried fruit, also try different veggies.

    As for salad dressing, I really like the Renees Pourablesdressings. There are a bunch of them and they have a really nice flavour.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    My current favorite salad is topped with low-sodium albacore and organic salsa. I just grab the bagged salad at the store and put this on top. No need for anything else.
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
    I get inspiration from restaurant salads, so try fruit if you like them.

    i would do sunflower seeds, spinach, strawberries, and berry dressing (like from the spray bottles)

    or spinach, 2 boiled eggs, black pepper, and braggs apple cider vinegar as the dressing

    add grilled chicken to your regular salads as well

    -these are my go to salads
  • blytheandbonnie
    blytheandbonnie Posts: 3,275 Member
    My favorite is....crasins, goat cheese or any soft cheese and either walnuts or slivered almonds. A little higher in calories but worth it! I just make sure I measure everything so I don't go overboard. For the dressing I make the good seasons packet with balsamic!
    The only problem with any suggestion like this is, if you are just starting out and you are on the 1200 cals a day, cheese is pretty much out of your reach. Dried fruit is pretty calorie dense, also. When I first started I needed a lot of food all the time. I lived on celery sticks (by the pound) cucumber slices (ditto) carrots, apples. I was hungry but eating all the time. You can't tell a newbie to have some almonds. That's like 25% of their calories for the day. Eat 5 pounds of celery. Then have some more, then have a low cal lunch. Vegetables are the key. Eat and eat and eat some more of them. They give you something to chew on, something to distract you, and you cannot overdo them. Then your stupid body starts to adjust. You'll be okay. you can get through this.
  • jenbrooks08
    jenbrooks08 Posts: 13
    I use 1/3rd of a Bag of Dole's Romaine lettuce mix, 2 tbsp Blue Cheese Crumbles, 2 sliced Turkey chopped, 1/4 Bell pepper, 5 Cherry Tomatoes and 2-3 sliced Mushrooms. I use Kraft Italian Vinaigrette made with Olive Oil (60 calories per 2 TBSP). Oh and Croutons!!! Yummmmm!!!
  • luvu32
    luvu32 Posts: 13
    Bump:)
  • pupcamper
    pupcamper Posts: 410 Member
    I add in spinach, onion, strawberry, almond and poppyseed salad and a broccoli salad with crasins for some variety!
  • eblake111
    eblake111 Posts: 66 Member
    I love to get shrimp, cranberries, almonds and blue cheese for my salads. Another great thing to try is sunflower seeds, carrots and sliced chicken or turkey....just have fun and be creative. Rasberry vinagrette dressing is an all time fav of mine :)
  • pitbullmama
    pitbullmama Posts: 454 Member
    bump
  • jillsusanne
    jillsusanne Posts: 11
    I love Paul Newman's Light Sesame Ginger dressing - huge calorie bargain. I add some mandarin oranges OR a little cutie clementine, blue cheese crumbles (low fat if you wish), cucumbers, and almonds. I also sometimes throw in some coleslaw mix or chopped brussel sprouts for crunch. Delicious!!
  • TJBFITNESS
    TJBFITNESS Posts: 4
    Walden Farms is a brand that has 0 calories, 0 sugar and tons of flavor. They make salad dressings, ketchcup, BBQ sauce and
    even chocolate sauce!!! I don't know how they do it...but they are very tasty!
  • blytheandbonnie
    blytheandbonnie Posts: 3,275 Member
    Walden Farms is a brand that has 0 calories, 0 sugar and tons of flavor. They make salad dressings, ketchcup, BBQ sauce and
    even chocolate sauce!!! I don't know how they do it...but they are very tasty!
    Engineered food like this, in then long run, is probably not good for your body.
  • Becky_Boodle
    Becky_Boodle Posts: 253 Member
    I like to add grilled chicken or shrimp to my salad for some protein
    and carrots, celery, red onion, pears or apples for some added crunch
  • Vegan_Runner
    Vegan_Runner Posts: 133 Member
    chilled quinoa, diced tomato, avocado, parsley, garlic, balsamic, olive oil
  • kaetra
    kaetra Posts: 442 Member
    Drained Mandarin oranges, grilled chicken, and Ginger Sesame dressing.
    Fresh broccoli, cucumbers and tomatoes (no lettuce) with Italian
    Crunchy tart apples, dark green lettuce, pears, feta cheese and balsamic vinegarette
    Cold pasta salad with tons of veg, italian, a bit of shaved parmesan and a few black olives
  • sunkisses
    sunkisses Posts: 2,365 Member
    this is my autumn/fall salad but you can replace the figs with whatever fruit you like that is in season - experiment

    figs, halved
    2-3 hearts of palm cut into bite-sized pieces
    1 oz crumbled goat cheese, bleu cheese or any other crumbly cheese of your liking
    1-2 slices of crumbled bacon
    toasted pecans or whatever nut you like - just enough to sprinkle the top for texture
    fig-infused vinegar (or any other flavor)

    Put it on a bed of baby spinach if you need greens.
  • WhiteCoc0
    WhiteCoc0 Posts: 160 Member
    Kraft fig balsamic with olive oil....seriously amazing.
  • zoodalia
    zoodalia Posts: 294
    Feta cheese, bulgar wheat, nuts and seeds, bit of oil, sundried tomatoes, avocado etc etc. All these things add some calories but since learning to make a good salad, I actually really enjoy them!

    Good luck! xx
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