How can i make a salad more interesting without bumping up the calories?!
How can i make a salad more interesting without bumping up the calories?
Answers:
There seem to be a multitude of good answers here... This is what I like to do:
I take salad to work and to be healthy, I try not to add oil-based dressings or lashings of mayonnaise even if they are yummy.
I like to use a ready-mixed herb salad as the variety of coriander; parsley, spinach etc give it nice flavour so I don't need to add oils/dressings.
Alternatively, a mixed salad with rocket leaves is also good.
If you have plain tasting leaves you can jazz it up by adding finely sliced spring onions, radishes, cress, celery, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumber, sliced avocado (calorific, but has vit E and is good for you)...the list is endless.
What I do is add maybe 3 or 4 different salad items and make it more nutritious by adding one of the following proteins: cooked chicken breast (supermarkets have this ready cooked in different flavours, bbq, tikka, fajita); sliced sandwich ham; hard-boiled egg; cooked prawns or some tinned fish like tuna.
One last tip, try adding a spoon or two of fresh tomato salsa on your salad. I get this ready-made from supermarket it's full of flavour, adds variety to my salad and is pretty much fat free and very low in calories! Or a tablespoon of coleslaw can be good too.
Remember, variety is key here. There are plenty of options, just pick a few and mix and match.
Tangerines.
Lemon juice, mustard, vinegar.
I like to chop raw mushrooms,peppers,onions and sweetcorn into a cole slaw mix - with lite mayo.
put more veggies in it.
If you were a man you could come on it instead of using salad cream...
If you have it set out in a decent design, sure why not. Use lots of different colours, natural sugars and peppers :D
Add blueberries. They really are surprisingly yummy and very good for you. Low cal and low fat.
You could add nuts, or dried rasberries, or preety much any dried fruit, I like craisins. How about a sprinkle of cheese. yummmm, tangerines are good.
Make up some mint sauce with a bit of vinegar and water and mix it into your salad.
more varieties of lettuce, more variety of vegetables, try a really good imported balsamic vinegar, and add more fresh herbs and seasonings to the dressing.
beans, peas, radishs, low fat cheese, spinach, egg, turkey, chicken, carrots, califlower, raisins, almonds
Dried cranberries add a very interesting kick! Peas and corn offer different textures.
Put some, carrots/mushrooms/onions/beets... olives on top of your salad. Use small amounts of each, to give your salad flavor. Use lemon or oil/vinegar for dressing. Remember every thing in moderation. You don't have to use a lot of the goodies, just enough to make your salad interesting. No matter what it will be good for you, and it will give you lots of energy it's just so good for you.
It will taste yummy and you will love it! You just made me hungry for a nice salad......mmmm...good!
i make salad for my partner for work most days and do little things like one day slice the tomato, another day quarter it etc, same with egg - cutting it up chunky one day and fine another adds a bit of variety.
sometimes i add onion, or spring onion, sometimes beetroot, someday grated carrot then sprinkle with fine herbs.
someday he has tuna with it, or ham, cheese, coleslaw, corn beef etc there are loads of different things you can do if you experiment a little - i like apple on my salad and my daughter likes raisins with hers!
you could try using different salad leaves, buy some packaged mixed salad leaves to find out which ones you do and don't like.
a little low calorie salad dressing may be nice too - tesco do a healthy living spicy morrocan salad dressing with apricot, it's really tasty and you only need a little drizzle.
Lettuce Salad?
pea pods,
mushrooms
green beans
red cabbage, shredded
green onions, sliced
cauliflower pieces
broccoli pieces
Some of that Just 2 Good salad dressing
It may sound weird but add a few strawberries sliced up.
Add herbs and apples.
I like to shred a lettuce into a bowl, sprinkle black olives and feta cheese over the lettuce.
Or I will now share my late mums salad dressing with you.
Place a small amount of single cream in a large jug,or the top of themilk. Add pepper a teaspoon of sugar and a couple of tablespoons of cider vinegar. if you like you can vary the type of vinegar you use. Mix well . Drizzle over any type of salad you like.Enjoy!!!
Colourful veg and tasty salad dressings
Make a dressing of olive oil and vinegar - you only need a small amount so it's not really fattening. Olives are a good way of adding a bit of flavour too - although I'd suggest fresh deli olives rather than out of a tin or a jar, they taste much better. And if you like pickles, pickled onions or cocktail gherkins are good.
Pumpkin
Feta Cheese
Tuna
Vinagrette made from Balsamic Vinaigrette
Chargrilled Aubergines
How about lots of leaves and herbs? Lettuce is the most obvious but also young spinach,watercress,salad burnet,rocket and mustard and cress to name but a few !
OK,, instead of crotons, toasted bread, chopped into squares,
hard boiled eggs, salads ...and breckie..
loads of tomatoes, olives, celery, fresh ginger, chopped
and stir fried (just a bit !!!) loads of basil, chives ect.. you
can get in total packs in Morrisons, Tesco, Asda !!
good luck,,,,,,just browes !!!
Anchovies, black olives, tuna, fetta cheese and green beans with new potatoes.
Add cold roasted vegetables.
capers
anchovies
try making coleslaw with savoy cabbage, carrots, onions and a light mayonnaise with some pine nuts
use olive oil and herbs as a dressing
Add herbs, such as chives, mint basil, or try doing beetroot and orange salad, you could also add some nuts, or chick peas, they give a nutty flavour. Different dressings, like lemon and ginger, that's nice with fish, just experiment.