SALAD HELP !!! ;-)

O

olexa17

Cathlete
Ladies,

I need the salad doctors!!! I am getting "cleaner" with my diet every week but now I'm getting down to the nitty gritty and things like my beloved salads are perhaps needing some tweaking so they don't equal a slice of pizza, or a large pizza, calorie-wise.

My problem is the dressing. While I put my dressing in a ramekin on the side, and measure out usually 2-3TBS, I'm using GASP regular French. I LIKE IT> I have never been the girl that orders ANYTHING vinaigrette EVER.

Whenever I see posts on here about salads, everyone says they do oil/vinegar.

Can y'all pitch in and give me some salad ideas (even if it isn't oil/vinegar or vinaigrette) that you consider yummy and healthy (i.e. not adding 300+ calories for the dressing etc.)

Or do any of you do the regular salad dressing thing? I've been pretty boring with my salads and need suggestions; also for Greek salads what dressing do you use? Duh!!! How do you make it??

I need ideas!!! Please help me out!!!!

Thanks!!
;-)


Kelly G
www.kellyganieany.com
 
Kelly, haev you ever tried low fat or fat free French Dressing? I love Fat Free Raspberry Vinegrette. It gives it just enough flavor. IMO I hate vinigar/oil on my salad. It doesn't give it enough taste for mex( But my Mom likes it like that.

HTH!
Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry with your girlfriends.
-Laurie Kuslansky-

~Adri~
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Kelly- are you dipping your fork in the dressing before the salad? I know that it sounds wierd, but you still get your dressing flavor, but only end up using around 1-1 1/2 TBS instead of 2-3 TBS. I also like taking full-fat ranch dressing and cutting it with balsamic vinegar. I have also been know to make my own dressing using garbanzo beans. I whiz them up in the food processor with a dash of lemon jc, 1 tsp cumin, salt/pepper, and 2 tsp olive oil and a drained can of garbanzo bean (save the juice). As the food processor is working, slowly add the drained juice from the bean into mixture until it gets dipping consistency (viola'-hummus!!!). I take out about 1/2 the mixture and set it aside and add the rest of the juice/balsamic vinegar to taste to the rest to make salad dressing (with lots of protein, too1!).

HTH!!!
 
I use avocado with salt and pepper. My absolute favorite salad includes avocado and chopped up tamari almonds with dried cranberries and s&p. Sometimes I just use the salt and pepper. I have also used hummus as dressing. Of course, avocado has fat but it's healthy fat.
Heather
 
Hey Kelly: I love Newmans dressing for my salad. I buy the honey mustard light dressing and there aren't many calories and fat in a serving. I also like to sprinkle sunflower seeds or sliced almonds over my salad. I also mix the greens (romaine, iceberg and spinach). Good luck!!
 
>Kelly, haev you ever tried low fat or fat free French
>Dressing? I love Fat Free Raspberry Vinegrette. It gives it
>just enough flavor. IMO I hate vinigar/oil on my salad. It
>doesn't give it enough taste for mex( But my Mom likes it like
>that.
>
>HTH!
>Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry with your
>girlfriends.
>-Laurie Kuslansky-
>
>~Adri~
>|_|_|
>|_|_|
>|_|_|


Laurie,

I have tried FF dressings in the past but here is my thing ~ I am really trying to go in a direction where I'm limiting as much as I can the whole "fake, processed" food crap that is out there. I am even going to gulp change my beloved coffee creamer from Fake Coffeemate with all the bad oils and chemicals to just using cream and splenda (and only having one cup a day).

Now the FF Rasberry Vinaigrette that you mention though- I did buy some Newman's dressings and I think his are organic, chemical free etc. And I did like the taste somewhat. I'm spoiled after working in restaurants for so long and having salads with great blue cheese.

The thing is I DON"T drown my salads but heck even putting that dressing on the side and dipping my fork with salad in it, well I usually use up 2-3 TBS. With my French dressing that turns out to be 180 calories. Not horrible, but the dressing has a ton of sodium, bad oils/sugars. Then you add up the tuna that I put on it, avocado (1/2) and my salad is getting UP there.

I think the more other goodies I put on a salad that aren't necessarily 'bad' i.e. tons of cheese or bacon - then the flavors from those can be enough to outweigh less dressing. Just need some ideas!!!

THANK YOU!!

Kelly G
www.kellyganieany.com
 
>Kelly- are you dipping your fork in the dressing before the
>salad? I know that it sounds wierd, but you still get your
>dressing flavor, but only end up using around 1-1 1/2 TBS
>instead of 2-3 TBS. I also like taking full-fat ranch
>dressing and cutting it with balsamic vinegar. I have also
>been know to make my own dressing using garbanzo beans. I
>whiz them up in the food processor with a dash of lemon jc, 1
>tsp cumin, salt/pepper, and 2 tsp olive oil and a drained can
>of garbanzo bean (save the juice). As the food processor is
>working, slowly add the drained juice from the bean into
>mixture until it gets dipping consistency (viola'-hummus!!!).
>I take out about 1/2 the mixture and set it aside and add the
>rest of the juice/balsamic vinegar to taste to the rest to
>make salad dressing (with lots of protein, too1!).
>
>HTH!!!

That garbanzo bean stuff sounds GREAT!! I'm going to try it! Thanks!

Kelly G
www.kellyganieany.com
 
I like hidden valley light ranch. I have found I can use less of that if I mix it with some rice vinegar. I really like rice vinegar better that the others - it has a lighter taste. I also found if I use a high flavored meat mixed in I don't need as much dressing. I've been getting blackend frozen salmon at sam's (farm raised, though) and it adds a lot of flavor. Marnie
 
I love to stir a bit of raspberry balsamic vinegar with an ounce of avocado. Very creamy, lots of flavour, and since the avocado is the only high calorie item in my salad, I think it's acceptable.

HTH,
Sandra
 
>I love to stir a bit of raspberry balsamic vinegar with an
>ounce of avocado. Very creamy, lots of flavour, and since the
>avocado is the only high calorie item in my salad, I think
>it's acceptable.
>
>HTH,
>Sandra

What a great idea too! I never felt 'bad' about the avocado but I guess when I had the regular dressing on top of it plus I usually was sprinkling 1/4cup cheddar cheese on it....not as good of a salad.

I'm going to try these ideas this week!

Kelly G
www.kellyganieany.com
 
My favorite is homemade Balsamic Vinegar Dressing. I mix equal parts of balsamic vinegar with olive oil (ok, a little less oil :) ) and add some fresh garlic, a little bit of maple syrup and herb salt. Sometimes I use pumpkin seed oil instead of the olive oil, but I use a lot less because it is very flavorful.

I usually put it on all my salads but it tastes really good with mozarella balls, fresh tomatoes and basil, yummy!

Another variation of dressing is orange flavored olive oil (I buy it at Whole Foods) with Orange Vinegar (get it at Trader Joe's), a little bit of brown sugar or honey and herb salt.

I LOVE Thai Beef Salad:

This serves 4: 1/2 lbs sirloin steak (rub with crushed pepper, salt and garlic) and fry or grill, slice it and mix with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, scallions and cilantro.
For the dressing: Mix 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp chopped red chili (or dried chili), 2 tsp brown sugar.

Sometimes I substitute the beef with shrimp and/or scallops.

Have a great day!

Carola
 
One of my favorite salads comes from a local diner:

Mixed greens, with red onions, green peppers, 1/2 sliced green apple,
a handful of walnuts or pecans, sliced grilled chicken, feta cheese and balsamic vinegrette. I order the dressing and cheese on the side. The apple and feta give a great contrast to the regular salad greens.

Another favorite of mine is a spinach salad with a warm honey dijon dressing. Two cups of spinach, dried cranberries, some crumbled bacon (I usually skip this ingredient) topped with the dressing - one tbsp honey, one tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard mixed well and warmed up in the microwave just a few seconds (15-20). Makes a great change and it's really awesome.

My DH loves thousand island dressing. I got him to try the FF sundried tomatoe vinegrette. He really liked it which surprised me because he hates change.

Good luck!

Claude

"Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Satchel Paige
 
I find adding roasted red bell peppers adds a ton of flavor. I roast a couple of peppers in the broiler, slice, splash some balsamic vinegar on and keep in a cntr in the fridg for my next salad.
 
Try this -- Instead of pouring dressing on or dipping your fork in the dressing, go ahead and make your salad in a big bowl with a lid, then measure out 1 or 2 tbsp of your favorite dressing and drizzle it on the salad. Put the lid on the bowl and shake vigorously. You will be so surprised how much a small amount of dressing can cover all of your lettuce when you do it that way. My husband finally listened to me and tried it and he was amazed. I usually use balsamic vinagerette - and I refuse to use a low fat or fat free dressing. If you use a really good dressing, you don't need to use as much because the better dressing has a lot more flavor. I usually only need to use 1 tbsp when I put it on this way.

I hope this helps!
Monica
 
I often don't use any dressing at all, but make sure to have a good source of fat included (which makes some nutrients in the veggies more assimilable), like avocado, or raw (soaked, dried) nuts.

I also make a runny 'guacamole' that I use as dressing.

Sometimes, I'll use a bit of very tasty, raw, first-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil (a little goes a long way).

Most of those creamy, thick dressing are just empty calories.
 
Ok, I love to make my own dressing. But sometimes I will cheat and use Paul Newmans Oil and vinager, or the light balsamic or the light honey mustard. All are wonderful!
Here is my recipe for my own dressing:
1 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 C. Balsamic vinager
1 tbls Grey poupon mustard
salt to taste
onion powder to taste

I am kind of guessing on the measurements, so use trial and error and see what you think tastes better, ie more or less vinager more or less mustard, etc.
I love to put almond slices in my salad, I use those instead of chicken for my protein a lot of the time. But you do have to watch how many you put in, they are high in calories. I also like to have some mushrooms in it as well. I know a lot of people don't care for mushrooms, but I like them.
There is another salad that tastes so good, it's just spinach and strawberries with some red onion. You can get a great dressing for it in the lettuce section or your grocery store. I think it's T. Marzetti's Spinach salad dressing. This is a really great salad, it's easy and it's low in calories.

Kathy
 
I'm hopelessly hooked on Annie's Natural's...my fav is Goddess Dressing.
All the Annie's have natural and organic ingredients and no chemicals/preservatives.

You can actually read the ingredients and know what every single item is.
I get mine at Kroger's in the healthy/organic food section.
 
>I'm hopelessly hooked on Annie's Natural's...my fav is
>Goddess Dressing.
>All the Annie's have natural and organic ingredients and no
>chemicals/preservatives.
>
>You can actually read the ingredients and know what every
>single item is.
>I get mine at Kroger's in the healthy/organic food section.

I just saw these last night!! Do you measure it out, I did notice that although all natural, they didn't seem to be low-cal..I guess though if I watch the other stuff on my salad it is ok if its the good fat right?


Kelly G
www.kellyganieany.com
 
Kelly - if you don't usually have fruit in your salad, try some berries or orange slices or any fruit for that matter. I like it best when I add fruit and use balsamic vinegar dresssing, but try it with your fav dressing just for a change of pace.

I also throw some high fiber cereal on my salads once in a while for an extra crunch factor. Anything to keep from being bored.


"Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Satchel Paige
 
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