[Gordito]

After 3 weeks of salads dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, Im started to get a little tired of them. Any suggestions and how to "spice" them up?

[Bellamack]

Have you tried the Big Mac in a bowl? very yummy

I also like to saute chicken and then toss in Franks Buffalo Sauce (it is IP appropriate) and then toss in WF bleu cheese dip and throw on a salad. I generally don't like WF (Walden Farms, in case you didn't know), but the Bleu Cheese dip in a very small amount is ok.

Hope that helps a little

[barri1970]

I have been mixing EVOO with the WF Balsamic dressing then pouring it on the salad...totally makes it taste like regular Balsamic Vinagrette!

[Satobb]

I totally understand! I hate the wf dressings so I created my own. I love cilantro, so I put a bunch of cilantro,olive oil, garlic,onion and some salt in a blender. It keeps in the fridge for a while and tastes great on any salad or cabbage!

[lisa32989]

Somewhere I also found a recipe for IP potato salad (made with cauliflower). Its pretty good! I think I'll make some more tonite. I also do cole slaw with WF dressing. THAT is my go-to. For some reason, lettuce salads do NOTHING for my hunger.

Edit: here is the recipe (I put this on salad greens for more "bulk")


Mock Potato Salad

Ingredients:

·******** 1 medium head cauliflower (about 4 cups/1 quart florets)
·******** 2 hard-boiled eggs
·******** 1 medium stalk celery, minced (including leaves)
·******** ½ cup chopped green pepper ( I don’t like them, excluded them J)
·******** 2 green onions, chopped (green and white parts)
·******** 1/3 cup mayonnaise ( homemade or walden farms variety)
·******** 1 tablespoon prepared mustard (brown or yellow)
·******** 1 teaspoon lemon juice
·******** ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
·******** ¼ teaspoon onion powder
·******** 1-2 drops hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
·******** 2 tablespoons sugar-free pickle relish or dill relish, or chopped sugar-free pickle
·******** Salt and pepper
·******** Fresh herbs (optional)

You can also add radishes, peppers, or hot peppers
Preparation:

1) Break or chop the cauliflower into smallish florets. If they are too big, they're difficult to cook so that they have the right "bite" and flavor - the outside tends to overcook. *( I do four and ½ minutes in the micorwave)
2) Microwave florets in a covered container with a small amount of water, or steam on the stove. I've never tried boiling, but cauliflower tends to hold on to water, so I'm a little skeptical. You want them to be fork-tender (a fork slips in easily), but not overcooked (avoiding the stronger smell and flavor which develops with longer cooking).

3) Drain and put into a medium bowl. Chop the egg and add. Toss with salt and pepper. I like quite a bit of pepper, and it does seem to take a surprising amount of salt, but this would be to taste.

4) Mix the ingredients for the dressing (mayo, lemon juice, spices, etc.). Taste for the balance of flavors you like. Mix the chopped vegetables and the dressing into the cauliflower and egg mixture. Add chopped fresh herbs if you wish - chives, dill, or parsley work well, but I've even used mint for something different. Garnish with the herb, or sprinkle with paprika. Chill.

[Gordito]

Originally Posted by SacredKestrel

My favorite thing lately is "warm" salads.. such as warm spinach salads... the dressing is slightly heated and the salad is tossed with it and the spinach leaves slightly wilt.... very delicious... also composed salads are another big favorite of mine... Salad Nicoise being one of my favorites... also one of my all time favorites is a classic french bistro recipe of salad frisee with a poached egg and lardons...

Some other simple ideas are adding chopped fruits such as melon or orange sections... also toasted nuts such as walnuts, or almonds, or macadamia nuts...

The possibilities are endless.... different lettuces, different oils and vinegars, different dressings... you could add anything from sliced flank steak to grilled shrimp or chicken to canned tuna... It truly can be a whole meal that is very satisfying... I mean you're only really limited by your own imagination...

Enjoy!

Iwould think walnuts and almonds are a no no. High in carbs and fat..

[mightbe]

I like to use salsa on my salads.

[GoalFor40]

I don't think Kestrel is an IP'er, the fruit and nuts would not be permitted.

There was a thread the other day that talked about different salad dressings, check that out for some other ideas!

[Thefireresides]

Salad stir fry is a great way to beat the greens blues. The combos here are endless....especially if you add miracle noodles. A made a mean stir fry with tons of romaine, peppers, miracle noddles and a great spicy peanut dressing


I have also been making spinach pies.....lining a small foil pan with spinach and oil roasting on the BBQ....then adding some ground beef on top.

Romaine lettuce, topped with left over green breans and zuchs....wf balsamic dressing, reheat the hole thing in the microwave for a great warm salad lunch

[Sewmam]

I've been making my vegees stir-fried with the 2 tsp of olive oil since I started IP almost 2 years ago. I don't handle the raw vegees as well, so cooking them helped. I just throw the meat on top of it.

I use a big bowl of head or romaine lettuce because they are cheap and can stay crisp. I use the Walden Farms dressings, with a splash of a great organic apple cider vinegar and it really brightens up the flavors. (I couldn't stand WF at first, but it grew on me...) Depending on the theme, I'll add garlic or just salt/pepper. Love using the Asian dressing with some tamari and vinegar added, fresh grated ginger and garlic, topped with fresh cilantro. Really tasty...

In maintenance, I can have any dressing I want, but I still seem to tend towards WF because I can save the fat calories for something else.

[Great Dane]

Have you tried Cucumber Salad? Salad plus it is your 2 C of veggies for your meal. Slice 2C peeled cucumber thin, add 1TBS (or more to taste) WF mayo, 1 TBS (or more to taste) white vinegar. Stir gently. Top with a little dill (or any other favorite herb) Eat or pop back into the fridge for a little bit for extra flavor.