I love salad. Even when I was young, I'd always get lots of salad at salad bars. You'd think that would have helped with my weight, until you realize that I loaded it with ranch dressing and cheese.
Now, I make salad at home, and have it with 1 tbl. of Baslamic dressing (and occationally low-fat ranch if I feel daring enough lol) and no cheese (although Im consdiering getting a pack of low-fat cheese for this purpose) Alas! I have a problem.
I am one of the pickiest eaters I know. No seafood. No oriental food, except chicken teriyaki. And vegtrables? No tomatoes, no murshrooms, no peppers, no broccoli, cauliflower... the list goes on and on. So when I made my salad, it's a basis pf 4 things: dark green lettuce, carrots, onions, and cucumbers. Now the emergency is that before I get a chance to eat all the salad I make, it starts going bad. I figured out its the cucumbers that start this: they get old and mushy, and the moisture from them sets off everything else. I had to throw out a bunch of cucumbers as I got my salad today, and Im afraid that soon the rest of the salad will have to go. What a waste!
Anyone have any suggestions on what to do, besides taking out the cucumbers? And I was thinking of adding celery to my salads, and MAYBE raw green beans (I have to think about that one.. I just started eating green beans again, and I dont think Ive eaten them raw before). Do you know if I'll have that problem with any of those?
I have a similar problem with veggies going bad. The best suggestion I have is only make a single portion (I know this takes more time everyday). I find when the veggies are left in a more whole form they stay fresher longer.
Why not just make your giant salad, chop up some cucumbers, but store them in a seperate container? Then you can either throw them on the salad the morning you're going to eat it (if you're packing your lunch) or even put them in a seperate baggie to take along with your salad.
But yes, I think you're spot-on: it's the moisture from the cucumbers. Same reason why we don't put dressing on a salad way before we're going to eat it. It gets soggy and gross. You're a good detective
I don't like many raw veggies, except lettuce and the occasional tomato, which makes salad-eating difficult for me. I end up putting chickpeas or lf cheese and ff ham on mine... makes them higher in cals but I will actually eat it then! The other thing I love to do is when I have fresh fruit, throw a couple of strawberries, a couple orange sections, and some grapes on top. Dressed with basalmic vinagrette it's actually really, really yummy
Not that you asked for salad suggestions but thought I'd throw that out there.
I make mine one serving at a time. With the whole veggies that are left i wrap them in a dry paper towel and put them in their own zip lock bag....the paper towel absorbs condensation and keeps them fresh MUCH longer...i do that with my fresh herbs as well.
What do you think of alfafa sprouts, bean sprouts? maybe take a slow walk through your produce department. There are so many wonderful options for salads now days. I have a thing with my kids where we try a new food each week...i have learned about all kinds of veggies i like that i didnt know i liked.
Grated zucchini tastes like nothing. It adds bulk and vitamins but really doesn't make much difference flavour-wise. I'd add it later too ... for the mush thing happening.
Zucchini's REALLY water-heavy though; you'd have to squeeze out a buttload of moisture from it to make it palatable. I say this as someone who just made her first batch of zucchini bread last week and went "Ewww, what's that green mushy stuff?" after grating up the zucchini.
how about adding some fruit to your salad? some craisins or apple or orange segments? as for the green beans - try some sugar snap peas.
don't just limit yourself to a typical green salad - experiment.
i agree that you could separate the cucumber until assembling your salad and putting the dressing on. that sounds like the best course of action. how far in advance are you making your salad?
If it doesn't go bad, a bowl of salad lasts me about a week. I usually eat some every day, either as a meal when I get home from work, or with some grilled chicken for lunch.. something like that.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I think I shall seperate my cucumbers, for I love them and I don't want to give up eating them! And thanks for the salad ideas.. although a lot of them sound like things I wouldnt eat like oranges, strawberries.. yes I am THAT picky! Actually, that's kind of a lie... i just hate trying new things. The only reason I started eating green beans again is because the boyfriend likes them.
I think maybe next time I get salad things I'll just browse and pick something I think I can blend in with the salad and eat without realizing (sort of like the first time I tried zucchini or spinich)
brit - I learned that lesson the hard way with the dressing and cheese put in salad... there was a lot I had to throw away that day.. luckily that was a few years ago, and Ive never done it again.
I cannot eat a salad without cheese and a good serving of dressing. I usually buy light and then water it down after I've used a little just to keep down the calories. I'm picky too, and I can't make myself eat alot of vegetables. Salad is what constitutes most of the vegetable intake I've had my entire life. I only really like potatos and corn, which aren't really veggies anyway and happen to also be two of the major offenders that make me blow up like a balloon.
How about olives or some rinsed and dried black beans? I love adding stuff like that just for something different. I also love to precook chicken or lean steak and chop and freeze in individual baggies, so with a quick nuke it can be a meal.
I can only eat salad if it's fresh. I buy the premixed prewashed salad blends, and I always run out of a bag in about two or three days, so it really doesn't have time to go bad.
I eat my salad with some grated parmesan cheese, I only use 1 tablespoon, so it's not too high in fat/calories. I also have added raisons to salads, I'm definitely a crouton person (very carefully measured out tho!), sliced almonds are sometimes nice, some of those good fats. Lately I'm so basic though, lots of veggies and carefully measured out FULL FAT dressing! heh.
What about some shredded chinese cabbage, it is not a strong as regular cabbage. You can also add some bulk with beans if you like. Be careful with the raw green beans, they tend to cause stomach irritation in some people.
I think you are making it too far in advance with the cucumber.
Try assembling everything else - lettuce, carrot, onions, and then when the time comes to eat your salad, add the cucumber and dressing at the last minute. Your salad should stay fresher for longer without a high water content vegetable like cucumber in there for 5 days.
I have to agree with the paper towel trick. I normally make my salad (cucumbers, salad mix, onions, bell peppers, & mushrooms) in a closeable plastic bowl then I cover the top with a couple of paper towels to soak up the moisture. It will normally last about a week. I also tuck in the edges into the salad, so no moisture gets out.
Yes, that's right.. it's a SALAD emergency
