I love Sam's Club's "organic baby spring greens, (about $4-$5 for a huge tub - I noticed that Walmart is now carrying it in a significantly smaller tub, for about a dollar less - at least it's better than when the only option there was a tiny bag for $4). They also sell it in a salad kit with feta, craisins, and I think some kind of nut - I never buy the kit because it's $2 or $3 dollars more, and I'd rather add my own toppings.
Because it's vacuum packed, when you open the package you suddenly have three times the volume it appeared to be (My first serving has to be a huge salad, or I can't get it all back in the box.) Once I get it home, though it's a race to finish it before the greens get yucky. If I have quite a lot left when it's starting to wilt, I'll toss the remainders into a soup - because they're all greens, they cook like spinache (I've heard of cooking iceberg and romaine lettuce, but that doesn't sound very good to me).
I also grow my own salad sprouts. I just buy a sprouting mix from our local health foods store. They sell it in bulk, so I buy about a pound at a time (and it lasts for a long time, because you only use a couple tablespoons to make a nice batch of sprouts - takes about 4 to 5 days. I used to have them spoil in the fridge - but I learned that they will last much longer in the fridge if I keep them in the salad jar and rinse every day or two - they'll continue to grow, but very slowly).
I usually make my own salad dressing. My favorite is walnut oil, rice wine vinegar, salt, pepper and a bit of sweetener (usually Splenda). I buy a good unseasoned rice vinegar from a local oriental grocery. Sometimes I buy salad dressing there. They're often much lower in calorie than American-style salad dressings (some are imported from Thailand and China, and others are made in California). I especially like one (don't have any now, so I don't remember the brand) that is called simply "Thai salad dressing," to my tastes, it's a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy (garlic, ginger, and red pepper are in it), and it only has 35 calories for 2 tablespoons.
I mix oils and vinegars of several varieties, but with rice wine vinegar, or white champagne vinegar I can use a lot more vinegar (maybe twice as much) so can make a lower calorie dressing than if I use more typical vinegars. However, another favorite vinegar, is the jar "juice" from pickled spicy or sweet peppers (I just have to make sure that I wait until the peppers are gone, or at least that I leave enough in the jar to cover the remaining peppers).
I eat at least one a day usually 2 and like" blue to blue" all vegtables in it, but use fruits too. I buy the big bags of spinich at Costco 3lb use that for my base usually will use the whole by myself in less than 2 weeks. As for dressing I use LF yogurt {plain} mix with different spices that way get exta protien. Or I use salsa, or basmatic viniger dressing. This summer one of my faves has been.. spinich feta watermelon red onion with basmatic drizzle...
I also eat salad for at least one of my meals each day. Some favorites, with dressing recipes:
Greens topped with 1/2 cup warm turkey-bean chili (I make big batches, freeze in 2-portion containers to whip out when needed) , dressed with a mixture of spicy salsa and plain yogurt
Vietnamese Steak Salad--Greens topped with slices of grilled steak, with lots of tomato, cucumber, scallion, fresh cilantro, basil and mint. Dressed with a mixture of fresh lime juice, chili sauce, chopped garlic, a pinch of sugar or sweetener, 1 tsp. Vietnamese fish sauce (a condiment that while it smells like old socks, adds tremendous depth of flavor when its added to things), some chicken broth as needed. Can also use chicken instead of steak.
Greens topped with tuna, tomato, green beans, red onion, basil, goat cheese, a few olives; dressed with balsamic vinaigrette (in a blender I whirl 3 cloves garlic, 2 tsp. grainy mustard, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbs. olive oil, 1 tsp. light mayo (this helps emulsify everything), 1/2 cup chicken broth, parsley, basil, pepper. Makes enough for 4 big salads))
Greens with sliced fruit, 1 oz. goat cheese, blue cheese, or a mild feta,, walnuts; dressed with dressing made as above, but with 1/4 cup of a delicate champagne vinegar, 1 Tbs. pistachio or toasted hazelnut oil (really flavorful--a spoonful is amazing), 1 tsp. mayo, 1/2 cup chicken broth.
Chopped Israeli Salad--chopped romaine, tomato, cucumber, red onion, radish, sweet red pepper, feta, lots of fresh parsley and dill, a few olives; dressed with lemon juice and olive oil
Greens with leftover grilled vegetables and chicken; balsamic vinaigrette
Last edited by Teachyrchildren; 08-15-2009 at 07:24 AM.
My salad dressing recipe is:
balsamic vinegar
Dijon mustard
splash of soy sauce
drizzle of honey
teaspoon of chopped garlic
salt and pepper
Wow, that was the exact same recipe that I was going to post on here. You have good taste. I usually make just what I need for one or two salads. I also add olive oil. I like it so much better than bottled dressings & it's really easy.
Danny, You should eat a good sized salad every day the main reason is so that you assure you are getting 7-9 serving of fruits and vegetables daily.
the healthies you can make is with baby spinach, tomatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, radishes, black beans, real grilled lean meat (chicken, turkey) or fish (tuna or salmon), about 2 tbsps chopped walnuts, colored bell peppers (more vitamins and nutrients that green), beets, alfalfa or bean sprouts and throw on some roasted soy nuts instead in croutons or even sunflower seeds. Now to help your body get all the nutrients in this salad you need a small amount of fat which helps the body absorb vitamins and minerals. So if your not going to use in olive or canolla oil based dressing add about 2 tbsps of some grated white cheese (not feta or blue). Alocadoes even though full of healthy fats its still fats and 9 Calories per gram, and eggs the cholesterol in the yolks need to be watched also. The amount of toppings should be about 1/5th (to keep the overall Calories in check) of the amount of the greens and vegetables.
Want to learn more I can teach you I teach proper nutrition in weight loss challenges all the time
Calvin
I used to eat them a lot, but one day I realized that I buy lettuce all the time and let it go bad and I don't particularly enjoy eating them. So I don't buy salad fixings anymore. Maybe one day I will again, but right now I'm not eating anything that doesn't make me happy.
I like spinach salads with fat free italian and chicken or tuna. I don't like iceberg lettuce...Romaine and spinach mixed together is also nice.
The best salad ever is the one we have at work. >_> I work at a chain Italian restaurant. The salad is SO BAD for you. LOL Well, the dressing is; even the lowfat. Yet so many women who say they're 'on a diet' order it.
...You guys don't even want to know what kind of salad I eat on my cheat days, if I eat one. Some of the topings might make you physically ill. lmao I LOVE salad...but my favorite salads are the kinds that are absolutely awful for you.
I love making salads at home because I don't cook much and salads are relatively easy to make So I probably have a salad once or twice a week.
I do try to mix them up though so I don't get bored of eating the same types of things all the time -- there's a chinese chicken salad recipe in Fitness magazine that I really want to try next...
Hi, I'm new to 3FC, and I'm following the Dr. Bernstein diet. I have two salads everday: approx 8 oz each. I started out with 50% lettuce, but that was too much, so now I use 40% red bell pepper, 30% grape tomatoes, 10% each of cucumber, celery, and lettuce. The allowed dressing that I can't live without is Kraft No Fat Italian. Thanks for listening. Have a great day
Last edited by HalfPint71; 02-21-2010 at 01:56 PM.
Reason: typo
So I probably have a salad once or twice a week. 
salads: In!
