Non Lettuce( and a bunch of other stuff I cant have) Based Salads
 

I started new medication. Which came with a whole list of foods I should avoid or only eat cooked and rarely. However here it is summer and I love nice cold salads. My doctor and I have been keep close tabs on what makes things worse for me, through very careful food diary keeping so heres what I cant have, can you help me come up with some salads?

The NO-NO List:
Greens of any kind (lettuce, spinach, kale, bok choy,cabbage,etc)
Broccoli, Cauliflower
Turnips, Rutabagas
Sweet potatoes, Raadishes
Bamboo shoots
Peaches, Pears, Strawberries
Peanuts, Pine Nuts, Millet
ANY soy products
Avocados-not because of the medication but because of a serious allergy

There are a few others but they are mostly covered by the greens category.

So are there any cold salads you can think of? I count calories if that makes a difference, but I am good with portion control.

You could try a chopped cucumber, tomato and onion salad with some olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Red pepper (raw or roasted) adds great flavor to salads as well, if you like a little sweetness.

It just so happens I have all that on hand, so it will definitely be a part of my lunch, because its sounds great.

Oh yup I was going to suggest chop up cucumber, tomato, and onion (any kind you like) but I put sumac, lemon juice, and a bit of salt in it. Sumac you have to find at those middle eastern type stores or order online. If you have no sumac lemon and salt is just as good :)

I love to just chop up cauliflower and eat that with some light dressing- YUM :)

Raw, crunchy veggies like carrots, cucumber, jicama (although that's a root), celery and tomatoes are delicious with lemon or lime juice and salt. If you are feeling adventurous add a little pinch of cayenne pepper for kick.

Jicama is probably a no-no, though I am not sure. I was thinking my DH used to make carrot salad which was kind of like coleslaw I could probably make it friendly for me. Lemon/Lime juice sounds great on veggies, and so does the kick of pepper.

Not a salad.....but during the summer, eggplant, squash and asparagus are also great for grilling! To get more veggies into your diet, you can also make a vegetable-based stir-fry with chicken or some other protein.