My salads are boring... any suggestions wel... - Healthy Eating

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My salads are boring... any suggestions welcomed!

26 Replies

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and l would like to serve a salad that is amazing. My normal Salad consist of lettuce, sliced hard boiled egg, a bit of grated cheese and carrot. I find store bought tomatoes disappointing this time of year (mainly because we were spoiled by our garden this summer).

We love the salads served in our local restaurants but try as l may mine fall short in comparison. Granni B

26 Replies
Kaz747 profile image
Kaz747Star

Hi Granni B

I make a lot of interesting salads. Even simple salads can be “upgraded” with a few extra ingredients- nuts, seeds, fruit, etc. I often add dried cranberries for example to salads.

Here’s a couple of my favourite salad recipes:

jessicagavin.com/crunchy-th...

taste.com.au/recipes/barley...

Other favourites include Pumpkin, Beetroot and Feta; and, Rocket, Pear and Walnuts

Oliverunner profile image
Oliverunner in reply to Kaz747

These sound divine - thanks ❤️

in reply to Kaz747

I am so glad l asked for help! Now l need to do some shopping... l never heard of pumpkin in a salad but l will check it out. Thanks, Granni B

Kaz747 profile image
Kaz747Star in reply to

I love pumpkin. We use different kinds of pumpkin but I usually use butternut pumpkin. You may call it butternut squash.

in reply to Kaz747

Yes we do & we have grown it in our garden in the past. Now l have a friend that shares her garden with me. She blessed me with 4 butternut squash & l acorn squash. Hopefully next year we will have a garden again... two years ago a huge tree fell on our garden and we had pumpkin & squash vines growing up through the limbs... it was very comical looking. Picking the pumpkins & squash was most difficult but great exercise.

Kaz747 profile image
Kaz747Star in reply to

Home grown is the best 😉

Whydothis profile image
Whydothis

A couple of ideas:

Tomatoes - make a salad with sliced tomatoes, sliced red onions, olives and cubes of feta cheese. I think this makes better use of winter shop-bought tomatoes as it gives more flavour.

Lettuce - Dry it after washing, and then toss it in olive oil and sprinkle with a few sesame seeds.

in reply to Whydothis

Love your suggestions & will try. THANKS!

HappyNoodle profile image
HappyNoodle

I like to add fresh ginger finely chopped. Celery, sliced peppers cucumber. A good homemade vinaigrette sometimes adding mustard or chilli. I prefer finely sliced cabbage red or green to lettuce. Radishes even a drained tin of sweet corn or baby corn. Mange tout.

in reply to HappyNoodle

Thank you HappyNoodle... Love your name & Ginger! Granni B

Hello you can put just about anything in a salad I put tomato cucumber lettuce beetroot avacado walnuts fresh coriander sometimes kidney beans you can lay it on a big plate with the lettuce under it and showing on edges Chrystal heart, you can mix different lettuces in to you can put peppers depending on teeth the thinner ones are easier to eat raw, you can make some different types of salads in seperate dishes like potato salad or waldarf salad you can look these up you can have the beetroot seperate so it stays dry and doesn't go pink☹️you can even put croutons in if you can be bothered to make them or buy them done and of course red onion spring onion water cress I would do a basic salad on lettuce leaves and little extra salads then everyone can dive in some people can't chew so I'd grate the carrot very finely and just put a bit on for colour hope this helps I'm hungry now 😋xx

in reply to

Thanks Curly for so many suggestions. I am making a salad grocery list now... GranniB

in reply to

Good luck enjoy sure it be lovely and it's the company that's more important than the food they will love it whatever you do 💛🌟🌜xxx

Oh I forgot olives but not in a jar too salty get the fresh ones in the salad bar or fresh pre pack with the coleslaw I forgot that too you see there's so much

I eat a salad every day, and I agree it can get boring. I use Campari tomatoes because they are awesome all year. I also add fruit, such as grapes or pomegranates. Sunflower seed kernels add texture and protein. Use a variety of lettuces and maybe spinach, cabbage, and colored peppers to add beauty.

in reply to HealthBuddyMelissa

Great ideas, especially adding fruit. I love summer salads with berries but mine never taste as good... not sure why??? Granni B

HealthBuddyMelissa profile image
HealthBuddyMelissa in reply to

Experiment with different seasonings and dressings. I love citrus creamy dressing but it is hard to find. My go-to is Catalina, and I always add a smidge of garlic or lemon zest.

Zest profile image
Zest

Hi Granni B,

I hope avoid-sugar won't mind if I link to her really great post entitled 'Salad is not boring to eat' - as I agree with that statement, and feel sure your lovely salad is also very appetising, but I'm glad you've asked for some ideas for salads, as the replies you've had are really great. I think avoid-sugar's salad is so colourful, and I love everyone's ideas. I haven't got any to add of my own.

healthunlocked.com/healthye...

Zest :-)

in reply to Zest

I am so pleased with all the suggestions...

Hello GranniB there are so many things you can put in a salad I love raw onion baby tomatoes beetroot cucumber with a mixed salad. Sometimes I have a mixed bean or vegetable salad and think they’re really tasty. Some people have apricots with salad which sounds really nice to me.

I hope that you enjoy your Thanksgiving salad and I agree with Zest about avoid-sugar ’s fabulous salads. 🥗😁

in reply to

Apricots are a favorite at my house but never thought to add to my salad. I guess anything goes so l will be more adventurous in the future. Hope you have an interesting Thanksgiving. Ours has just been canceled by covid19... it is thriving in our area... so we will be staying home & hopefully staying safe. We are going to watch Bruce Willis movies all day... sounds silly but it is a tradition. Granni B

TheAwfulToad profile image
TheAwfulToad

Thinly-sliced red onions can perk it up a bit. Or spring onions.

A good dressing can make a huge difference. Try homemade Ranch or Caesar.

in reply to TheAwfulToad

Sounds great Awful Toad! Granni B

amykp profile image
amykp

Try cherry tomatoes! They are usually better in the winter. Slice them in half--they're easier to eat that way. Also, toasted pine nuts, or walnuts, or both. Raw fennel stalks, chopped, are much more interesting than celery. Add arugula, or baby kale--or make a salad with 100% of either of those (or any other green). Of course there's avocado--I never eat a salad without it, but have you considered blackberries? They're not too sweet.

But, imo, the main thing is the dressing--make your own! I love a good lemon dijon (evoo, fresh lemon, dijon mustard, a smashed garlic clove, s&p). There are a million recipes for really good dressings, that I think can really change up your routine!

in reply to amykp

Love the Avocado... it makes every thing better. Granni B

amykp profile image
amykp in reply to

oh yeah...

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