To think my salads are shit?

[Acunningruse]

Or at the very least, trapped in the 80s?!

We go on holiday in 30 days and I want to lose a ton bit of weight before we go so am planning on salad for lunch every day. Today I have ham, egg, lettuce, tomato cucumber and a bit of mayo. I think it'll be nice, but also like being transported back to my 80s childhood?!

The shops are full of exotic and tempting looking salads but I seem incapable of recreating anything similar at home. I tried one with chickpeas the other day and it was just chickpeas floating round my plate with a bit of onion and tomato.

What are your top homemade salads? Disclaimer I live in a very non exotic small town and do not have access to fancy delis etc.

Thanks!

My favourite salad is walnut pear an feta simple chuck together then make a dressing with olive oil an balsamic Vinegar. Once had it very expensive restaurant made it ever since. I could live on salad though.

I misread the title as “to think my sandals are shit” and was looking forward to a footwear thread.

Decent salads are just a simple formula! I usually work to 2 leaves, 4 veg, a grain, bean nut or seed, a protein, a dressing. You need soft and crunchy, sharp and sweet, bitter and salt.

Think about dishes you like and work with them.

Carrot, apple, celery and radish with spring onion and a mustard dressing with walnuts

Watermelon, cucumber, mint, feta and red onion with lemon and honey

Tuna and butter beans or green lentils with leaves, red onion and radishes plus a lemon pepper dressing

Roasted red peppers, almonds and halloumi with olive oil and tomato dressing

Salmon in a sesame miso crust with sliced beans, spring onions, cucumber, radish and carrot with a garlic sesame dressing. Actually I eat that with chicken, pork, peanuts, whatever as it's too good

Peppers, carrots, leaves and chilli with cumin crusted chicken, pink Mexican onion pickles and chilli yogurt dressing.

I'm hungry now!

Wagamama dressing

I think seasonings help a lot.

I eat salad every day.

I usually do a base of spinach leaves or rocket.

Buy the best quality tomatoes that you can and make sure you add salt and pepper to them.

I roast chickpeas in the airfryer with spices and chilli

I like Cougette in salads, olives, nuts, aubergine, beetroot, avocado, green peppers. To be honest I vary it as I eat every day, depends what I have in.

I don't use dressings but I use Greek yoghurt with lime in and cumin. I find this adds a more filling protein element.

I mix it all up together. Plus always better with feta crumbled on

I make a chunky coleslaw. White cabbage, slice thinly, grated carrot, chop a spring finely onion, chop finely a bit of red onion. Quantities really depend on how many eating it, and how much you like onion. Stir in mayo a bit at a time until happy with consistency.

I like some of the packets of flavoured rice which are quick and easy to cook. Also packets of couscous. (Have some day one, keep a bit for day two).

hard boiled eggs with curry Mayo. Add a bit of curry powder at a time to about a tablespoon of mayo. Taste and add more if needed. I do a very small amount as often it’s just me.

for speed on slimming world if not having coleslaw I add a bit of grated carrot to my salads.

I roast a Sainsbury ham joint once a week. Perfect for hungry snacking on a slice when the afternoon munchies kick in, and great in a salad box.

always cook extra potatoes at dinner time to make a potato salad the following day for my salad lunchboxes.

find a recipe for a crustless quiche, I find this a filling and satisfying with a smaller salad on the side.

tuna, sweet corn and mayo with pasta twirls or shells is nice.

im a slimming world member and I eat lots and lots and have good weight loss, they have a sample weekly menu on their website and recipes that anyone can get access to, might be worth a look.

I actually think salads can be one of the most enjoyable meals and made with store staples ingredients, so ignore PP who thinks otherwise.

I'll keep this in mind but its showing up as £25 on amazon, is this what you pay?

Last night I.had 75g feta, black olives tomatoes rocket and home pickled.onion and cucumber. It was lovely
Tonight I will probably have the same to use up.the rest of the feta.

I quite like milk kefir as a salad drizzle.

I often do cous cous. While it steams, chop a load of veg (you should be singing tum-tee-tum because you're doing so much chopping) - carrot, pepper, cucumber, fresh beans, peas, tiny bit of raw onion etc

Herbs - chives, coriander, mint etc

Something crunchy/chewy or both - toasted nuts and seeds, sultanas, sundried tomatoes, meat or fish, croutons, halloumi, olives

I like a bit of feta in there too

Slug of extra virgin and vinegar, season and mix

I like a salad like the 80s one you say, but it's very retro! A nice waldorf salad with cheese, celery, apple and walnuts in sour cream and yoghurt is excellent too

I use a system similar to @AtleastitsnotMonday

I quite often use packets of grains. They come in lovely mixes now. Quinoa, Wild rice and brown together for example.

A lean protein. Two steamed vegetables dunked in water to cool them. One fresh vegetable. One antipasta. Maybestoasted seeds if the calories allow.

AtleastitsnotMonday has given a great list of ingredients.
Think grater.
Grate stuff in like carrots, cucumber, apple, pear, anything that can be grated.
Mine were boring but in a rush one day I just grabbed the grater.
With herbs like basil aswell and a bit of light dressing it’s great.
Add some protein too like a boiled egg.

Today I have ham, egg, lettuce, tomato cucumber and a bit of mayo.

Oh OP, kill me!

My favourites are:

• Green baby leaves, roast butternut squash, toasted walnuts, cucumber, tomato, red onion and goats cheese.
• Green baby leaves, tomato, cucumber, black olives, cooked green beans, tuna, hard boiled egg
• Couscous, tomato, cucumber, olives, red onion, feta cheese and hummus, with lots of oregano
• Orzo, chickpeas, green baby leaves, tomato, cucumber, spring onion, beetroot and blue cheese

My basic dressing is always lemon juice, balsamic, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

I've been eating these salads weekly for years.

You're unlikely to lose weight eating a salad every day for lunch, unfortunately. Especially one that is mostly non-vegetables and mayo.

Red cabbage or Florida slaw(with fresh orange,) DH says he hates salad because he thinks it's lettuce/tomatoes/cucumber. I grow baby mixed leaves,you can grow them in a small pot/tray all year round. Waldorf. Pear/blue cheese,feta raw grated beetroot, fresh peach/feta.dressing, teaspoon ginger/tablespoon olive oil/teaspoon Agarva. Just a tiny drizzle over,or balsamic vinegar. Mayo or salad cream takes away something and adds a huge amount of cals.

Mixed leaves
Chopped cherry tomatoes and peppers
Sliced chicken or salami
Chopped pickled onions
Capers
Balsamic vinegar
Salt
Some chunks of cheese (I like a babybel tbh!)

Obviously add crunchy lettuce, lightly cooked green beans,peas, and any other "salad veg"

All these salads sound delicious but as the poster above says, you're not likely to lose weight from a salad that contains ingredients like salmon, potatoes and mayo. Beans are pretty high in calories too. Most things that taste good are!

I get a bit fed up taking salad to work, whatever receptacle you put it in, it's just never that appetizing when I get to eat it.

What I do is take some cucumber and celery sticks and cherry tomatoes instead, can just wrap them in foil, it's quicker than making a salad and I also know I'm getting three full portions of veg in, and I have a little pot for houmous or other dip. Also have a slice of dark rye sourdough toasted with something like hot smoked salmon on.

I often do this for lunch at home too as it's so quick and tasty.

If I'm not having bread I'd have a salad with two types of protein from this list:

Boiled eggs or egg mayo
Smoked salmon or hot smoked salmon
Roast chicken
Roast ham
Chick peas
Avocado
Other beans/pulses such as black beans or cannellini beans

Then three or four veg (or more if you like!):

Cherry tomatoes
Chinese leaves/rocket/Romaine/shredded white cabbage/baby spinach
Cucumber
Celery
Spring onions or red onions
Sweet peppers
Steamed broccoli
Raw cauliflower (I love it)
Shredded carrot

Then a dressing

EV olive oil & lemon
Lime, basil and mint
Soy sauce
Soy sauce and mayonnaise
Honey and mustard

If you are counting calories/macros then portion out the more calorific items carefully.

I sometimes have toasted sunflower seeds or pine kernels on the top as one of the protein/fat elements, or a throw a few cashew nuts in, peanuts also work well.

You can also chop/tears some fresh herbs and have them with the salad leaves as your base- really tasty with a squip of olive oil.

OP this thread is probably a bit overwhelming! So many great ideas.

I would say the main thing you're getting wrong though is the dressing, just using mayo. First of all if you want to lose weight, mayo is the worst. But secondly, it will overwhelm all your lovely flavours.

My advice would be to start by figuring out a lighter dressing that you like, and putting that on your usual salads. Then start experimenting with different ingredients.

I make a vinaigrette which is just olive oil, red or white wine vinegar (less than the amount of oil), mustard, garlic paste and herbs. But you can just try tossing the salad with a bit of olive oil and vinegar, some herbs and a bit of salt.

Nonsense.

You don't have exist on lettuce leaves to lose weight.

you're not likely to lose weight from a salad that contains ingredients like salmon, potatoes and mayo.

You can if you use correct amounts and combinations. No need to just chomp on leaves. It just needs bit of researvh and imagination to use different ingredients righ, eat well and lose weight. I had things ljke sardines, salmkn, chicken etc. But swapped mayo for yogurt or quark and similar things.

Love this thread!

Quick shout-out for pickled/fermented veggies too. (Kimchi, sauerkraut etc). You can buy them in big glass jars in most supermarkets, even the very Local-Local one near to me! Look in the Polish section, or Aldi and Lidl seem to carry them as standard.

Or get brave and ferment your own! Loads of instructions online. Easy, and a whole new dimension in taste - also very low calorie and full of beneficial bugs to keep your gut happy.

My only problem with fermented salads is eating too much... those are the nights I sleep alone, as the duvet floats off the bed!

What's this nonsense about not eating mayo now?

What a load of rubbish. I love mayo, when I was calorie counting I'd use it and count the calories.

Try this one - super easy, super yummy

Red capsicum
Cucumber
One orange (cut across the segments otherwise it's mushy)
5oz Chicken with Tuscan herbs