How can I make a salad more filling?

[BertieBotts]

I like salad but it doesn't really fill me up much.

I can't eat cheese in any form so that's out. I've tried adding things like chicken, tuna, ham and sometimes boiled eggs which are nice but it's still not really hitting the spot.

Seeds maybe? Bread on the side? Just eat more of it?

How about falafel or some sort of vegetable fritter? I just made some carrot, leek and celery ones. Just throw whatever veg needs used in the blender until finely chopped, then throw in eggs and flour until it's a consistency you can spoon into the frying pan easily. Takes minutes and also good for kids/babies.

Ooh, I love making my own as not a big fan of lettuce and cucumber, and I layer it as follows:

Spinach
tomato
egg
grapes
spinach
beetroot
olives
goats cheese
spinach
egg
olives
beetroot
tomato
grapes
mayo

adding some cold cous cous or rice will bulk it out without adding bread.

Cooked chunks of chicken? Sliced and griddled halloumi? Hard - boiled eggs? Grilled slices of steak?

Add a protein, not a carbohydrate. Carbs won't fill you up for long enough.

I use a few spoons of humous mixed with balsamic as a dressing and that seems to make any salad more filling. Or for a lamb salad I dress it with Greek yoghurt mixed with balsamic and mint. Seems to make all the difference to how satisfying the salad is

farro, pearled spelt, barley, walnuts, brown rice, cous cous, bulgur wheat, peanuts, pine nuts, orzo, quinoa, puy lentils, sunflower seeds, buterr beans (any tinned beans), smoked mackerel, potatoes,

New potatoes

Butter beans

Pasta! Dress with olive oil or pesto and toss it through with the salad and maybe some parma ham or chicken. Delicious

I second falafel.

For lunch today I had boring lettuce, tomato and cucumber and 'jazzed it up' with 2 spicy spinach falafel cut into 1/4s, a slice of smoked ham and a dollop of mayonnaise.

Delicious and still not feeling hungry yet.

Pine nuts, feta, grilled halloumi, grilled chicken, well cooked torn pitta, chickpeas, prawns, grated cheese, coleslaw, chips, avocado....all the above make it pretty unhealthy though

Salad potatoes

It must be spring or summer!

Love roasted vegetable couscous. Any veg like aubergine, courgette, pepper, red onion roasted with olive oil and herbs. Added to couscous with some chilli if you want a kick or fresh coriander if not. It's my go-to salad (usually eaten with barbecue

Couscous, quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, bulghur wheat, pulses, croutons, new potatoes, roast squash, polenta, nuts, seeds. I love big, filling salads.

I'd add a couple of pork chops, a big dollop of mayonnaise and a large handful of chips...

Wow lots of great ideas here.

I have a salad pretty much every day. I chop and change and add in some of the following - chicken, bacon bits, parma ham, olives, sun dried tomatoes, nuts, beetroot, apples, grated cheese, avocado, mixed beans, sweetcorn, lentils, feta cheese.

I love these on top of a bed of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber
www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=266385787

They have a couple of different flavours and also do a packet of sun dried tomato flavoured spelt

Lots of avocado, some olives, carrots, cawliflower and a very rich dressing (lots of olive oil, lemon, salt, garlic!) to your usual salad. And sprouted sunflower seeds too.

Those who mentioned falafel - do you make your own or buy it?

Love this thread!

Also peppered mackerel is a good protein, with chunks of baked bread for carb.

chicken,bacon,avacado,with iceburg lettuce,red onion,cucumber and some cherry tomatoes,with french dressing,is my fave salad.

sometimes i cut a piece of bread up and fry it in some olive oil and sprinkle it over like croutons.

Falafal ? althought the prepacked ones in supermarkets are expensive.

I like to add roast chicken and mashed potato and plenty of salad cream!!

Onion Bhajee's ? Although like falafel you need a deep fat fryer to make em.

I just made Caesar salad with grilled chicken and jumbo croutons made from ciabatta. Toss the ciabatta chunks in olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and bung in the oven for 8 minutes at 180 (fan oven).