The Salad Effect
I know we talked about vegetables last week, but I wanted to take a week to focus on salads and their deliciousness. But I'm not talking about your stereotypical iceberg lettuce, carrot, and purple cabbage combo you get at the store. And I'm not talking about your simple ranch dressing. Though these things are good, and I definitely eat these frequently, there are much more exciting ways to eat salad.
In fact, I think salad is one of the most versatile and unique foods out there. Why? Because there is no "one-way" to do it. Even when it comes down to the most necessary and basic ingredients, like lettuce, there are still a bunch of different kinds to choose from. In one of my nutrition classes we sampled 10 different kinds of lettuce...and they all tasted remarkably different! If this fact alone doesn't dispel the myth that salad is "boring" and "unimaginative", then hopefully the rest of this post will.
Similar to last week, if your salad tastes like weeds, then you're not going to eat it. So why in the world wouldn't you do things to make the lettuce taste better? Once again, I don't even like plain lettuce, and I don't expect anybody else to. Drowning your salad in dressing is not only high in calories, but isn't very tasty.
Besides. If you're going to eat a salad with a lot of calories, then you might as well make it worth it. I am not a believer in a 'low-calorie' salad. Now, I'm not saying that your salad needs to be 1,000 calories, but I am saying that you should add something besides plants to add some taste and texture into your salad.
Now that my rant on salad is over, here are a few tips for making your salads better:
1. Add meat: I'm not a big meat eater, but lately I've tried putting meat into my salads. And let me tell you...it makes salad so much tastier! Sometimes I am more extravagant and make barbecued chicken, pulled pork, or ground beef, and sometimes I simply use lunch meat. But what does meat do? It satisfies you. If you remember way back to my post on protein, you will remember that though protein may not necessarily fill you up, it provides that savory satisfaction that comes with a good meal (hence why Thanksgiving is such a great holiday). This salad in particular is one of my favorites: pulled pork cooked in Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce.
Another great thing about meat is that you can season it to your liking--this just adds another depth of flavor to your salad, and in some cases, can take the place of a salad dressing. If you are concerned about the calories and the fat content in most salad dressings, perhaps a seasoned meat is a better option for you.
2. Add fruit: Now...this may seem like a weird combination...vegetables and fruit? Whoever heard of such a thing. We are not making a green smoothie, we are making a salad. But the truth is...fruit is quite delicious in salads. Of course, you have to choose the pairing well, and this may take a little bit of trial and error, but you might as well get a fruit serving in while you're eating your vegetables--two birds with one stone. Some common fruits seen in salads are: apples, pears, berries, oranges, and pineapple. (Pictured below is a BBQ chicken salad with corn, garbanzo beans, avocado, and pineapple.)
What I love most about fruit is that it adds a lot of color. If your salad only has green stuff, then of course you're not going to be very excited about eating it...green is typically associated with foods that taste like plants. Probably because most plants are green. But if you add some color to your salad, it becomes more exciting and your mind won't constantly be thinking about the fact that you are literally eating something that was just in the dirt a few days beforehand (which reminds me...make sure you wash your produce well before eating it...).
Another kind of fruit you can try is dried fruit. For some reason, these seem to be more forgiving in certain flavor combination than fresh fruit tends to be. My personal favorite are craisins, though raisins, dried cherries, and dried apples also all taste yummy.
3. Add other vegetables: I know what you're thinking...why are you trying to hide the taste of vegetables by adding more vegetables? Well, obviously adding more lettuce to lettuce is a terrible-tasting plan. BUT. Adding corn, beans, and avocado (even though avocados are technically fruits) to your salad doesn't sound that bad, does it? I personally like to add diced tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and sometimes broccoli to my salad. These not only add nutritional value, but all of them have a slightly different texture that add variety to your meal. This taco salad below has both beans and corn in it...though you may not be able to see them because the beef and the rice get in the way...
4. Add cheese/eggs: Up until recently, a salad wasn't complete to me without cheese (I have since realized that dairy is the cause of my tummy troubles and stopped eating cheese). Like lettuce, there are dozens of cheeses that have different tastes, textures, colors, and smells. And each of these cheese can add something special to a salad.
But if you're like me and either can't eat cheese or don't like cheese, you can always add cooked-eggs. Though eggs don't come in a variety of flavors, they yolk adds a creaminess and richness that is hard to find in other ingredients. I don't know if you can see the eggs in this salad (choosing a yellow bowl was a bad decision on my part), but they performed a special function. For this specific batch of eggs, I cooked them until the yolk was cooked, but not firm--it was a very soft and fluffy yolk. Because of this, the yolk was able to spread throughout the salad and added a dressing-like consistency. It was so yummy!
5. Add nuts and seeds: I'm fairly positive that I would die if nuts didn't exist (my brother, who is allergic to nuts, has quite the opposite problem). A good chunk of my calories come from trail-mixes and granola bars, and I can't imagine what I would eat without them. What I love most about nuts and seeds is how they have both savory and sweet applications. If your salad is on the savory side, they add a yummy crunch. If your salad is on the sweet side, they add a contrasting saltiness that is needed. This salad below has both cashews and soy nuts; and with a salad that only has dried fruit, cheese, and avocado in it, the nuts added a necessary change of texture to it!
6. CROUTONS. I feel like this needs no further explanation
7. Choose your greens and your dressing: Though most probably put this at the first step in building a salad, I like to put it as the last. Why? Because let's be real...if the first salad ingredient you think about is lettuce, you will probably never make it past the lettuce. But if you think about it last, you make the salad about the other ingredients, and the lettuce is simply a vehicle to get that deliciousness into your mouth. For some reason this seems to help me...though the logic may be completely backwards of what it should be. This salad pictures both romaine and red cabbage. Romaine is probably my favorite salad green, as it definitely has a flavor, but it isn't overwhelming, like kale (or non-existent, like spinach).
And, as always, the dressing for your salad is important. Whether you are using the seasoning from your meat or a different form of flavor, it is always important to add something that will bring all of your ingredients together. If you choose the wrong dressing then your salad will not live up to its full potential. It's much like choosing a career. Would I have been a good astrophysicist like I was planning? Yes. But will I make a much better dietitian? Yes. And just like with career finding, it might take a little bit of exploring to find out which salad dressing works well for your taste buds. What's important is that you are happy with the end product!
This post may seem long-winded, but I think salad has the reputation of being the 'default' food. When we have nothing else in the house, we throw together a salad. When we forget that we're supposed to bring something to a party, we quickly make a salad. When we feel like we need to lose weight, we eat a salad (and usually don't eat them at any other time). This doesn't have to be the case! Salad doesn't have to be ignored at buffets, picnics, and family gathering--it can be delicious and fun and the highlight of meal-time.
One of my favorite salad-fads is the increasingly popular wedge salad. You literally take a wedge of lettuce and top it with a ton of yummy stuff. In the salad below, I chose avocado, craisins, cheddar cheese, sunflower seeds, bacon bits, and bleu cheese dressing. What makes wedge salad so good, however, is not what you put on top of it--it's the shape. A wedge salad is kind of like an interactive way to eat salad. You could literally pick it up and eat it with your hands if you wanted to (something I have done in the middle of a fancy restaurant before, by the way), or you can eat it with a fork and knife. For whatever reason, the wedge makes it 10000 times better.
Let your food be a source of excitement. Let it be a source of joy. And in the process of trying to be healthy, do not assume that the plainer the salad the better. The whole point of eating healthy is to enjoy eating! Besides if a rabbit would eat a salad the way you have prepared it...then what's the point in you eating it the way you have prepared it?
In fact, I think salad is one of the most versatile and unique foods out there. Why? Because there is no "one-way" to do it. Even when it comes down to the most necessary and basic ingredients, like lettuce, there are still a bunch of different kinds to choose from. In one of my nutrition classes we sampled 10 different kinds of lettuce...and they all tasted remarkably different! If this fact alone doesn't dispel the myth that salad is "boring" and "unimaginative", then hopefully the rest of this post will.
Similar to last week, if your salad tastes like weeds, then you're not going to eat it. So why in the world wouldn't you do things to make the lettuce taste better? Once again, I don't even like plain lettuce, and I don't expect anybody else to. Drowning your salad in dressing is not only high in calories, but isn't very tasty.
Besides. If you're going to eat a salad with a lot of calories, then you might as well make it worth it. I am not a believer in a 'low-calorie' salad. Now, I'm not saying that your salad needs to be 1,000 calories, but I am saying that you should add something besides plants to add some taste and texture into your salad.
Now that my rant on salad is over, here are a few tips for making your salads better:
1. Add meat: I'm not a big meat eater, but lately I've tried putting meat into my salads. And let me tell you...it makes salad so much tastier! Sometimes I am more extravagant and make barbecued chicken, pulled pork, or ground beef, and sometimes I simply use lunch meat. But what does meat do? It satisfies you. If you remember way back to my post on protein, you will remember that though protein may not necessarily fill you up, it provides that savory satisfaction that comes with a good meal (hence why Thanksgiving is such a great holiday). This salad in particular is one of my favorites: pulled pork cooked in Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce.
Another great thing about meat is that you can season it to your liking--this just adds another depth of flavor to your salad, and in some cases, can take the place of a salad dressing. If you are concerned about the calories and the fat content in most salad dressings, perhaps a seasoned meat is a better option for you.
2. Add fruit: Now...this may seem like a weird combination...vegetables and fruit? Whoever heard of such a thing. We are not making a green smoothie, we are making a salad. But the truth is...fruit is quite delicious in salads. Of course, you have to choose the pairing well, and this may take a little bit of trial and error, but you might as well get a fruit serving in while you're eating your vegetables--two birds with one stone. Some common fruits seen in salads are: apples, pears, berries, oranges, and pineapple. (Pictured below is a BBQ chicken salad with corn, garbanzo beans, avocado, and pineapple.)
What I love most about fruit is that it adds a lot of color. If your salad only has green stuff, then of course you're not going to be very excited about eating it...green is typically associated with foods that taste like plants. Probably because most plants are green. But if you add some color to your salad, it becomes more exciting and your mind won't constantly be thinking about the fact that you are literally eating something that was just in the dirt a few days beforehand (which reminds me...make sure you wash your produce well before eating it...).
Another kind of fruit you can try is dried fruit. For some reason, these seem to be more forgiving in certain flavor combination than fresh fruit tends to be. My personal favorite are craisins, though raisins, dried cherries, and dried apples also all taste yummy.
3. Add other vegetables: I know what you're thinking...why are you trying to hide the taste of vegetables by adding more vegetables? Well, obviously adding more lettuce to lettuce is a terrible-tasting plan. BUT. Adding corn, beans, and avocado (even though avocados are technically fruits) to your salad doesn't sound that bad, does it? I personally like to add diced tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and sometimes broccoli to my salad. These not only add nutritional value, but all of them have a slightly different texture that add variety to your meal. This taco salad below has both beans and corn in it...though you may not be able to see them because the beef and the rice get in the way...
4. Add cheese/eggs: Up until recently, a salad wasn't complete to me without cheese (I have since realized that dairy is the cause of my tummy troubles and stopped eating cheese). Like lettuce, there are dozens of cheeses that have different tastes, textures, colors, and smells. And each of these cheese can add something special to a salad.
But if you're like me and either can't eat cheese or don't like cheese, you can always add cooked-eggs. Though eggs don't come in a variety of flavors, they yolk adds a creaminess and richness that is hard to find in other ingredients. I don't know if you can see the eggs in this salad (choosing a yellow bowl was a bad decision on my part), but they performed a special function. For this specific batch of eggs, I cooked them until the yolk was cooked, but not firm--it was a very soft and fluffy yolk. Because of this, the yolk was able to spread throughout the salad and added a dressing-like consistency. It was so yummy!
5. Add nuts and seeds: I'm fairly positive that I would die if nuts didn't exist (my brother, who is allergic to nuts, has quite the opposite problem). A good chunk of my calories come from trail-mixes and granola bars, and I can't imagine what I would eat without them. What I love most about nuts and seeds is how they have both savory and sweet applications. If your salad is on the savory side, they add a yummy crunch. If your salad is on the sweet side, they add a contrasting saltiness that is needed. This salad below has both cashews and soy nuts; and with a salad that only has dried fruit, cheese, and avocado in it, the nuts added a necessary change of texture to it!
6. CROUTONS. I feel like this needs no further explanation
7. Choose your greens and your dressing: Though most probably put this at the first step in building a salad, I like to put it as the last. Why? Because let's be real...if the first salad ingredient you think about is lettuce, you will probably never make it past the lettuce. But if you think about it last, you make the salad about the other ingredients, and the lettuce is simply a vehicle to get that deliciousness into your mouth. For some reason this seems to help me...though the logic may be completely backwards of what it should be. This salad pictures both romaine and red cabbage. Romaine is probably my favorite salad green, as it definitely has a flavor, but it isn't overwhelming, like kale (or non-existent, like spinach).
And, as always, the dressing for your salad is important. Whether you are using the seasoning from your meat or a different form of flavor, it is always important to add something that will bring all of your ingredients together. If you choose the wrong dressing then your salad will not live up to its full potential. It's much like choosing a career. Would I have been a good astrophysicist like I was planning? Yes. But will I make a much better dietitian? Yes. And just like with career finding, it might take a little bit of exploring to find out which salad dressing works well for your taste buds. What's important is that you are happy with the end product!
This post may seem long-winded, but I think salad has the reputation of being the 'default' food. When we have nothing else in the house, we throw together a salad. When we forget that we're supposed to bring something to a party, we quickly make a salad. When we feel like we need to lose weight, we eat a salad (and usually don't eat them at any other time). This doesn't have to be the case! Salad doesn't have to be ignored at buffets, picnics, and family gathering--it can be delicious and fun and the highlight of meal-time.
One of my favorite salad-fads is the increasingly popular wedge salad. You literally take a wedge of lettuce and top it with a ton of yummy stuff. In the salad below, I chose avocado, craisins, cheddar cheese, sunflower seeds, bacon bits, and bleu cheese dressing. What makes wedge salad so good, however, is not what you put on top of it--it's the shape. A wedge salad is kind of like an interactive way to eat salad. You could literally pick it up and eat it with your hands if you wanted to (something I have done in the middle of a fancy restaurant before, by the way), or you can eat it with a fork and knife. For whatever reason, the wedge makes it 10000 times better.
Let your food be a source of excitement. Let it be a source of joy. And in the process of trying to be healthy, do not assume that the plainer the salad the better. The whole point of eating healthy is to enjoy eating! Besides if a rabbit would eat a salad the way you have prepared it...then what's the point in you eating it the way you have prepared it?
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