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MarilynW Forum All-Star
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 7:37am | IP Logged
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I am craving salads - but cannot think of variations. Right now I just do a green mix with olives, craisins, croutons and sometimes chicken strips plus balsamic vinaigrette. I need to find a way of getting more protein.
Any ideas for quick salad ideas?
__________________ Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
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Betsy Forum All-Star
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 7:42am | IP Logged
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I know this doesn't probably help you today, but....
I have really enjoyed the cook book Twelve Months of Monastery Salads the ones that I have tried have been very good. Some of reasons I like it is that it take into consideration a wide variety of vegetables for salads...like things that are in season in winter, etc. It also has recipes for the salad dressings. I use the Vinaigrette recipe weekly, as I usually don't buy pre-made salad dressing.
Betsy
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marihalojen Forum All-Star
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 8:10am | IP Logged
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Pre-cooked frozen shrimp are a delicious and easy way to add more protein to a fresh salad.
__________________ ~Jennifer
Mother to Mariannna, age 13
The Mari Hal-O-Jen
SSR = Sailing, Snorkling, Reading
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Mackfam Board Moderator
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 8:26am | IP Logged
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marihalojen wrote:
Pre-cooked frozen shrimp are a delicious and easy way to add more protein to a fresh salad. |
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Mmmmmmmmmm....I sooo agree. I love a salad with cold shrimp and avocado added!
I often add a can of black beans to our salads. They are an extraordinary source of protein. And, try mixing your salads up with a little pasta thrown in. Some whole wheat pasta is so nice with salad fixin's, a nice vinaigrette and some black beans.
Other easy favorites I like to add:
**A bag of frozen, sweet corn (I have some from the garden, but any frozen corn would do...the sweet corn really complements black beans!)
**A bag of frozen, sweet peas is great in a salad as well. BTW, I just pull the frozen bag out of the freezer and dump it in the bowl of salad. It thaws pretty quickly once it is stirred in the bowl and the cold, crisp, sweet taste of the veggie is nice in the salad, esp. pasta salads!
**A boiled egg - I have to leave this on the side as the site of it will make my 8yo gag , but it is a great source of protein!
**Spinach leaves
**Crumbled bacon - If you can get your hands on a package of good stuff from Whole Foods or Trader Joes just fry it up on the weekend, put it in a bag and crush it all to crumbles and then sprinkle it on top of any salad. It's super great on top of spinach leaves with boiled egg added and a vinaigrette!
**Don't know if you're a nut fan (I know there are some allergies in your family, Marilyn, I just can't remember to what??) but nuts are good sources of protein. We don't really care for them on our salads...well, I do, but Rob doesn't and I cook for my sure thing.
**Sometimes, I buy that Hormel nitrate/nitrite free sandwich meat at Publix and I just dice it into little pieces and add it to the bowl.
Hope some of these ideas help! Now, I'm off to plan a shrimp and avocado salad...thanks, Jen!
__________________ Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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organiclilac Forum All-Star
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 8:31am | IP Logged
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You could use seeds as a topping also - sunflower, sesame, pumpkin...
__________________ Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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Fuzzy Forum Pro
Joined: March 07 2007 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 8:32am | IP Logged
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Cheese is always good.
__________________ Fuzzy
Mom to DS 12, DD 10, DS 7, and DS 4, and DD 1!
Fuzzy Memories
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MarilynW Forum All-Star
Joined: June 28 2006 Location: N/A
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 8:39am | IP Logged
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Thanks for the ideas. I cannot do avocado, shrimp or nuts - but the other ideas are great.
__________________ Marilyn
Blessed with 6 gifts from God
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missionfamily Forum All-Star
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 8:41am | IP Logged
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Nuts and seeds can replace the crunch of croutons and give you more nutritional bang for the buck.
I've been adding crubled boiled egg to salads a lot to up their protein count as well as diced ham.
I like to change up greens too...baby spinach, spring mix, green leaf and red leaf mix are my favorites.
I also think a sprinkling of fruit in salad is a fun contrast...and handful of sliced strawberries, blueberries, or mandarin orange pieces adds flavor and interest.
Try new dressing too to revive your interest in salad. Viniagrette got boring, so I'm on a Sweet Vidalia Onion or Homemade Poppyseed are my current favs.
__________________ Colleen
dh Greg
mom to Quinn,Gabriel, Brendan,Evan, Kolbe, and sweet St. Bryce
Footprints on the Fridge
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Lisbet Forum All-Star
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 9:15am | IP Logged
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add a few hard boiled eggs for protien (ideally, you should be eating 2 eggs/day in some form) use pureed cottage cheese instead of cream/milk/sour cream etc... as a base for creamy dressings.
__________________ Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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stacykay Forum All-Star
Joined: April 08 2006 Location: Michigan
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 9:29am | IP Logged
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Thanks for suggesting the Monastery salads, Betsy. I have the Monastery soups cookbook and didn't even know about their salad one!
I can't eat beef, so I eat a lot of salads when making burgers, roasts, etc. for my men.
I will put on either chicken (can be just "regular cooked chicken" or one I have marinated and grilled, or even cooked in mexican seasonings and cooled) or turkey, and any of the following:
cucumber
onion (usually red, but sometimes leeks)
celery
carrots
green pepper
red pepper
raisins (I LOVE raisins on my salad!)
croutons
avocado (when going for a SW theme)(Marilyn,I am sorry you can't eat avocado, but I mentioned it again, in case someone else needs encouragement to try it- it is really good.)
grapes
apple
eggs (crumbled or sliced)
assorted cheese (type depends on my mood and the meat I am using)
toasted almonds
walnuts
black beans
tortilla strips
oranges (usually mandarin, when I make a mandarin chicken salad.)
Dressings can vary from a vineagrette, to Italian (I make Good Seasons but use balsamic vinegar instead of regular vinegar,) to Russian, but I usually use ranch.
I usually use romaine lettuce with one or two others thrown in, whatever looks good and might be on sale! I am hoping to attempt growing some lettuce this summer! Our shady yard doesn't allow much to grow, but that is another topic!
Happy munching!
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Lisa R Forum All-Star
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Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 5:19pm | IP Logged
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stacykay wrote:
Dressings can vary from a vineagrette, to Italian (I make Good Seasons but use balsamic vinegar instead of regular vinegar,)
God Bless,Stacy in MI |
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I make Good Seasons as well using balsamic vinegar and then I substitute Flax Oil for the oil. YUM!!
__________________ God Bless!
Lisa, married to my best friend, Ray and loving my blessings Joshua (17)and Jacob(15), Hannah(7) and Rachel (5)!Holy Family Academy
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