Salads a bore add some flavor!
 |
| Like the plates? |
So I'm not the skinny kinda gal at all but until the last few years I didn't really have any health issues. Lately though that has changed and after many of blood tests it was decided I should try an elimination diet. I'll be honest this diet sucks. No grain, dairy, egg, peanuts, soy or alcohol. Yeah like I said it sucks. The biggest issue is the lack of variety when cutting out 90% or so of your food options. That said the damn diet is working. I have felt better and have lost just over 20 lbs which I won't be sorry about. As I trial run putting some things back in my diet it gets better. Now for a couple months worth of trial and error salad additives that I used to help liven up my meals!
I used an assortment of greens but only 2 or 3 so that I could use diffrent ones next time. This is important because as the song says "it's all about the base!" Do not over do it. Pick up to 3 items from each section so that you give yourself more options for change later. This is so important so that things don't get boring. Also I found that leftover meats make a great addition and use up leftovers.
Bases
Iceberg lettuce, romaine, butter leaf, boston, red leaf, spinach, radicchio, kale, endive, green cabbage, red cabbage, dandelion greens, Brussel sprouts or micro greens
Veggie add ons
snow peas, peas, mushrooms, celery, eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, steamed butternut squash, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, onion, red onion, baby corn, green onion, cucumber, corn, radish, green beans, carrots, beets, broccoli, cauliflower or asparagus
Nuts, seeds and legumes
walnuts, peanuts, pecans, hazelnuts, poppy seeds,chick peas, black beans, sunflower seeds, almonds, pink beans, pinto beans, pine nuts, black walnut, butter beans, sesame seeds, pumpkin (pepita), macadamia nuts, lentils, coconut, brazil nut, kidney bean, chestnut, cashew and soy bean (edame).
Herbs and flowers
Basil, Violets, parsley, Nasturtium (flower, leaf or bud), squash blossom, mint, dill, fennel, chives, cilantro, garlic (the spring greens) and pansy.
Protein
Beef, chicken, bison, venison, fish, shrimp, eggs, tofu, elk, cheeses, turkey, goat, duck, quail, sausage, lamb, deli meats, pepperoni, salami, cottage cheese, ham, cheeseburger and taco meat.
Fruits (fresh or dried)
Tomato, avocado, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, pineapple, apple, raspberry, blackberry, wineberry, pear, cherry, peaches, tomatillos, nectarine, plume, raisins, ground cherry, apricots, dates, figs, mango, papaya, cranberries, and grapes.
Pickles and canned
dill pickle, garlic pickle, sun dried tomato, gherkins, capers, artichokes, mushrooms, porcini, olives, jalapeños, zucchini, patty pan squash, carrot, sauerkraut, Vienne sausage, beet eggs, asparagus, zucchini, walnuts, pimentos, and onion.
Crunchies
Croutons, tortilla chips, potato chips, praline nuts, baked cheese chips, onion rings, pretzels, kale chips, freeze dried veggies, and crunchy noodles.
Dressing
Bottled from store (various options ), olive oil, bruschetta , vinegars (assorted flavors), lemon juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice, mayonnaise, guacamole, buffalo sauce, taco sauce, chili oil, salsa, walnut oil, hot sauces, bar b que sauce, mustards, yogurts.
The salad in the picture above gracefully decorating one of our gorgeous plates from Avon (I know shameless plug) Is an iceberg lettuce with mixed greens from local farm. On top of it is leftover chicken from the deli, thin sliced disc of eggplant (log skinny type), diced tomato, red onion, jalapeño and a vidalia onion dressing.
My favorites :
"Italian" salad. Mixed greens with a small amount of basil leaf and parsley tossed in topped off with red onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, sundried tomato, mozzarella, diced pepperoni and salami, Kalamata olives, olive oil from tomatoes and herbed vinegar.
"Mexican" which is mixed greens with a little cilantro tossed in, topped with leftover fajita meat (usually chicken or shrimp) avocado, bell pepper, red onion, cheddar cheese, sour cream, (I have had to omit the dairy lately but it's still good) jalapeños, tomato guacamole and salsa. There is enough On this I don't use dressing but a nice creamy avocado would work.
To become an Avon Rep please click here for more info
and to sign up.
There are links in my blog posts. Some lead to affiliate pages or my Avon shop. Monies/rewards may be earned off any
Comments
Post a Comment