Salad? YES!!!!!!

My good friend, Sue, is in New York City, and she tagged me in a post telling me that if I was ever in New York, I need to try out a  salad place where she said she had the most delicious salad ever.  I am hoping she posts here what was in it, because … yummmmmmmm…… Whenever I go for lunch with friends I order either vegetable omelets or salad.   The kids in my room were laughing one day because I was getting frustrated and they said if I ended up in jail they would visit me and bring me salad.  Ha ha!

And I don’t eat those dainty bowls of it, when I eat salad, I eat at least three cups of lettuce! There is nothing but good in it!

I love to go to Greens soooo much, and Home Grown Bistro in Orchard Park because they have such yummy salads. Chicken Souvlaki salad, no cheese?  Yummmyyyyyy……I have a friend who was teasing me that the only thing I eat is salad, and although that is not true, the fact is salad is absolutely one of my favorite things to eat and I do eat lots of it. It’s great for people on a health journey because it is loaded with great healthy stuff.   I am often complimented in my lunch room about my great, fresh looking salads. I loveeeeeeeee salad. Love… love…. lovveeeeeee

On a health journey?  Salad is the way to go!  There is nothing but super beneficial nutrition in there, and the best part?  It looks huge and you get to chew a lot! And I just love how it tastes different every single time.  I know I eat a salad every single day.   I loved salad long before Dr. Jack came along.   My mom was Italian.   We had a salad at every dinner and often fought over what was left in the bowl.  She never dressed it with anything except oil and vinegar.   She often used vegetable oil, and I never do that because vegetable oil and canola are badddddd.  The best oil is by far, olive oil.   Sometimes a little lemon, no vinegar, which can be not good  for Hashimoto folks, did you know that?  No, me either until Dr. Jack told me.

Do they take time to prepare?  Yes!  That’s why people don’t like to make them  but aren’t I worth fifteen minutes?   Seriously?   Aren’t you?  You ought to be!

So being a connoisseur of great salad, here are my go to lists, and additional ideas.  The goal being keep it healthy, and keep it varied so you don’t get bored.

Dressing?  The best olive oil you can find.  I like some, hate others.  Big fan of D’Avolio but often use Wegmans brands.  Sometimes lemon, and sea salt and pepper, lots  and lots of pepper!   Sometimes I sprinkle some organic herbs de Provence seasoning if I I want to feel special!  Ha ha….   I carry my own seasonings in little containers so I know it I see okay to use.  And from D’Avolio I got these little tiny refillable bottles to put in my lunch bag.

Lettuce?  Well, no iceberg ever… yuck! I am not wasting time on lettuce with nothing but water.  Yeesh…..    I love Romaine, green leaf, red leaf, endive, escarole, spinach, kale, arugula, the artisan blend they sell at Wegmans, and I usually chop my own and mix it up.  Occasionally I buy the ones in the containers, like spring mix, but I usually chop my own. And sometimes I spot some green that I try.

I add peppers and cucumber most times, and then the variety of extras…. pepper rings or jalapeños.  Olives!  Yummmmm….  artichoke hearts!  Radishes!  Mushrooms, cauliflower, leftover veggies in the fridge.   Occasionally, I throw in a few slices of an avocado, but I try not to go crazy with that. And once in awhile I buy sprouts!  Love sprouts!  I add slices of fennel, that I loveeeeeee and sometimes slices of kohlrabi.

If I am really hungry, I throw in a pouch of tuna or that salmon in the pouch I just discovered! And often leftover rotisserie chicken, delicious!

What do I never ever eat in salad ?  Cheese, and croutons, but once in awhile, a great while some organic, raw milk cheese.   I avoid overly sugary vegetables like carrots and tomatoes but occasionally have them.  I just find when I eat too many I start craving sugar.

Sometimes I rough cut everything and others I put it all on a board and chop away like the do at Greens.  When I do eat at Greens, I treat myself to some Parmesan and every kind of olive they have.   Chopped salad tends to taste the same in every bite while the other is different in every bite, so I mix it up sometimes.

And sometimes, I just make a side salad for a meal with the extra vegetables not lettuce, sort of like tomato, cucumber, mix.   I also like cabbage salad, either green or red with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.   But I don’t eat enough to buy a whole head so I only get it occasionally.  Know I could buy a small amount in the bag but that always tastes weird to me.

There are tremendous health benefits to eating salad which fills you up and tastes delicious.  If you are on a health journey just putting in a salad a day and trading out some carb can make a huge difference.   Little steps add up to big things!

Thanks Sue for the suggestion, I hope I get to try that place in New York City one day! And if you have time, please share what was in that great salad?  Because I love new ideas!

Hugs,

Chris