I had salad for lunch

[TheDisapprovingBrit]

I know. This shouldn't be a woot. Salad should just be a choice by this point in my life. 

 

But it's not. I never really understood the compulsion to eat leaves. I tried a single leaf of lettuce a few times, and it just tasted...like a leaf. Like I could pick any leaf off any tree nearby and it would taste the same.

 

A few months ago, my aversion to salad was so bad that even the side salad that came as a garnish to my steak would literally trigger my gag reflex if I actually tried to eat it. Cold leaves with warm meat? Nope. Salad isn't food, it's what food eats. 

 

I'm forcing a change in attitude, by reminding myself of two points that hadn't previously occurred to me: First, it's pretty pathetic that me, a 35 year old man, should be beaten by a fucking plant. Second, like bread, pasta or rice, leaves aren't *supposed* to taste good on their own. They're supposed to complement whatever you're having with them. There's a reason people put dressing on that shit. 

 

So today's lunch was a pack of ready-to-eat cajun chicken, a small mixed babyleaf salad (which contained various red and green leaves of unknown origin, plus cucumber, red peppers and baby tomatoes), and a bottle of mango and peppercorn oil-free dressing. 

 

It was....OK. Which is about a thousand times better than my preconceived prejudice was expecting. I didn't end up using any dressing - a sprinkle of salt improved it immeasurably, so further dressing wasn't necessary. By the time I finished it, I was actually starting to enjoy it. 

 

I'm going to try and eat more of it. Maybe try for two salad lunches this week. Three next week. Maybe eventually I won't need to add chicken to it. We'll see. 

[Jett]

Hey, good first step! You just have to tell yourself, 'it's not that bad!' and go for it! (This is what I do with most seafood.)

 

I would strongly encourage you to look into other types of salads besides just lettucey ones, if cold leaves really turn you off. My favorite salad is a broccoli salad with mayonnaise and bacon dressing. It's not exactly the most healthy thing, but it was my gateway into eating cold broccoli. There are lots of options for salads, and the more kinds you find that you like, the easier it will be to get used to eating cold greens.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Well done! Just keep experimenting.

[OtakuBosatsu]

I know. This shouldn't be a woot. Salad should just be a choice by this point in my life.

I know I don't know at what point you are in your life, but given everyhing else you've written here I disagree - it should definitely be a woot. Well, maybe a small one. But you're doing great, just keep it up.

[Briniel]

Good for you. The salad leaves are just the basis for all the other delicious stuff you can put in there
I have to disagree with you on one thing though - bread, freshly baked, with a dark and crunchy crust is to die for all on its own. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you need to come to Germany some time

[messingaboutinboats]

Just because something is good for you doesn't mean it's not really hard to eat it. I still am not a salad person, so instead I try to incorporate veggies in other ways. For example, veggie pasta. Either way, congratulations! I present to you, the Kevin Award.

 

[Raze]

Good for you. The salad leaves are just the basis for all the other delicious stuff you can put in there

I have to disagree with you on one thing though - bread, freshly baked, with a dark and crunchy crust is to die for all on its own. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you need to come to Germany some time

 

SO MUCH THIS!!!! fresh baked bread is part of the reason I am where I am. well that and beer, I am a true German after all. I went "home" (I was born in Fulda, left right after the wall came down and hadnt been back until 2012 for oktoberfest. I also visited Fulda for a few days to check the village out) in 2012 and absolutely LOVED IT! soo many bakeries with fresh bread!