Any opinions on (Cracked) salads?

[Leego]

So, I decided to try a salad bowl from my school today. It wasn't the best salad I ever had, but it was only 382 calories, supposedly, and not only was it pretty good, but it actually made me feel full, and one bowl = one serving, if I understand correctly. Of course, my choice in dressing probably cranked it up to 622 calories. Ouch. I've got to be more careful in my choice of dressing.

 

But what I realized is that, I don't exactly hate salads. I used to think salads were kind of bullshit nonsense stuff people eat when they try to be more healthy to feel healthy, but honestly, I feel quite sated right now, and if it wasn't for the dressing, it would have only (supposedly) been 382 calories for 347 grams, and it was a good source of vegetables of all kinds, as well as protein. Tomatoes aren't as gross when they're mixed with other things.

 

So, I am thinking of making salads, if it means having a filling and decent-lasting meal that gives me everything my body needs with low calories, being able to carry my meal with me more easily, and if it's easy to prepare.

 

So then I decided to google Cracked Salad. I was originally trying to find a Cracked.com article on salads, maybe a salad joke, but instead, I came across this: http://www.madebythechef.com/kisir-bulgur-cracked-wheat-salad-recipe/

 

To me, this looks and sounds delicious, but it doesn't seem like the kind of salad I would expect to be "healthy". Just something about how it looks reminds me of something else. I know some people around here believe in avoiding grains, but personally, I find it hard to stay away from grains. I don't have anything against grains. I think a little bit of the right kind of grain goes along nicely with the right kind of protein and vegetable.

 

So, if not this salad, I want to know, are there salads out there that are filling, healthy, and good-tasting that are 500 calories or less?

 

What's your favorite low-calorie dressing?

[Raincloak]

I usually do olive oil and vinegar, but any real dressing is gonna have calories, cause they're mostly fat. The fat free ones are mostly sugar. Pick your poison.

I happen to think a little fat is necessary to absorb the nutrients in salad, plus you'd starve if you just ate greens cause there's not a lot of calories in them. The calories in non-starchy veggies are pretty negligible. Any salad is under 500 cals if you just carefully ration the obvious parts (nuts, avocado, bacon bits).

[Leego]

Eh. Olive oil and vinegar? I prefer 1,000 Island, ranch, and honey mustard, but those usually are like 200-300 calories. Is that normal?

[MasterOfCows]

Don't put as much dressing on??

 

Kraft Thousand Island is 130 cals for two tbsp (ranch is 110 for same serving size).  A tbsp of dressing is a surprising amount actually.  Two should be more than enough.

[Kaylya]

Nothing wrong with it, but it's really cold grains with a bit of veggies and not in the same nutritional category as a primary vegetable salad, it's more like a pasta salad.

 

I really find for a salad to be filling, it's helpful to have some protein & fat as part of it, and not be just veggies & dressing - chicken, cheese, nuts, seeds, avocado...

 

Oil & vinegar type dressings are probably better than ranch etc, but it's mostly about how much you use.

[RisenPhoenix]

To me, this looks and sounds delicious, but it doesn't seem like the kind of salad I would expect to be "healthy". Just something about how it looks reminds me of something else. I know some people around here believe in avoiding grains, but personally, I find it hard to stay away from grains. I don't have anything against grains. I think a little bit of the right kind of grain goes along nicely with the right kind of protein and vegetable.

 

Just gonna point out - that salad IS healthy.  Pretty much a bowl of non-proceeded food, a good chunk of fiber, and pretty palatable to boot.  Just because it has grains does not mean it is unhealthy.  Yea, the Paleo/Primal crowd seems to think that's the end of the world.  But it's not. 

 

It IS more calorically dense than the typical thought of what a salad "should be," Kaylya said.  That is something to watch out on.

 

 

 

Just... needed to point that out.  Can't help with the salad issue though.  I personally hate the things.  (Which is always fun to tell people who marvel at my weight loss - that I hate the thing they think I gorge myself on.  Newp.  Now pass the steak.)

[Leego]

Lol, OK. That's what I wanted to hear. I'm gonna try it soon, once I can get the ingredients for it.

 

I think I'm going to try what MasterOfCows told me, and use two tbsp of Thousand Island next time, as well. 130 calories for two tbsps doesn't sound bad. I'm also thinking of using the mason jar method of making salad, as well: It just seems potentially more convenient.