The Dreaded Salad Isn't So Bad

Well I am back on the wagon! Since I have put myself on this eating challenge almost 2 weeks ago I have been looking for different ways to get a variety of raw foods into my diet so that I don't have to drink my vegetables as much. It is getting kind of old.

I have learned a few things:

• Anything I put in there tastes amazing when it is loaded with salad dressing
• With that in mind, I put my salad in a large Tupperware container, drizzle dressing, and shake until the entire thing is coated (you can also toss it in a large bowl). This allows you to use less dressing and fully coat everything!
• You can really put so many things in salads
• I am actually starting to enjoy eating them
• It is very easy to eat out because every restaurant has salads

First things first- the dressing. I would venture a guess that most (99%) of salad dressings sold in supermarkets are made with soybean oil (I have spent a ridiculous amount of time reading labels). Now after reading The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla T. Daniel, I cut ALL soy out of my diet because I realized that unless soy is fermented properly it is actually an anti-nutrient (means your body sucks nutrients out of your body to be able to process it properly). Most soy that is in our foods today is not fermented, but created in a laboratory or and highly processed.

Then there is the other 1% of salad dressings that are "organic" and made with canola oil. For whatever reason they taste like capital S-H-I-T and are super expensive. So....I make my own dressings! I don't know why people don't do this because it is so cheap and easy and tastes so much better than store bought dressing. Here are two:

CREAMY

• extra virgin olive oil
• apple cider vinegar
• handful cashews
• juice 1/2 lemon
• squeeze of Dijon mustard

Put all of these in a blender (I use a Magic Bullet) until smooth. You may be saying "What a minute! That seems like alot of fat!?! Well it is but it is good fats. Your body needs fat to function properly and it needs the right type of fats. Also, the fat in the dressing will make you feel more satiated. As long as you are cutting out other bad fats in your diet you will be fine. 

BALSAMIC

• extra virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• squeeze spicy brown mustard
• squeeze of honey
• juice 1/2 lemon

Put these in a shaker or a Tupperware to shake until blended. If you have to use more dressing than you think is necessary to eat your salad, then do it! The benefits from eating all of these veggies is well worth it.

Here are some great salad combinations:

MY FAVORITE

• romaine lettuce
• tomatoes
• red onions
• balsamic dressing

JAM PACKED

• spring mix greens
• baby spinach
• arugula
• kale
• broccoli
• carrots
• tomatoes
• cucumber (yes they are more than just water)
• onions
• creamy dressing

SWEET TOOTH

• spring mix greens
• baby spinach
• raw almonds
• raisins
• dried cranberries
• carrots
• diced apples
• cooked quinoa 
• balsamic dressing

GREEK

• arugula 
• baby spinach
• kale
• artichoke hearts
• feta cheese
• black or green olives
• tomatoes
• red onions
• balsamic dressing

FRUIT SALAD

• pineapple
• berries
• melon
• cherries (not maraschino) 
• kiwi
• grapes

If this sounds like too much, most grocery stores have salad bars (I personally think Whole Foods has the best). It may be more expensive than buying the ingredients and making it at home, but in my case I cannot eat all of the ingredients fast enough so I would end up throwing away alot of produce. If you are cooking/eating for one it is much more economical to take a scoop of this and a scoop of that rather than buying entire bunches, bags, or containers. 

But where do I get my protein you ask? I ask you, Where do cows get their protein? Believe it or not, there is protein in plants, and that is exactly where cows get their protein that you eat- from grass! Quinoa is also an excellent source of protein that is actually a whole grain. If you feel you need more protein, you can always add raw nuts, eggs (make sure they are organic farm raised or free range), chicken, or steak (please do yourself a favor and try to find grass fed or humanely raised meat...and if you need some motivation watch Food Inc. It is not crazy graphic but it will open your eyes to the meat industry- see right sidebar for link...or it is also on Netflix.)

Stay away from croutons- fried in bad oil, high fructose corn syrup and soybean flour! I will be posting soon about homemade breads and what you can do with them (bread pudding, croutons, bread crumbs. Super easy and tastes AMAZING!

Enjoy!