About a month ago, I had a new food kick. This time, salads. I didn't like salads for a long time; it seemed to me they would be un-filling, making them takes forever, and buying them is more expensive than more satisfying foods (like sandwiches!)
Plus, there's the whole 'girl eating salad' thing. "Can I please just get iceberg lettuce and 3 shreds of carrot on the side, no dressing?" Basically, this: http://thehairpin.com/2011/01/women-laughing-alone-with-salad. I wanted to avoid that. Even though I'd be the first to admit that's a stupid reason.
I think for me, the kick started with fruit salad. I do like my fruit, and I do like it mixed, but the little fruit cups are always sooo pricey. So when I was studying for quals, I made a giant tub of fruit and ate it all week (yes, it was fine in the fridge for 3-4 days; by my standards, anyway). And I was really glad I did, because it was way better than the snacks I would probably have had otherwise.
Gradually, I ramped it up to real salads. Mostly because I wanted to get more greens in my diet (not iceberg lettuce), and the most attractive way of eating greens is salad. And along the way I figured out some tricks that help me be happier about this salad thing:
1) Buy good greens. I like mixed greens. I hate washing greens so I get the pre-washed ones.
2) Many ingredients! I think any less than 5 and it tastes boring. There needs to be variety!
3) Add protein! I make extra fish or chicken specifically for this purpose. Otherwise, cheese or eggs work. Also, got a tub of sliced almonds and throw them on everything. :) If I'm feeling fancy, I add prosciutto.
4) Make it the night before.
5) Minimize the prep work. I clean my peppers all at once so I can just chop-chop-chop and be done. Today I was trying to cut peppers, onions, cucumbers all at once and save for the rest of the week. However, it worked out to just two salads, one of which was dinner, so I don't know how long those veggies will last pre-cut yet.
5b) Do NOT pre-cut tomatoes. Just buy the bitty ones (grape or cherry); they don't leak all over the salad.
6) Use peeler to cut carrots. It makes thin, delicious slices.
7) Use dressing. The 'bad for you' kind. It's delicious and saves you from the salad stigma.
I think that's all my wisdom for now. :)
Plus, there's the whole 'girl eating salad' thing. "Can I please just get iceberg lettuce and 3 shreds of carrot on the side, no dressing?" Basically, this: http://thehairpin.com/2011/01/women-laughing-alone-with-salad. I wanted to avoid that. Even though I'd be the first to admit that's a stupid reason.
I think for me, the kick started with fruit salad. I do like my fruit, and I do like it mixed, but the little fruit cups are always sooo pricey. So when I was studying for quals, I made a giant tub of fruit and ate it all week (yes, it was fine in the fridge for 3-4 days; by my standards, anyway). And I was really glad I did, because it was way better than the snacks I would probably have had otherwise.
Gradually, I ramped it up to real salads. Mostly because I wanted to get more greens in my diet (not iceberg lettuce), and the most attractive way of eating greens is salad. And along the way I figured out some tricks that help me be happier about this salad thing:
1) Buy good greens. I like mixed greens. I hate washing greens so I get the pre-washed ones.
2) Many ingredients! I think any less than 5 and it tastes boring. There needs to be variety!
3) Add protein! I make extra fish or chicken specifically for this purpose. Otherwise, cheese or eggs work. Also, got a tub of sliced almonds and throw them on everything. :) If I'm feeling fancy, I add prosciutto.
4) Make it the night before.
5) Minimize the prep work. I clean my peppers all at once so I can just chop-chop-chop and be done. Today I was trying to cut peppers, onions, cucumbers all at once and save for the rest of the week. However, it worked out to just two salads, one of which was dinner, so I don't know how long those veggies will last pre-cut yet.
5b) Do NOT pre-cut tomatoes. Just buy the bitty ones (grape or cherry); they don't leak all over the salad.
6) Use peeler to cut carrots. It makes thin, delicious slices.
7) Use dressing. The 'bad for you' kind. It's delicious and saves you from the salad stigma.
I think that's all my wisdom for now. :)
