Often when you think of eating healthy you automatically think of salads. They care a quick and easy way to get your vegetables in and can be a really satisfying meal. But, speaking from experience, they can get old really fast. There has been so many times that I literally cannot eat another piece of lettuce because I am so burnt out on it.
I have put together a few lettuce-free salad recipes that you can throw together, have a healthy meal and keep yourself from going into lettuce overload. Plus, they will give you some ideas to help you mix and match to create your own salad recipes!
Spinach is a great substitute for lettuce. Not only is it a different texture and flavor (by the way, fresh spinach does not taste the same as canned or cooked spinach. If you haven’t yet, definitely give it a try, you may be surprised at how much you like it.)
Spinach Salad with Turkey
By Kathy Smith
- 8 oz. washed leaf spinach, stems removed
- 1 small red onion, finely sliced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 12 oz. cooked turkey breast meat
1/2 cup Dressing:
- 4 Tbsp. orange juice
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 1-2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Whisk together all dressing ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Drizzle dressing on top and toss gently. Serves 4.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Nutritional Information: (per serving)
Calories: 193
Protein: 22 g
Fiber: 2 g
Carbs: 12 g
Fat Total: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Experimenting with different greens such as cilantro, parsley or even mint is a good way to shake up your salad. Not only do they pack a burst of flavor but they are great at detoxing your body, giving your fresh breath and giving you some valuable nutrients.
Asian Beef Salad
- 2 oz. lean sirloin steak, grilled or broiled
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves (or mint, if you prefer)
- 1/4 cup red pepper, sliced fine
- 1/4 cup carrot, shredded
- 1 cup baby greens
- 1 scallion, sliced on an angle
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 lime
Before grilling or broiling, thinly slice steak against the grain. Gently toss all ingredients into a bowl. Squeeze a bit of lime over salad, then drizzle with olive oil and soy sauce. Gently toss to coat. Season to taste with any of the optional seasonings. Serves 1.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-10 minutes
Nutritional Information: (per serving)
Calories: 252
Protein: 14 g
Fiber: 14 g
Carbs: 13 g
Fat Total: 17 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Who says salads only have to have vegetables? Well actually nobody considering tomatoes are a fruit…but you know what I mean! Making a salad with fruit along with vegetables or peppers is a great way to add some serious flavor to your diet.
Spicy Mango Salad
- 2 medium mangoes, peeled, cut into half-inch cubes
- 1/2 small red onion, minced
- 1/2 small jalapeno or serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 4 Tbsp. orange juice
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 cups baby greens, washed and thoroughly dried
Toss mangoes, onion, chile, juice, cilantro, and salt to taste in medium bowl. Set aside, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend, about 10 minutes.
Place greens in large bowl. Drizzle remaining olive oil over greens and toss to coat. Add mango mixture and toss to combine. Divide salad among four dinner plates. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
Great with veggie burgers!
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Nutritional Information: (per serving)
Calories: 126
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 5 g
Carbs: 23 g
Fat Total: 4 g
Saturated Fat: < 1 g
Here is one that is mainly non-greens:
Mediterranean Tomato and Cucumber Salad
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss gently to mix. Serve within 1 hour. Makes 4 servings.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Nutritional Information: (per serving)
Calories: 88
Protein: 1 g
Fiber: 1 g
Carbs: 5 g
Fat Total: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
This recipe I learned from my sister who would eat salads all the time. It is what I call a taco salad.
- ¼ cup of ground taco meat
- 8 oz of Mixed greens
- 1 tomato diced or quartered
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 cup carrot, shredded
- 2 Tbsp. grated cheese
- Salsa
- Beans (optional)
Mix greens, carrots, and avocado together. Top with meat, cheese and salsa.
Sorry, no nutritional information available.
Warm asparagus salad with oranges
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh asparagus, peeled, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 fresh orange, peeled and sectioned
2 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash® Tomato Basil Seasoning Blend
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Instructions:
Heat a 9 inch sauté pan to medium heat. Add olive oil. When hot, add and toss asparagus. Cook 1 minute, tossing every 30 seconds. Remove from heat, and toss with Mrs. Dash® Tomato Basil Seasoning Blend and orange sections.
Tired of vegetables altogether, not a problem. Just throw together a quick bean salad and you are ready to go! Oh and be sure to get Garden 7 to make up for what you aren’t eating!!
Black Bean Salad
- 2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can corn, rinsed and drained
- 1 small red pepper, chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 medium limes, juiced
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and enjoy!
Preparation Time: less than 10 minutes
Nutritional Information: (per serving)
Calories: 98
Protein: 5 g
Fiber: 5 g
Carbs: 16 g
Fat Total: 2 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
These are just a few recipes. There are endless ways to create healthy and delicious salads. I hope that you see these and start trying different things together to create your perfect salad.
If you already have a favorite please feel free to share!!















