Tasty Salads That Fill You Up

Updated on April 30, 2010
C.M. asks from Denton, TX
10 answers

I love salads and all sorts of good veggies that go in them, but I normally eat them as a side with my dinner. I would like to eat them as a meal sometimes but I need something more filling than the salads I make at dinner. If you eat salad as a meal, which meal do you prefer (dinner or lunch)? What do you put in your salad to make you full? How big is your salad?

Here is what is in my normal side salad...it's usually a pretty good size
Romaine, aruguala, mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber and avocado if I have it. Then I drizzle it with olive oil and rice vinegar.

Any suggestions as to what I could add to it to make it a meal or other salad ideas that would help change it up would be great! Thanks

2 moms found this helpful

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T.C.

answers from Chicago on

Wow, good job being so healthy! You could add walnuts, they are healthy, have lots of good fat, and are high in calories so they should help fill you up. I believe you should limit it to 2 TBS. per day b/c of the caloric content.

4 moms found this helpful

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J.V.

answers from Lansing on

I make this chicken oriental salad that is awesome! It is a chilled salad (but we eat it without being chilled too). I think adding the chicken helps make it filling. The best part is it has very little fat. The left over's can be put in the fridge.
i can have another bowl at midnight without feeling guilty! Every time I take it to a function people want the recipe. I finally just made copies and take them with the salad so people can have it then and there..LOL it is as follows:

dressing:
5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 table spoons sugar
2 Flavor packets form ramen noodles ( I use chicken flavored)
Mix in small bowl and refrigerate at least 4 hours ( Ive cheated on this time frame also..gone with as little as 2 hours)

salad:
1 package broccoli slaw (in bags in veg. section)
3 green onions chopped
noodles from 2 ramen noodle packages (uncooked and broken up in small pieces)
2 cans chicken
5 tablespoons sesame seeds
3/4 silvered almonds

Add dressing just before serving.
I don't ad the onions or nuts and I use baked chicken breasts (don't' like preservatives in canned) and dice them up.
I serve with good old fashioned ice tea and baked biscuits.
I will keep an eye on this question too I'd like some new recipes!

4 moms found this helpful

K.I.

answers from Spokane on

I am a total salad lover! Here are some of mine...I eat all of these as a meal.

Chef Salad
Lettuce of your choice
Avocado
tomato
purple onion
diced ham or turkey
hard boiled eggs
Cubed cheese-optional
Oil & Vinegar or Rice vinegar

Raspberry Vinaigrette salad
lettuce of your choice
Cooked Chicken-shredded or cubed
Sliced Strawberries
Candied Walnuts-or Plain Almonds
Craisins
Raspberry Poppy Vinegrette

Cindy Salad
Romaine
tomatoes
cucumber
Bean sprouts
Spicy crunchy sprouts (I usually add 2 types of sprouts)
Artichoke hearts -optional
Green olives
Crumbled feta cheese
A drizzle of the olive juice for dressing

Blueberry Salad
Lettuce of your choice
Fresh blueberries
Fresh corn from the Cobb-I usually barbecue the corn, then just cut it off.
scallions
Lemon juice & cider vinegar & olive oil dressing

Then there are also taco salads...great, now I'm hungry!

3 moms found this helpful
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R.T.

answers from Orlando on

sounds like you need protein
sliced deli meat is an easy way to add it to a lunch salad
I personally don't prefer a salad as dinner except every now and then when there is a specialty salad with add ins that I wouldn't normally buy at home

2 moms found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

This is what i like in varying combinations:

your favorite lettuce
corn
beets
tomatoes
tofu
nuts
dried cranberries
tuna
boiled eggs
spinach
whole snow peas (the kind with the edible pods)
cucumbers (Japanese cucumber, less seeds)
cabbage sliced thin
mushrooms
arugula
Bacon (real bacon. Not bacon bits).
Sometimes cold cuts/salami
Jalapenos
Cheese

Can be eaten any time.

When I was pregnant with my son... my craving was salads.... 24/7 day and night and for breakfast! My son now.... likes lettuce. LOL

I personally like eating salads for "breakfast." It gives good energy.

good luck,
Susan

2 moms found this helpful

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Olives (black or green), cheeses (shredded, cubed or feta depending on your tastes), and nuts (sunflower, pumpkin, walnuts, pecans). You can always grill a chicken breast and slice for on top, if you want.

Also, depending on what other items you are adding, you might try strawberry slices, or pomegranate seeds. They usually go best with a lot of mixed greens and feta cheese (as opposed to with olives and and cheddar, lol).

You can also go "chef salad" and put boiled egg wedges and deli meat cubes on it.

I like to make taco salads on occasion, too. Just a regular "green" salad (romaine, cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, red onion), with olives and shredded cheddar cheese, and the taco meat on top. Add a dollop of sour cream (or two) and a few spoons of your fav salsa, and there's no need to add any additional dressing.

2 moms found this helpful
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K.M.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Try adding chicken or some steak with it. If I have just a salad for dinner I also have a dinner roll with it (bread usually fills me).

2 moms found this helpful
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K.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

Buca di Beppo has a great apple gorgonzola salad that is easy to duplicate at home. The ingredients (straight from the menu) are: Tart Granny Smith apples, spiced walnuts (candied walnuts work grea), dried cranberries (craisins) and Gorgonzola cheese tossed with our fresh lettuce blend (any lettuce is fine) in our signature Italian vinaigrette (Trader Joe’s Pear Vinaigrette is our favorite).

Another one of our favorites is BBQ black bean chicken salad: 1 can of black beans (drained), morning star buffalo chicken nuggets (a real chicken version could be substituted as well) dipped in BBQ sauce, red onions, fire roasted corn, avocado, Monterey Jack cheese, green onions, lettuce, and ranch dressing.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.A.

answers from Houston on

My husband eats the same salad for work about 3-4 days a week. (boring, I know) But, here is it.
At the beginning of the week, I grilled cubed chicken breast. I season with Italian seasonings. Onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, black pepper, etc. I bag these up and his dishes it out accordingly.
He mixes that with fresh greens, FRESH grated parmesan (not that stuff in the green container for pizza), just a few croutons and Ken's Lite Caesar Dressing. (he also likes a ton of fresh grated black pepper, thats optional ;)
he says it really fills him up, but not to the point of being miserable like eating burgers or something with collegues.

Bon Appetit!! :)

2 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Mexican salad
Your favorite greens
Top with Ground turkey with taco seasoning.
Cheese
Green onions
tortilla chips broken
hot sauce or pica de gallo as the salad dressing..

1 mom found this helpful
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