27/08/2024
Salads are BoRiNg..🙄😓🥗 But they shouldn't be! If your goal is weight loss, salads are a great way to fill you up from much less calories than, for example a sandwich. However, you have to be smart in choosing the right ingredients, else you'll end up with a grass-tasting plain-a** salad that won't be satisfying and you'll end up getting the sandwich/burger/pizza a few hours later🙈
What I keep in mind when making a salad:
1. The base🥬: choose a salad mix that's easy and convenient and you can tolerate the taste. Just because eisberg lettuce is the cheapest option, if you're not gonna bother with washing/chopping everyday, choose a bagged salad that has 1-2 servings in it to avoid waste.
2. Protein🍗: here I recommend lean protein options such as chicken, lean beef, tuna, salmon, tofu, eggs and eggwhites, lean deli meat.
3. Add-ons🥑: here you can get creative keeping in mind your calorie allowance. I always add cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, sometimes pickles or avocado. Experiment with cooked veggies such as roasted zucchini or beans and chickpeas for extra carbs and protein - especially if you're vegetarian or vegan. You can also add nuts and cheese but be mindful that these contain more calories.
4. The SAUCE - the most important element of a good salad in my humble opinion. Here's where you can really go overboard with your calories. Most storebought salad dressings have anything between 300-500 cals/100g so it's important to way out all the sauces. Now, I tipically use condiments that I have in my fridge (mustard, light mayo and hot sauce). But you can use yoghurt base sauces or vinaigrettes but again a little comes a long way! Sometimes if I have leftover pesto I chuck that into my salads.
Lastly, if you tried all these tricks and you still have an aversion to salads, you have other options to take in more fiber and feel full! Eat a big bowl of roasted veggies with some lean protein. Pair your sandwich with a piece of fruit for lunch. Have high-fiber pasta/rice alternatives. But I do suggest to give these tips a try and enjoy the rabbit food🐰🥕