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Bulking Up Your Salad

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Category: Cooking

When you're hungry, bulked-up salads can be a satisfying option. By adding whole grains, fruit and sometimes nixing lettuce all together, you can elevate the dish from a side salad to a main course. Try Sam Talbot's tips on what to swap and add, and you'll have a hearty meal in no time.

Step 1
Adding grains is a great way to bulk up your salad. Whole grains are healthy and fill you up. Farro or brown rice can be a nice option.

Step 2
Quinoa is also a good choice, or you can use barley. Whole grains go great with leftover roasted vegetables and a little bit of cheese.

Step 3
Adding fruit is not only a healthy way to take your salad to the next level, it looks beautiful, too. Simply toss cut fruit with olive oil and roast at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Step 4
Nix the lettuce! A panzanella is a tasty salad option. Mix raw vegetables, onions and day old bread in a light vinaigrette and you have yourself a meal. Add protein to any of these salads to make them more balanced meals.

Items You'll Need for this GMC Trade Secret

  • Whole grains (quinoa, farro, barley, brown rice)
  • Fruit
  • Olive oil
  • Day-old bread
  • Vegetables
  • Vinaigrette

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19 Comments

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Ellen

Wow ... beautiful presentation! Great ideas, can't wait to try. These salads will encourage eating more slowly and savoring every bite, which means feeling full from less; it takes your brain 20 mins to connect with your stomach to signal that you're no longer hungry! :)

Yesterday at 10:20 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Cricket

So many of the comments here are complaints that the things this ariticle suggests adding here are fattening. But whether you want to maintain or lose weight, the secret is not WHAT you eat, but HOW MUCH you eat. So if you remember PORTION CONTROL you will achieve success. So go ahead and add these yummy things. Go ahead and have your steak and potato. Watch your PORTION SIZES (and don't go back for seconds!) and you'll achieve success.

Yesterday at 10:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jrexmarda

Don't forget to mix it up real good with your bare hands.

March 15 2013 at 2:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marie/ Richard

WW Smart Ones..Sant Fe Beans and Rice...added to greens, tomato etc...and a couple of crushed chips...Micro the rice and beans as directed...I get two salads from one pkg...be creative...Great Mexican salad...

March 15 2013 at 1:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Annette

nice additions to a salad are dried cranberries, pecans, etc. But a salad without lettuce is not a salad. You are describing nice mixed fruit, grain or veggie dishes but not a salad if you nix the lettuce.

March 15 2013 at 12:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lelandbutler638

Hi, Steve, it, looks tasty, and appetizing. Quite, sure, it is healthy, and nutritious, enjoy. P>S. Hope, to get, a chance, to try out soon. Have, a good one.

March 15 2013 at 12:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
assist2ceo

Adding bread and rice? Doesn't that make it higher in calories and carbs? These do not sound like the "healthiest" options for a salad. I would have preferred to see some nuts or seeds and some non-traditional veggies to the salad.

March 15 2013 at 11:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
aries932

put the salad on top of a nice porterhouse..now that's a meal.

February 23 2013 at 9:28 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
Meri

We like pizza salad. Think lettuce as the crust and add olives, pepperoni, onions, mushrooms, etc

February 23 2013 at 8:03 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Susie

Miss those whopper hamburgers? Make a salad with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, still-warm hamburger chunks and Miracle Whip! Soon you won't miss the bun!

February 23 2013 at 5:33 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply

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