Fruity Salad

I love salads, and it’s not just because they can be super-healthy and stuff. I really just love them. You can call me weird, but nine times out of ten, I would much rather have a giant salad than pizza or fries or other junk.

It’s actually really funny that I like salads at all. Before I turned 18, I wouldn’t go within five feet of lettuce (or any other veggie really). Salads literally made me gag. I’m not sure what changed, but once I got to college, they were a staple of my diet. Possibly because the rest of the school cafeteria was full of foods that made me decide that salad was the safest option. Seriously. The food was HORRIBLE. (Though I do recognize that I should be grateful for even having food everyday when so many do not)

I wasn’t exactly adventurous though, and for another two years, Caesar was the only salad I touched. I eventually branched out at Panera and tried their Fuji Apple Chicken Salad (LOVE IT). From there, I experimented at home, and now I eat all kinds of different salads.

The beauty of salads is that they can be whatever you want them to be. They can be sweet, or savory.  You can use spinach, romaine, kale, or a variety of lettuces. The toppings possibilities are endless, and there are a billion different dressings to try.

This salad is definitely one of my sweeter ones. I was having a massive sweet-tooth attack, and this is what happened.

Ingredients:

Spinach (A lot of it, I go through a bag by myself in about 2 days)

1 TBSP Pecans

1 TBSP Gorgonzola Cheese (Feta might work just as well)

.5 Ounces of Freeze Dried Pomegranate Seeds (I got these at Mom’s Organic Market. I thought they would add a nice crunch. I think I will try a different fruit next time. These were actually a little too crunchy for me)

½ cup Blueberries (I like to use frozen because it adds a nice chill)

1 No Sugar Added Diced Peaches Cup

2 TBSP Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette Light

Total Calorie Count: 265

Feel free to add some meat to the salad to up the protein. In the past, I have put turkey and chicken on it. I am trying to limit myself to one serving of meat a day so none for my salad.

I’ve been debating putting some spaghetti squash into my salad. I can’t decide if this would be good or not! It could add a nice crunch, or it could turn into a mushy mess. When I get brave enough to try, I will post it (good or not). What do you guys think?