Lunch Salads {recipe}

For whatever reason, I've been having such a hard time deciding on what to post on this week.  not sure what my deal is!  My mind has been on the Southern Caribbean sun I will be seeing in a short few days :)  So, as I sat there thinking while I was looking down at my lunch an idea popped into my head.  Why not share something that I eat almost everyday for lunch!

 I introduce you to my salad bag....

 Usually at the start of every week, I take 2-3 romaine hearts, wash them up, chop them up, and place them in a ziplock bag so it it ready and easy to use.  Lets be honest, if foods is already prepped and staring me in the face every day when I open the refrigerator, I am more likely to eat it than if it sits in the crisper in it's original package!

I also always keep a bag of baby spinach in the refrigerator.  I love combining romaine and spinach...getting all the extra nutrition from the spinach, yet still getting the great crunch from the romaine.

Also, whenever I cook chicken for dinner, I throw in a few extra breasts to chop up and have on hand to throw on my salads throughout the week.

Here are a few variations that I rotate through from week to week.  (I usually eat the same kind of salad from week to week so I don't let ingredients go to waste, aka cans of black beans, corn, etc)

BBQ Chicken Salad
After combining your romaine and spinach, add things like:

Cooked, cubed chicken breast
Corn
Black beans
Avocados
Cucumber
Chopped red peppers
Green onions
Jicama
Cilantro
Tortilla strips (I buy the Santa Fe Style ones by Fresh Gourmet, but you can make your own easily by frying up some tortillas and seasoning them yourself)

Then I drizzle with BBQ sauce and some Lite Ranch dressing.

Another favorite (sorry, no pic this time--call me a slacker!)...
Strawberry Feta Salad
After combining romaine and spinach, top with:

Sliced strawberries (pears or apples are a great substitute)
Mandarin oranges
Blueberries
Chopped pecans or sliced almonds
Crumbled feta cheese
Grilled chopped chicken (optional)

Then I either drizzle with a mixture of poppyseed and balsamic dressing or raspberry vinaigrette.

Are you more of a Asian-style salad kind of person? Why don't you try something like this one;


Asian Crunch Salad
After combining your romaine and spinach (or on this one, combine 1 head Napa cabbage, chopped and 1 small head red cabbage, chopped), then add things like:

Carrots, peeled and julienned
Green onions (white and pale green parts only)
Cucumber, peeled, cored & cut into thin half-moons
Cilantro, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped
Shelled edamame
Roasted peanuts, chopped
Cooked chicken breasts, chilled and diced
Avocados, diced

Place lettuce ( or cabbages), carrots, scallions, cucumber, cilantro, basil, edamame and peanuts in very large mixing bowl and toss to mix.

Sprinkle salads with diced avocado, toasted peanuts, & cilantro.

I usually drizzle with a lite Asian Sesame dressing, but Thai peanut or Cilantro lime dressing would be wonderful as well :)


What do you eat for lunch during the week?

britni
http://myrecipeboxx.blogspot.com/