Green salad is considered the ultimate in healthy side dishes. It can be prepared in any number of ways, to suit any number of tastes. Vegan-friendly, of course! So let’s get started…

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  • Preparation Time

    10 minutes

  • Difficulty Rating

    1

  • Health Level

    5

  • Serves

    8

Total Shares 0

Ingredients

  1. 2 cups / 60 gm green leafy vegetables such as raw :
    • spinach
    • arugula
    • baby greens
    • watercress
    • and/or head lettuce such as butter, red leaf, or romaine
    • or 2 cups / 200 g celery and/or summer squash (i.e., zucchini))
  2. 2 medium ripe tomatoes or 12 cherry tomatoes
  3. 1 medium cucumber, peeled or scrubbed
  4. 1 medium sweet bell pepper, yellow, orange, or red, cored
  5. 1 large or 8 baby carrots, peeled
  6. 1 small white or red onion, outer layers removed
  7. 4 large or 8 small radishes, tops removed
  8. 1 medium scallion or green onion
  9. ½ cup / 60 gm sunflower, radish, or broccoli sprouts

Directions

  1. Rinse all of the vegetables thoroughly, and pat dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
  2. Cut vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Put in 2-quart bowl, and mix.
  3. Add lemon juice, flavored vinegar, and/or seasonings (free), with or without olive oil (1 tsp. / 5 ml = 1 fat), or ready-made organic salad dressing (1 Tbsp. / 15 ml dressing = 1 fat), as desired.

Other popular toppings include chopped nuts, seeds (1 Tbsp. / 15 ml = ½ protein), cooked beans or whole grains (¼ cup / 30 gm = ½ carb), or canned fish or chicken (1 oz / 30 gm drained = 1 protein).

Serving Size: ֲ1 cup / 4 oz / 113 g

Exchanges per Serving: 1 Veg

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Comments 90

    • Ossie-Sharon

      Hi, Mo. Butter is fine – just note that each teaspoon equals a fat exchange (you get one at each breakfast). Ranch dressing depends on the ingredients – if there is nothing overly processed or refined, and the added sugar isn’t excessive (up to 1/2 gram per tablespoon), it’s great. For that, it is recommended that you make your own from scratch, or get a “health food” or organic) type. The following is an example of the type of ingredients list we would encourage:
      Water, expeller-pressed canola oil*, apple cider vinegar*, buttermilk*, cane sugar*, distilled white vinegar*, sea salt, whole egg*, dried onion*, skim milk*, dried garlic*, dried chives*, xanthan gum, dried parsley*. *Organic.

  4. rblack2

    Do you provide menus and/or recipes for people with allergies? I have a lot of allergies, which limit what I can eat. I can’t tolerate gluten, all dairy, all citrus, chocolate, all onions, radishes, etc. I also live in Australia where we prepare and cook most of our own food fresh, rather than packaged and/or pre-cooked.
    Do you cater for diets like mine?

    • Ossie-Sharon

      Hi, rblack2. It’s great to read that you have such great food preparation habits. As for your dietary needs, you have definitely come to the right place. First, be sure to note in your profile that you would like gluten-free and non-dairy menus (the place to select these requirements is in the bottom right corner of that screen). Second, you can have menus generated for you based on foods that you select, and which will automatically omit those you don’t select (i.e., ones you need to avoid). Just go into the “My Menu” area (http://www.trimdownclub.com/menu-planner), and click on “My Food Choices” in the toolbar above the menu to star making choices. When you’re finished, scroll to the bottom and click “SAVE AND CREATE MENU.”

  13. Ossie-Sharon

    Hi, todebita. For the work luncheons, just rely on the basic principles – ports according to what is you menus, making healthy choices or making what’s available into a healthy choice. If you find yourself in a very troublesome spot, you can always eat smaller portions, and load up on lighter fare (you posted on this recipe, so I’m guessing you like green salads – just don’t overdo the dressing). As far as a general formula, it is basically to have a protein with a carb (the ratio is 1:3 grams), and to try have a fruit or vegetable at each meal.

  14. todebita

    Thank you for helping. I have used the exchanges and am very grateful for them. However, in the situations with work luncheons, it’s typically a spontaneous thing and I’m unable to prepare depending on which dining location is chosen. I am fairly new to TDC and am still learning what to eat when. So I was wondering what to do in these situations when I need to decide what to order from the menu and understand how much of what. I have noticed the recipes have a breakdown with: 1 protein, 2 carbs, etc. Is there a “formula” I should be shooting for to make sure I’m getting a balanced meal? I feel so satisfied, never overstuffed and never hungry between my meals and snacks when I follow the TDC meal plan but do not find that the case when I “wing it”.

  16. todebita

    I’ve been caught at a work luncheon unable to eat the food I’ve prepared, and unable to access my meal plan to find suitable replacements. What is the “formula” for putting a meal together so I can eat well even on the “fly”?

  31. Ossie-Sharon

    Hi, Thelma, and welcome. The foods we include are actually from all over the world, but may be lesser known (even to Americans) and/or called something else in the UK. In order to see UK names of foods, please be sure to set “United Kingdom” in your profile.
    Even though the country is filled in when you buy the program, it can be set manually as well. Otherwise (if there is nothing or another country) you will see US foods by default. To see where to find these foods, see our shopping guide – http://www.trimdownclub.com/where-to-buy-uk. One of the sites, http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk also includes brief descriptions of foods, that may complement descriptions in our articles here.
    Regarding measurement there are two systems that are available – imperial and metric – and you can choose either of them in your profile and in the toolbar above your finished menu (far left side).

  32. Ossie-Sharon

    Hi, Annereyn. Raw mushrooms have compounds in them that are considered toxic to some degree. On the other hand, they also have higher levels of some beneficial compounds. If you aren’t eating pounds of it every day, you will probably be fine.

  33. Thelma37

    Super salad but finding the whole process involved with foods that are not necessarily English. I feel I have paid a lot of money for stuff I havce to work out myself complicxatwed by age a nd a sight problem. The video gave too much information all at once. I think I will have to get help from a family member. \my head is buzzing, There has to be somethin g easier than this. I can’t afford to waste my money. I feel most upset.

  44. Ossie-Sharon

    Hi, jdeasy3340. The rest of the usual salad fare is fine – tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, turnips, carrots, onions, beets, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms (though we don’t recommend raw mushrooms for other reasons).

  45. jdeasy3340

    I am on a blood thinner and have to limit my intake of leafy green vegatables that are high in Vitamin K. Iceberg lettuce is OK but most salad greens are not ( spinich, arugula, etc). Any recommendations for “salad” that might not be loaded with Vitamin K?

  52. Ossie-Sharon

    Hi, Pauline. Sure – though of course it is important to consider what is “a little bit” before counting the mayonnaise as a fat exchange (which is already as little as 1/2 tablespoon). If you get a reduced-fat type with olive oil, an exchange is a full tablespoon, which gives you more wiggle room.

  54. Ossie-Sharon

    Hi, Shirley.Basinger1. Are you talking about your menu or this particular recipe? A cup of cooked (non-starchy) vegetables would be a great swap for this recipe, and would work as a snack, but is too little for one of the major meals unless you add something more substantial such as nuts.

  64. Ossie-Sharon

    Hi, grindy77. Absolutely! Balsamic vinegar dressing is the preferred choice, especially if made with a good oil such as olive. If you use more than a tablespoon, consider cutting down the portion size of another food, such as a starchy carb or other fat.

  66. Ossie-Sharon

    Hi, BlessingCatcher. Some of the vegetables in the salad are considered carbohydrate exchanges, so in a large amount, this can add up. We don’t want to take up too many vegetable exchanges, as we want to encourage you to add more to your menu, even if it means knocking out carbs.

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