topic Re: New find - salad topper in Community Chat

New find - salad topper

hoosieroriginal — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 22:07:35 GMT

Trying to eat better - have been having organic salads for dinner each night. Found something new from Tuscan Garden called Santa Fe Style Tortilla Strips. It is in the produce section at my grocery along with the croutons. It takes a bit like a taco flavored tortilla chip - says it is good in soups and chili also (I can see that). I sprinkled only a few to keep my sodium level down. It really added great crunch and flavor to my salad tonite. I'll be checking out some of their other products. I don't put cheese or anything like that in my salad, so it really made my salad taste different.

Re: New find - salad topper

jaxs mom — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 22:10:25 GMT

I like the won ton strips myself.

Re: New find - salad topper

Noel7 — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 22:18:04 GMT

Thanks for the tip!

I've been trying to get the Trader Joe's Crispy Ranch Flavor Chickpeas but they keep selling out.

I was thinking a few of those would be great in a salad.

Re: New find - salad topper

michigangirl723 — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 22:20:19 GMT

Sounds yummy! Another great way to eat better salads I've found is to use flavored vinegars as the dressing. I found some amazing ones at Oil & Vinegar (store in my local mall) that don't even require oil bc they are so delicious. My favs are Mango & Plum!

Re: New find - salad topper

BornToShop — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 22:22:50 GMT

@hoosieroriginal wrote:
Trying to eat better - have been having organic salads for dinner each night. Found something new from Tuscan Garden called Santa Fe Style Tortilla Strips. It is in the produce section at my grocery along with the croutons. It takes a bit like a taco flavored tortilla chip - says it is good in soups and chili also (I can see that). I sprinkled only a few to keep my sodium level down. It really added great crunch and flavor to my salad tonite. I'll be checking out some of their other products. I don't put cheese or anything like that in my salad, so it really made my salad taste different.

@hoosieroriginal, I love those! My newest obsession is the below pic. Omg, what a treat. Warning, do not try unless you are prepared to have a new obsession, lol.

Re: New find - salad topper

Noel7 — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 22:24:14 GMT

@michigangirl723 wrote:
Sounds yummy! Another great way to eat better salads I've found is to use flavored vinegars as the dressing. I found some amazing ones at Oil & Vinegar (store in my local mall) that don't even require oil bc they are so delicious. My favs are Mango & Plum!

I use balsamic vinegar routinely, I use others too but I also love to use raspberry vinegar and sherry vinegar when I put fruit in a salad.

I also like using different oils, walnut oil is a favorite, and I add a little sesame oil to Asian salads.

Re: New find - salad topper

michigangirl723 — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 22:36:13 GMT

@Noel7 Balsamic is my most used as well. Love when vinegars give so much flavor, there isn't a need to add oil!

Re: New find - salad topper

Quse — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 23:02:07 GMT

@michigangirl723 wrote:
Sounds yummy! Another great way to eat better salads I've found is to use flavored vinegars as the dressing. I found some amazing ones at Oil & Vinegar (store in my local mall) that don't even require oil bc they are so delicious. My favs are Mango & Plum!

Yes. Found Raspberry vinegar at Wegmans...love a raspberry vinegrette with bleu cheese and spinach salad. Those pecans would be great in it. (Not exactly low in fat and sugar but I figure it's better than some things)

Re: New find - salad topper

Noel7 — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 23:14:22 GMT

Trader Joe's has ready made candied pecans which I use for salads.

I've also made my own over the years. There are a lot of recipes online if anyone would like to try, it's easy and you can make sweet or savory nuts.

Re: New find - salad topper

DiAnne — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 23:25:12 GMT

Pomegranate vinegar is delicious on salads.

Re: New find - salad topper

michigangirl723 — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 23:51:22 GMT

@Quse Yes, I love candied pecans on salads! I make my own...we use them just as a yummy snack, on salads, on baked apples, ice cream, etc! I even give it away as Christmas gifts! It's super easy and makes your house smell so yummy. Below is the recipe in case you want to try....

Ingredients:

4 cups whole pecans

1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 egg white
1 tbsp filtered water

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (they will stick if you don't..plus easier clean up!)

In a gallon size Ziploc bag, combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Seal tightly and shake to combine.

In a second gallon size Ziploc bag, combine 1 egg white with 1 tbsp filtered water. After sealing, squish until frothy, about 20 – 30 seconds.

Add pecans to the frothy egg white bag. Seal and shake well until nuts are evenly coated.

Pour egg-coated nuts into the bag with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Seal and shake again until all nuts are coated.

Pour nuts onto the lined baking sheet.

Place sheet into 250 degree oven and bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent nuts from burning.

Re: New find - salad topper

BabyYoda — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 00:22:28 GMT

We eat a lot of salads and use the low sodium wonton strips with ginger on our salads. I also buy in the small bag near these strips the sliced almonds. Delicious.

Re: New find - salad topper

hoosieroriginal — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 00:34:33 GMT

@BornToShop wrote:
@hoosieroriginal wrote:
Trying to eat better - have been having organic salads for dinner each night. Found something new from Tuscan Garden called Santa Fe Style Tortilla Strips. It is in the produce section at my grocery along with the croutons. It takes a bit like a taco flavored tortilla chip - says it is good in soups and chili also (I can see that). I sprinkled only a few to keep my sodium level down. It really added great crunch and flavor to my salad tonite. I'll be checking out some of their other products. I don't put cheese or anything like that in my salad, so it really made my salad taste different.
@hoosieroriginal, I love those! My newest obsession is the below pic. Omg, what a treat. Warning, do not try unless you are prepared to have a new obsession, lol.

@BornToShop - those would never hit my salad - I would be eating them straight out of the bag. Have to watch my cholesterol - probably not a good thing for me - but boy do they look yummy!

Re: New find - salad topper

Jeannie29 — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 00:38:39 GMT

@Noel7 wrote:
Thanks for the tip!

I've been trying to get the Trader Joe's Crispy Ranch Flavor Chickpeas but they keep selling out.

I was thinking a few of those would be great in a salad.

@Noel7 I toast canned/drained chickpeas. You can add any seasonings you like. There are lots of recipes online

Re: New find - salad topper

sidsmom — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 00:56:03 GMT

@Jeannie29 wrote:
@Noel7 wrote:
Thanks for the tip!

I've been trying to get the Trader Joe's Crispy Ranch Flavor Chickpeas but they keep selling out.

I was thinking a few of those would be great in a salad.

@Noel7 I toast canned/drained chickpeas. You can add any seasonings you like. There are lots of recipes online

@Jeannie29

I was about to write the same thing!

Love roasted chickpeas...kinda/sorta reminds me of those

Corn-nuts I used to eat waaay back in the day!

Good for a post-workout-drive-home snack!

Re: New find - salad topper

Noel7 — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 01:00:02 GMT

I did make them once. Dried them well and they never got crunchy. Bummer.

Re: New find - salad topper

Noel7 — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 01:02:05 GMT

PS I do love a sandwich of avocado mashed on toast and semi mashed chick peas topping the avocado.

Re: New find - salad topper

sunala — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 01:05:03 GMT

@Noel7 wrote:
I did make them once. Dried them well and they never got crunchy. Bummer.

@Noel7- me too! I followed the recipe exactly, but they never got totally dried out. They were just disgusting. FEH!

Re: New find - salad topper

sidsmom — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 01:19:25 GMT

@sunala wrote:
@Noel7 wrote:
I did make them once. Dried them well and they never got crunchy. Bummer.

@Noel7- me too! I followed the recipe exactly, but they never got totally dried out. They were just disgusting. FEH!

That's so weird.

Open can. Drain chickpeas. Dry chickpeas. Bake 30-45 min. Boom.

It's like...baking a potato.

The World's simplest 'recipe'.

Re: New find - salad topper

phoenixbrd — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 04:16:00 GMT

@hoosieroriginal congratulations on your new adventure to eat better. It will take time for your taste buds to change, but eventually you will crave fresh produce and not need the "extras" to make it palatable. I find adding hemp seeds to salads give a little crunchy yet creamy taste and a blast of healthy protein. You go girl!

Really yummy kale salad:

take the leaves off the kale spine and chop fine, add fresh juice of a lemon, massage an avocado into the salad, chop two tomatoes and enjoy! (other additions you might like; fresh mango or craisins instead of tomatoes, hemp seeds or pine nuts....)