8 Dinner Salads You Can Eat Guilt Free

Last updated on : June 24 2021

Introduction

If you have been trying to lose weight or maintain your feminine profile, you are no stranger to salads or guilt.

Salads are well-known as one of the healthiest meals to have or make on the go. Guilt, on the other hand, is neither healthy nor unique. We sign up for a guilt trip after giving in to the impulse of eating our favorite calorie-packed foods, mainly cupcakes or pastries. Why do we not choose to eat salads or healthier instead?

A salad can be sweet, nutty, or even spicy if we so choose. Beds of lettuce and spring greens offer ultimate flexibility when it comes to eating well. We have to wrap our heads around a few ideas on simple ways to prepare it. To eat healthy for weight loss, it is most likely that you are piling on the same toppings every day—is it any wonder that your taste buds are bored to death with it?

The solution is a simple one – find new toppings to add to your pantry. Your salad dinners can be nutrient-dense, healthy, fresh, and tasty.

Why Eat Salad?

We often make a salad from our favorite leafy greens. For example, spinach is a superfood and an excellent source of protein, iron, vitamins, and other nutrients that support bone health. Romaine lettuce is full of antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients that fight cancers. Similar leafy greens such as kale, arugula, radicchio, and endive are good sources of fiber and other vitamins that are important for supporting your body's everyday functions.

The salad is hypoallergenic, available all year round, and prepared according to your taste preferences. The leafy green vegetables and additives we add to the mixture are sources of insoluble fiber. Fiber supports digestive health and lowers cholesterol to improve and balance blood sugar - which reduces mood swings and energy drops.

Here are a few excellent dinner salad ideas to satisfy your leafy green appetite and to help you ward off boredom with your dinner salad, by keeping your taste buds entertained.

1. Kumai's Apple and Cabbage Salad

A former model, American author and chef, Candice Kumai is also known as "The Stiletto Chef and Green Goddess." Frustrated with the amount of fat and calories packed in coleslaw, Kumai set out to develop an alternative. The yummy salad she came up with replaces coleslaw, and also stands as a tasty and healthy dinner salad on its right.

Reach for apples and red savoy cabbage. Slice them thin; add some fennel seeds and a dash of cayenne. Each of these ingredients adds a powerful weight-loss punch to your meal. Apples, cabbage, and fennel contain fiber that you need for better digestion, while cayenne gives your metabolism a dramatic kick start. The sweetness of the apples is the perfect companion to the subtly flavored cabbage. Eat a healthy meal that tastes great too.

2. Grilled Lamb Salad

Who says you need to stick to vegetable salads? Lamb is a lean meat that is chock full of nutrients, niacin, vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, and proteins. It also counts for just 175 calories for every 3-ounce of lean lamb serving. Marinate the lamb for about 3 hours in a mix of olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, herbs, and salt. Grill it till cooked, let it rest for about 10 minutes, and slice it thin.

Serve it with mixed greens, low-fat Tzatziki sauce or Greek yogurt, and some tomato slices. This delicious salad gives you the energy you need, and also helps reduce stress levels (no more stress-eating, thanks to the zinc content)—it's an ideal dinner salad to eat guilt-free, and comes with heaps of taste.

3. Jennifer Aniston's Quinoa Dinner

The fact that it is a healthy and nutrient-dense dinner option is just one of the reasons why this quinoa and avocado salad is Jennifer Aniston's favorite meal. This quinoa meal packs a real punch when it comes to taste and texture. With high concentrations of iron, vitamin C, and fiber, this quasi-tabbouleh also offers more than 60 percent of the recommended daily intake of fiber.

All you need to do is cook some super-nutritious quinoa, add it to a base of parsley and other greens you like, mix in some avocado cubes, and finally, spritz some fresh lime or lemon juice. The added lemon juice lends it a bright citrus flavor and helps detoxify your body at the same time. Is it any wonder that the ageless Jennifer Aniston loves this easy-peasy dinner salad?

4. Smoked Turkey and Edamame Salad

Whipping up a meal with fresh ingredients day after day is not the most convenient option, even if it is just a salad. Freezer staples can be your best friend when you are hard-pressed for time. Smoked turkey breasts and other parts are readily available in the deli or meat sections of your local supermarket. At the same time, you can freeze soybeans or edamame for use as a quick snack or salad addition.

In a bowl, mix in some edamame and drained black beans, smoked turkey meat, corn, bell peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro, and salt. Make a dressing out of some oil, cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Then toss the salad mix and dressing, and season. Add this turkey and edamame salad to a lettuce leaf, roll it up, and enjoy.

5. Thai Citrus Chicken Salad

When you are looking for an affordable on the go option, Trader Joe's salads are the way to go. However, takeout means that you will be consuming ingredients that are not quite as fresh, flavorful, nor nutritious as the real deal. Fret not, here's a low-calorie version of the citrus chicken salad at Trader Joe's.

Season cubed chicken breasts with garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté the chicken in olive oil till done, and season with some lime juice. Now combine the salad—mix some julienned cabbage, papaya, carrots, onions, daikon, and cilantro in a bowl, and add the chicken to it. Blend the salad dressing ingredients—lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, olive oil, chopped jalapenos, and garlic—till emulsified. This dinner salad constitutes just 223 calories per serving. The ingredients used are rich in antioxidants and proteins while being low in carbohydrates, fats, and calories.

6. Sesame Chicken and Baby Kale Salad

Yes, every fitness fanatic has only the best things to say about kale. However, kale leaves do have a robust taste that may or may not appeal to your palate. If you are not a fan of the taste of kale, reach out for baby kale leaves instead—all the nutrition minus the intense flavor.

To make this delicious and power-packed weight loss salad, add soy sauce, lemon juice, water, red pepper flakes, and maple syrup or honey to a bowl. Season chicken breast cubes, and cook till done. Add sliced apples and cucumbers, baby kale leaves, and sesame seeds to the pan. Toss the salad with some lemon juice and season to taste. Each serving (about 500gms) packs just under 400 calories.

7. Chipotle Mango Chicken Salad

What could be healthier than combining a serving of your favorite fruit with your chicken dinner salad? Mango offers a healthy and tasty way to add some sweetness to your meal to satisfy your sugar craving. What is more, is that mango also keeps the flu at bay.

Begin by slicing chicken breast and adding them to a mix of oil, chopped chipotle peppers from a can packed in adobo sauce, garlic, lime juice, and salt. Marinate the chicken in the sauce, and dump it in the fridge for 15 minutes or so. Discard the liquid, and cook the marinated chicken pieces. Toss the chicken in a mix of mangoes, black beans, bell peppers, onions, and crumbled feta (if you like it). Make or buy some green goddess dressing (add some mayonnaise and sour cream to chives, chervil, tarragon, anchovies, pepper, and lemon juice), and you have a yummy dinner salad that you can eat guilt-free.

This dinner salad provides you with 131 percent of your required daily dose of vitamin C, which reduces the bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in your body. Furthermore, the chicken packs a powerful protein punch. This salad packs in about 550 calories, so go easy on the dressing if that does not work for you.

8. Orange-Pomegranate Shrimp Salad

Winter fruits like orange and pomegranate pack in plenty of nutrients, and make for a tasty yet light salad. You do not have to sign off on non-vegetarian meals just because you are on a weight-loss mission. Shrimp and other fish allow you to savor non-vegetarian cuisine while your body gets a protein fix minus the fat.

Toss some cooked shrimp with oranges and pomegranate seeds, some mixed greens, and pomegranate balsamic dressing and soft goat cheese (if needed). This salad comes with loads of vitamin B (riboflavin), and so boosts your metabolism. Along with regular workouts, this meal can accelerate your weight loss and make the journey a more enjoyable one.

After a hard day's work, many of us tend to make dinners the most substantial meal of the day. However, if you want to eat guilt-free and protect your waistline, then dinner salads are a better bet. The energy boost they provide is enough to get you through to breakfast while making sure you get a tasty nutritional fix. Remember to add some fruits and vegetables, low-fat proteins (fish or chicken), and carbs like quinoa while whipping up your dinner salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

What goes with salad for dinner?

Salads can be very versatile as dinner food. You can eat it alongside main meals such as lasagne, or eat it as a main meal. Grilled chicken or salmon can make a great accompaniment to a salad. You also might like to add noodles or beans for some different textures.

What are the five types of salads?

In reality, there are more than five types of salad. You could have pasta salads if you fancy some carbs. Fruit salads can be great to turn your food into a dessert and get some extra vitamins. We have focussed on dinner salads within this article to allow you to turn this healthy food into the central part of a meal.

Which salad is best for weight loss?

Eating salad doesn't necessarily mean you will lose weight. Depending on the ingredients used, you could still end up with too many calories. Choosing leafy greens such as spinach or iceberg lettuce will bulk out your meal without adding on the calories. Healthy fats are great to include, such as a handful of olives. You may also want to ensure you have some protein, so chicken, turkey, or tuna can be excellent choices for your health and extra flavor.

What happens if I eat a salad every day?

As long as your salad gives you all the right macronutrients, then you can happily eat it every day. Your body needs carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Ensure you get healthy fat foods like avocado or olives. Proteins with lower calories can come from fish or white meat. Or eat a small amount of red meat with your salad. Vegetables tend to be carbohydrates. The fiber levels in these will aid with your digestive system and keep your bowel movements regular.

Can a salad be eaten at night?

Salads are right for you, but according to research, you should not eat any food too close to bedtime. Eating before bed can disrupt your sleep pattern. Also, your metabolism slows down at night, so you may find you aren't losing as much weight as you like. If you feel hunger pangs before bed, instead try having a glass of water to fill the void.

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