Super Salads

Salads are a GREAT option for lunch. Not only are they a nutritious, low-calorie meal, but they are also easy to throw together. So how do you create a super salad? Begin with a base of 2-3 cups of greens (greens are only 8-12 calories per cup!). Try mixing two different types of greens, for example, 1 cup of spinach and 2 cups of lettuce. Add color to your salad by adding a variety of vegetables. Vegetables are low on calories, but high in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other important nutrients.

Colorful veggies to try:
-Red beets
-Orange bell peppers
-Zucchini
-Yellow squash
-Green beans

Add variety to your salad by adding any of the following:
-2 oz. chicken (skinless, grilled with no sauce)
-2 oz. salmon (steamed or grilled, no sauce)
-2 oz. tuna fish (canned, packed in water or grilled, no sauce)
-2 oz. boiled potato (plain) leftover from the night before
-1/2 cup of cooked pasta (plain - no dressing; the idea is to add a controlled amount of your own dressing at the end)
-1/2 cup (4 oz.) beans (such as kidney beans)

After you create your salad, add 2 tablespoons of your favorite salad dressing. Controlling the amount of dressing you use is the secret to creating a super, low-calorie salad.