Healthy Salads!

I love salads. And as much as they might have the reputation of being healthy, too often than not are they drenched and adorned with high-calorie high-fat ingredients that I could be eating a steak meal and be consuming the same amount of calories. Let's bring back salad's health reputation! About.com's Top 5 Ways To Ruin a Healthy Salad is a great article on salad don'ts! Here are some great alternatives to create a healthier salad. You won't miss your old ingredients, I promise!

• Salad Dressing. If you don't already know, the dressing can take up 80% of your salad's calories. If you don't mind switching, try out Wishbone's Salad Spritzers with only 1 calorie per spray! I am in love with all their flavors (Balsamic Breeze is my favorite), and knowing that I'm not consuming unneeded calories. If you insist on using your creamier version, by all means do! Just try using it on the side, and dip your fork into it before you take a bite. You won't notice the difference in taste and you'll be saving yourself a lot of calories!
• Iceberg Lettuce. Yes, it's crunchy and cool, but unfortunately this lettuce has little to no nutritional value. The greener varieties of lettuce can add flavor and nutrients to your salad. Try spinach, arugula, kale or basil leaves instead!
• Croutons and Bacon Bits. Whether you like them because of the salt or the added texture, try using nuts instead. They're full of healthy fats and will satisfy your crunch.
• Cheese. I don't know what I would do if I were lactose intolerant because I could eat cheese for days. With protein and calcium, cheese can definitely be a healthy ingredients, but more often than not people over-do it. If you're like my your eyes are much bigger than your stomach, so sprinkle only what you need, and switch to a low or skim-fat version.
• Meats. Adding meat to your salad can be a great source of protein. However, adding deep-fried chicken poppers will add an exorbitant amount of calories. Stay away from fried and processed meats. Don't go overboard and make sure to stick with grilled options of chicken or fish to turn your healthy salad into a healthy meal.