Need more raw veggie ideas for lunch and snacks

[rhianna813]

Salads…. I am getting a little burnt out on lettuce salads with ranch dressing. I need ideas for non lettuce salads or perhaps better veg combos for salads. I usually put leftover chicken, tuna or taco meat on them for lunch. And also some tasty (and healthy) non ranch dressings I can make. Sometimes I mix olive oil and vinegar, but blah. How do I make stuff that tastes like restaurants make? LOL

I am also looking to add more veggies as snacks when I am at work. What can be prepped and stored well in the office fridge? And maybe something that goes with a protein or healthy dip. Right now I am eating plain carrots sticks…

Thanks!

[AdinaL]

I would love to see what kind of answers you get.  I have this same issue and end up burnt out on salads.

[mumkimum]

I often get the bagged broccoli slaw for our household, and either use it to make a coleslaw-esque salad for myself, or toss it in my sandwiches/wraps.  It lasts longer in the fridge and seems a tad more versatile since everyone else mostly doesn't get around to eating plain lettuce.  You could easily mix it into your salads, or use it by itself.  Putting your salad into a tortilla or pita bread might be another fun idea with what you're making already now.  I love salad pockets.   

My kids really love when we have simply blanched green beans around (I keep them in the fridge and they munch on them with or without dip, like carrot sticks).  We eat cucumbers a lot too - sticks, slices.  And olives.

This maple-mustard salad dressing is one of our favorites for making homemade.  My 5 y/o even eats it.  Doesn't pair with just any salad - I often serve it with a salad of only spinach and sliced strawberries (sometimes with red onion).  Leftover chicken could probably work with this.  

 I also like doing 1 spoon fresh lemon juice/3 spoons olive oil/salt & pepper (using the lemon juice over vinegar seems yummier and has always turned out tastier to me). 

[serenbat]

I don't like these but my DH loves them!

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/05/pickled_carrots_moroccan_style

I tweak them and make them hotter (hotter chillies and keep them in the frig longer)- great with a spiced yogurt (cuke, cumin, parsley-almost anything you want to throw in)

we do lots of hummus- again you can add to that (spice or non) and make it with different types of beans

as far as non-ranch- how about buttermilk/poppyseed, berries are almost here-great with vinegars (red wine & raspberry), classic green goddess dressing, pesto based (with buttermilk or yogurt)-summer I tend to have on hand things I don't other times so I make Russian (with pickle relish-used on hot dogs)-my health food store has powered cheese (two different types) by Frontier they are great to add to dressings, I also use the powered onion and garlic they have and find this blends in better with oil & vinegars and changes it up

good luck

[caiesmommy]

I second the broccoli slaw. They last quite a long time in the fridge. I usually find it on the discount rack and it lasts quite awhile past the best before date. I toss it into soup,stir-fry and salads.

Have you switched up your greens? Added herbs? Added cooked veggies amongst the raw? Added nuts/fruit/dry fruit/broken up crackers?

What about a cold noodle salad? Rice noodles w herbs,mango,peanuts,cucumber ect w sesame oil and lime

A taco salad? Lettuce,tomato,olives,peppers,avocado,salsa and topped with crunched up nacho chips?

Roasted beet and goats cheese salad

Potato and dijon mustard salad

[Just1More]

Sorry for the temporary OT...

What's broccoli slaw? 

[caiesmommy]

Broccoli slaw is a packaged salad groceries sell thats made out of broccoli stems. Yum
 

[Just1More]

Interesting.  Maybe I'll try shredding my own for broccoli salad. 

[Storm Bride]

What about a quinoa base? My current favourite snack (when I have a batch made up) is a quinoa salad. Proportions are up to you:

Cooked cooled quinoa

Finely chopped kale

Finely chopped red & yellow bell peppers

Finely chopped onion

Finely chopped garlic

Finely chopped ginger

Grated carrot.

Then, I dress it - lightly - with a combination of melted coconut oil, lemon juice, and a pinch each of ground coriander and curry powder.

It's yummy.

[rhianna813]

The broc slaw is a great idea!

As for grains... I have no problem eating them. No problem at all.... which is why I am trying to cut back and eat more veggies. I dont buy too much wheat based products for home as DH is gluten free. But I will go for pizza, burritoes and sandwiches at work. I figure if I bring more veggies to work for lunch and snacks I can cut back on the nom nom carbs.

[IsaFrench]

i like to use grated (raw) celeriac roots in my mixed salads

i also weekly germinate mung beans and (separately) brown lentils wich i like to add to salads (not at the same time)

have baught some broccoli seeds to germinate but haven't got around using them 

also capers that keep in vinegar, a teaspoon of those ...

small pieces of red or yellow peppers

finely sliced fennel bulbs too

and often , i use left over steamed veggetables from the previous day !

usually 3, 4 or 5 ingredients, sometimes more

and also I very much like to shred spinash leaves and add half a tin of cod fish (i think) liver, crumbled

[katelove]

My favourite salad is chopped tomato, cucumber and avocado tossed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. It goes with any meat, is good on top of salad greens like baby spinach or in a wrap. It's also delicious with crumbled feta mixed through it.

If you don't like vinegar in your salad dressings it also works well with lime juice.

Another lovely dressing we've used for green salads is olive oil and pink grapefruit juice.

[IsaFrench]

katelove do you let your cucumber stand in salt for 30 minutes before using or just chop and eat straight away ?
 

[katelove]

Originally Posted by IsaFrench 

katelove do you let your cucumber stand in salt for 30 minutes before using or just chop and eat straight away ?

 

Just chop and eat. I usually let the whole thing sit for a while if I have time to let all the flavours combine but it's not essential. I generally get the Lebanese cucumbers too.

[IsaFrench]

could you possibly post a photo of what a Lebanese cucumber looks like ...(i see you are in Australia... i'm in Europe ... even within countries, sometimes vegetables have different names ....) TIA
 

[onlyzombiecat]

I like spinach instead of lettuce or at least spinach mixed with lettuce for salads.
 

I like slicing up raw zucchini to eat for snacks or throw in salads.

[IsaFrench]

i love raw spinach too as a base ...have had my last batch last week  & now need to wait 4or 5 months before I find some local producer selling it again

it's the second winter i just litterally gorge on raw spinach leaves in my salad most days ... i never even looked at that type of greens beforehand ... didn't realise my taste could change so radically.... maybe it's my body that "needs" whatever ....

now, am trying to "make do" with "just" green salad as a base but it not at all as satisfying to the tastebuds ...

i did grate a small raw zucchini last week, the taste is ok, but i don't quite like the texture, i suppose i should try cubed zucchini for a different texture next time ....
 

[katelove]

Originally Posted by IsaFrench 

could you possibly post a photo of what a Lebanese cucumber looks like ...(i see you are in Australia... i'm in Europe ... even within countries, sometimes vegetables have different names ....) TIA

 

This is them http://www.google.com.au/search?q=lebanese+cucumber&hl=en&client=safari&prmd=imvnse&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=jCPVT7KmIYqfiAfktLWHAw&ved=0CHkQsAQ&biw=480&bih=269#i=2

Sorry about the cumbersome link, I'm on my phone. Usually in the supermarkets over here they're sold shrink wrapped in clear plastic.

[EnviroBecca]

For dipping, I like zucchini and bell peppers.  Organic peppers (esp. sweet ones) tend to be expensive, but they will be in season in a month or so, and every once in a while I see a good deal on ones grown in greenhouses.

If you don't feel like making hummus from scratch, instead of buying the expensive pre-made stuff, see if you can find Fantastic Foods instant hummus.  My family loves it.  Just add warm water and oil and mix with a fork!  And it keeps in the fridge for a week or so after you mix it, so ideal for snacking at work.

Asian Style Spicy Peanut Dressing

Take a blob of peanut butter–I never measure because it’s too hard to get it off the measuring spoon, but I use about 1 Tbsp. per person–and melt it, either in a small pot over low heat or in a Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave.  Add a good slosh of soy sauce, a good slosh of apple cider vinegar or lime juice, a good slosh of sesame oil, and a small blob of honey.  Sprinkle heavily with cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and ginger.  Mix thoroughly. It will look weird and curdled, but if you keep mixing you’ll get a uniform paste. Taste it and adjust seasoning to your liking.  Mix in water or fruit juice (apple, orange, pineapple are all good but have different effects on the overall flavor) until it reaches a pourable consistency.

It's great on a salad of mixed greens, cucumber, carrot, and radish, or something along those lines.  We like to have some cubes of tofu, too--as long as it's fresh, you can just drain it, cut it up, and put it directly on the salad without cooking.