Hypothesis: women with bland taste make healthy food suck

[Brisketexan 106,873]

So, have been trying to eat healthier, including my work day lunches (I need to, it's good for me, I need to get into better shape).  That means a lot of salads, healthy bowls, etc.  Often, when I get something "ethnic" (often asian or mexican), it's not bad.  For example, even the "Buddha Bowl" at several places has fresh cilantro, sliced jalapenos, and other little flavor bombs.

But so many other options are the essence of blandness.  Salads with 10 ingredients...and not one of them carrying any oomph.  Bland shredded rotisserie chicken breast, unseasoned black beans, blah shredded carrots, cherry tomatoes, a pinch of the mildest cheddar cheese available (those were key components in today's salad, that was absolutely tasteless).  Why not add some pico, with fresh onions and jalapeno?  A little cilantro?  A squeeze of fresh lime?  You know, something with actual zing?

This salad is far from a unique experience.  So many of the "healthy" options are horrifically bland.  Why?  Well, what is the target audience for the utterly inoffensive salad?  It's mostly aimed at women who think that ranch dressing is the most powerful flavor sensation known to man -- think midwestern gals or somesuch.  And it's killing us.  I want to eat healthy.  At home, I DO eat healthy, and it's not bland at all.  There are so many easy, healthy flavor bombs you can add to food (fresh onions, garlic, citrus, jalapenos, cilantro, capers, a few olives, and on and on)....yet when you look at the lowest calorie items on the menu, they are often devoid of any of those things.  So, our restaurants offer us healthy choices, but why won't the rest of us eat them?  Because they SUCK AND DON'T TASTE LIKE ANYTHING.  Which is apparently what the target demographic wants, I guess.  But we're not all boring women trying to look better in our new outfit.  A lot of us are men who would like SOMETHING, ANYTHING, going on with flavor.  WTF?  This is killing me.  I swear, I'm going to start carrying an emergency tupperware full of spicy pico wherever I go, so I can dress up the celery and sheetrock salad special.

[sith_horn 2,509]

A standard salad for me at the house is lettuce (usually a mix of iceberg and either romaine or green leafy), sliced red onions, grated carrots, diced roma tomatoes, chopped hard boiled eggs, grated colby jack cheese, some crushed crackers (instead of croutons), and a simple homemade vinaigrette. Pepperoncinis add a little flavor to salads and if I'm at a salad bar usually add some of those to it. I love pickled jalapenos and on occasion have them in my salad but generally prefer them with the main course, not the salad. Sliced bell peppers and mushrooms are also nice additions.

[DalTxHornFan 3,130]

[South Austin 53,219]

Just keep a supply of bacon bits on you at all time.

[tigol 2,481]

2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

So, have been trying to eat healthier, including my work day lunches (I need to, it's good for me, I need to get into better shape).  That means a lot of salads, healthy bowls, etc.  Often, when I get something "ethnic" (often asian or mexican), it's not bad.  For example, even the "Buddha Bowl" at several places has fresh cilantro, sliced jalapenos, and other little flavor bombs.

But so many other options are the essence of blandness.  Salads with 10 ingredients...and not one of them carrying any oomph.  Bland shredded rotisserie chicken breast, unseasoned black beans, blah shredded carrots, cherry tomatoes, a pinch of the mildest cheddar cheese available (those were key components in today's salad, that was absolutely tasteless).  Why not add some pico, with fresh onions and jalapeno?  A little cilantro?  A squeeze of fresh lime?  You know, something with actual zing?

This salad is far from a unique experience.  So many of the "healthy" options are horrifically bland.  Why?  Well, what is the target audience for the utterly inoffensive salad?  It's mostly aimed at women who think that ranch dressing is the most powerful flavor sensation known to man -- think midwestern gals or somesuch.  And it's killing us.  I want to eat healthy.  At home, I DO eat healthy, and it's not bland at all.  There are so many easy, healthy flavor bombs you can add to food (fresh onions, garlic, citrus, jalapenos, cilantro, capers, a few olives, and on and on)....yet when you look at the lowest calorie items on the menu, they are often devoid of any of those things.  So, our restaurants offer us healthy choices, but why won't the rest of us eat them?  Because they SUCK AND DON'T TASTE LIKE ANYTHING.  Which is apparently what the target demographic wants, I guess.  But we're not all boring women trying to look better in our new outfit.  A lot of us are men who would like SOMETHING, ANYTHING, going on with flavor.  WTF?  This is killing me.  I swear, I'm going to start carrying an emergency tupperware full of spicy pico wherever I go, so I can dress up the celery and sheetrock salad special.

Give it more than a week and get creative.  This isn't a female issue.  I hope you were joking about that.  It's a supply/demand issue.  FF joins put a salad on the menu to say they have one......to be accommodating.   The majority of customers ain't at DQ for their salads.

Taco salads are a great option.  Most Tex-Mex joints have all of the flavor you need to spice it up.   Just ask them to not put it in the fried shell.  Get it in a bowl at Cabo Bobs.

Dos Batos has a "taco loco" where the "tortilla" is cheese.  Very low carb, if you're going that direction.  I'll stop there because I'm not sure of the intent of the thread.

 

[Neonmoon 38,130]

Counterpoint: The more you eat healthy food, the more you will enjoy unseasoned black beans 

(I post this partly in jest, but partly being serious. As much as I hated it learning this truth)

[Brisketexan 106,873]

Huge fan of all of the suggestions here. Pepperoncini are great, and when I make salads at home, I use a lot of these things (and I’ve been doing the “eat healthier during the week” for a fair while now). It’s just frustrating that the options at places where salad is a main category on the menu offer utterly bland and pointless choices.

[Post Oak 20,555]

I gotchu fam

[Biff Tannen 46,149]

1 hour ago, Post Oak said:

I gotchu fam

Replace that with a Yellowbird Habanero for me.  I'm taking the mini ones on my 5 month backpacking trip to spice up the bland freeze dried stuff and tortilla meals.

[tigol 2,481]

I just discovered this seasoning at HEB.  I don't use it for steak.  If you're missing butter on something give it a try.

 

https://www.heb.com/product-detail/kinder-s-buttery-steakhouse-rub/5030527

[Texzilla58 4,787]

If you’re eating a salad in a restaurant about all you can do to season is add citrus, chile, and maybe something like green onion. You can hack a dressing with mustard, Splenda, and some oil.

[Captain Ron 13,125]

An old GF of mine once went through a Vegan phase for about a month or two. The first few days were rough. What we discovered is that the key to good healthy food is making this your favorite aisle in the grocery store:

 

Just about anything can be made to taste a hell of a lot better with a few different spices. Granted, this is for cooking at home. You can't be expected to carry around a spice rack in the restaurants.

Edited March 28, 2023 by Captain Ron

[Pato del Muerto 53,438]

I like to put dried cranberries and either almonds or pine nuts into my salads. Adds flavor and texture. 

[elfenix 34,736]

[jimmyjazz 47,101]

Most cooks underseason their food.  I'm not saying he's the gold standard, but watch Bobby Flay cook sometime: he's really generous with spices.  Beyond that, unless you have a blood pressure problem, a tsp good salt per pound of whatever isn't outrageous.  It can be a bit much at times, maybe 0.75 tsp is better, but if I'm making a home-rolled sausage (for instance) I'm at 1.25 tsp per pound protein.

If you're eating at "healthy" restaurants, you're not gonna get that level of seasoning.  Bring your own.  

[NeverMarryAStripper 22,273]

If the point of eating healthy is to live longer then that much salt kind of defeats the purpose.  If I’m going to die of high blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke I’m going to eat tasty shit while doing it.

[South Austin 53,219]

I saw Bobby Flay one time mention that he uses waaaayy more salt than most folks do when pulling any old recipe from a book and cooking at home, and most restaurants do as well.  Which is a simple reason why one dish can taste different, and so much better, at a restaurant than when you make it at home.  Many folks are reluctant to throw a large amount of salt into a dish when they make it at home.  Restaurants are not.

And Flay was only talking about flavor, not health.  As Stripper Boy mentioned, that level of salt on a regular basis isn't good for a lot of folks.

But back to Brisket's point, if I'm at a restaurant and I'm ordering a somewhat healthier dish, I'm usually asking the waiter to bring me some Tabasco or Cholula. 

[SydneyCarton 49,475]

You're better off just prepping stuff at home man. I've gone through plenty of different kinds of healthy phases in my life; keto, paleo, primarily salads, all they way back into my 20s with high carb low fat nonsense. The way you get through any of those is...meal prep. I get it, not everyone can prep food all the damn time, and it's a hassle, but at the end of the day you get better tasting food, healthier food, and as long as you find a roster of a couple spots for takeout that you like and can mix in when you can't cook, it's a workable solution. 

 

As for salads, the key is a dressing you like, and as another poster said, spices. I've got a couple of "everything bagle" type spices for regular salads, and if it's anything even remotely southern or mexican, I'm tossing a fuck ton of tajin on that motherfucker. I'm also fond of shredding a bunch of chicken in the instant pot, but instead of stopping there, you toss that chicken back in and add spices/sauces of choice. Makes a difference. 

[billfromlaketravis 11,816]

I bailed on salads at home. They only keep for 2 days tops, and I think produce quality has declined across the board. Honestly, you probably need to go to Sprouts/Whole Foods and eat the salad within 12 hours. That's a lot of trips to the store. 

Cross posting for another thread : I've been eating grilled chicken and roasted green beans topped with grilled onions/peppers. I like to use Montreal Chicken Seasoning on the chicken. Drizzle with a citrus garlic dressing for additional flavor. 

Green beans will keep for about 4-5 days raw. About the same cooked. So it gives you a week of vegetables. 

The HEB two compartment tupperware are great. Chicken in one compartment, green beans in other. You can make a week's worth of lunches Sunday night. 

If you find yourself in a hurry, Chick-fil-a grilled chicken breast only and a side of kale crunch is a pretty good/inexpensive fast meal. 

If you really want a salad, Del Viste in Tangelwood makes them correctly. Even their house salad is pretty flavorful and cheaper than Chopped, Sweetgreens, etc..

[texasdago 7,766]

Big agreement on use of herbs, spices and hot sauces to make things taste better.  Not to mention herbs and spices are a good part of a healthy diet.  

 

One of my favorite easy easy healthy meals:

One can white beans (navy, cannellini, northern... whatever) rinsed

One can or packet tuna fish, drained (unless you buy the tune in olive oil)

Some thinly sliced shallots

Capers

Olive oil + S&P to taste

Easy, tasty (almost addictive to me) and super healthy combination. 

 

[Pato del Muerto 53,438]

2 minutes ago, texasdago said:

Big agreement on use of herbs, spices and hot sauces to make things taste better.  Not to mention herbs and spices are a good part of a healthy diet.  

 

One of my favorite easy easy healthy meals:

One can white beans (navy, cannellini, northern... whatever) rinsed

One can or packet tuna fish, drained (unless you buy the tune in olive oil)

Some thinly sliced shallots

Capers

Olive oil + S&P to taste

Easy, tasty (almost addictive to me) and super healthy combination. 

 

Chick peas/garbanzos work?

[jimmyjazz 47,101]

42 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

I get it, not everyone can prep food all the damn time, and it's a hassle, but at the end of the day you get better tasting food, healthier food, and as long as you find a roster of a couple spots for takeout that you like and can mix in when you can't cook, it's a workable solution. 

Plus, your food costs drop by well over 50% for most meals.

[South Austin 53,219]

53 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

I get it, not everyone can prep food all the damn time, and it's a hassle, but at the end of the day you get better tasting food, healthier food, and as long as you find a roster of a couple spots for takeout that you like and can mix in when you can't cook, it's a workable solution.

10 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Plus, your food costs drop by well over 50% for most meals.

Both of these.  I don't eat out at lunch like I did about 8 or so years ago when I got on my current health kick.  Now it's maybe once a month.  It's much healthier, and it saves a ton of money, not that eating out before was breaking the bank.

Also, it saves time, which is a somewhat less important reason, and probably not a great one.  Grabbing lunch with a friend or another lawyer on a regular basis is good for socializing and networking, and I've lost some of that.  But I got to the point in my life that I want to get out of the office as soon as I can, even if it means a shorter lunch at my desk.

[texasdago 7,766]

18 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Chick peas/garbanzos work?

Sure.  I've also done this with chickpeas...

Can of chickpeas

Can/packet of salmon

capers

kalamata olives

crumbled feta

sliced shallot

olive oil, salt + pepper to taste

 

 

[irishtexan 11,707]

I buy the pre-shredded chicken at HEB by the deli, a big ass box of the Central Market power greens, throw in your typical salad veggies (tomatoes, baby carrots, red bell pepper, green onion, pickled red onion, japs). I'll either make a vinaigrette, use a chimichurri, or a buy a low-fat ranch and mix like two to three tablespoons of that with an equal-or-more amount of the green jalapeno sauce from Trader Joe's and use that as a dressing. Usually I'll microwave the chicken for like 30 seconds cuz I like the protein to be warmed up. Otherwise I try to grill lean proteins and veggies and make like three lunches out of the leftovers. 

[texasdago 7,766]

A good vinaigrette or healthy dressing makes all the difference.

 

[Trey3216 15,452]

A couple of things I do when making salads...

Add some fresh purple cabbage, green onion, raspberries and blackberries, pepperocini or pickled banana peppers.

Use O&V as your dressing, or some sort of balsamic.

If you're really jonesing, cut up some grilled chicken and toss it in Buffalo wing sauce.  Use the excess sauce to pour over the salad as your dressing.

If that's too much, mix about 1 part wing sauce and 1 part low fat ranch together, and use that sparingly as your dressing.

 

When grilling chicken, I make my own spice mixes.

Sea Salt

Cracked Pepper

Equal Parts granulated garlic and granulated onion 

Ground Ginger (Ground ginger will absolutely give grilled chicken and pork a beautiful, zesty flavor)

Herbs Provence

 

Place split chicken breast in a bag or container with only olive oil.  Let the oil coat the chicken fully.

Get your grill going hot.  

Coat chicken with proper amount of seasoning I posted above.

Grill each side of chicken for 3-4 minutes.

Turn grill down to medium.

Place chicken on top part of grill away from direct contact with heat.

Grill chicken (flipping every 3-4 minutes) until cooked thoroughly. 

 

You'll never have dry chicken that way.  

[SimonBolivar 11,062]

12 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

 on my 5 month backpacking trip 

But...but who will take care of us on the Seinfeld thread and like our obscure references in other threads?

[SydneyCarton 49,475]

3 minutes ago, Trey3216 said:

A couple of things I do when making salads...

Add some fresh purple cabbage, green onion, raspberries and blackberries, pepperocini or pickled banana peppers.

Use O&V as your dressing, or some sort of balsamic.

If you're really jonesing, cut up some grilled chicken and toss it in Buffalo wing sauce.  Use the excess sauce to pour over the salad as your dressing.

If that's too much, mix about 1 part wing sauce and 1 part low fat ranch together, and use that sparingly as your dressing.

 

When grilling chicken, I make my own spice mixes.

Sea Salt

Cracked Pepper

Equal Parts granulated garlic and granulated onion 

Ground Ginger (Ground ginger will absolutely give grilled chicken and pork a beautiful, zesty flavor)

Herbs Provence

 

Place split chicken breast in a bag or container with only olive oil.  Let the oil coat the chicken fully.

Get your grill going hot.  

Coat chicken with proper amount of seasoning I posted above.

Grill each side of chicken for 3-4 minutes.

Turn grill down to medium.

Place chicken on top part of grill away from direct contact with heat.

Grill chicken (flipping every 3-4 minutes) until cooked thoroughly. 

 

You'll never have dry chicken that way.  

my one gripe with chicken, which I eat a fuck ton is, I can cook a great chicken breast. I can cook it on a grill, I've sous vide and seared, and it's great immediately. 

I pretty much never encountered a reheated chicken breast that isn't dry AF. Pretty much ever. El Tiempo chicken fajitas re-heated are pretty good, but chicken never retains moisture after the initial cook for me. It's a big reason I've gone with the shredded chicken model for salads or tacos, because it at least allows me to mix it in a sauce to fix some of the moisture problem. 

 

Also, if we're just doing random tips, it's not a salad, but Costco sells these in really big two packs. For a low carb guy, mixing this in with shredded chicken is a great fucking healthy cheat. You can add cream cheese if you're really feeling decadent. I can make that into a buffalo chicken salad with some healthy ranch and banana peppers, or toss in on a taco with ranch. Absolutely scratches that wing itch. 

[Biff Tannen 46,149]

6 minutes ago, SimonBolivar said:

But...but who will take care of us on the Seinfeld thread and like our obscure references in other threads?

Oh don't worry.  Trail has cell coverage like 75% of the time, not to mention town stops.

[Trey3216 15,452]

2 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

my one gripe with chicken, which I eat a fuck ton is, I can cook a great chicken breast. I can cook it on a grill, I've sous vide and seared, and it's great immediately. 

I pretty much never encountered a reheated chicken breast that isn't dry AF. Pretty much ever. El Tiempo chicken fajitas re-heated are pretty good, but chicken never retains moisture after the initial cook for me. It's a big reason I've gone with the shredded chicken model for salads or tacos, because it at least allows me to mix it in a sauce to fix some of the moisture problem. 

 

Also, if we're just doing random tips, it's not a salad, but Costco sells these in really big two packs. For a low carb guy, mixing this in with shredded chicken is a great fucking healthy cheat. You can add cream cheese if you're really feeling decadent. I can make that into a buffalo chicken salad with some healthy ranch and banana peppers, or toss in on a taco with ranch. Absolutely scratches that wing itch. 

One thing I've done a lot recently is when I'm done grilling chicken, I cover it and put it in the microwave (to rest and retain heat, not to use) until I'm done with the sides or making the salad base.  It's almost the same as letting a brisket rest.  The plate will have tons of juice sitting in it.  I put that juice into the tupperware containers equally and the chicken is much less dry when re-heated since it has moisture in the container.  

[SimonBolivar 11,062]

19 minutes ago, Trey3216 said:

A couple of things I do when making salads...

Add some fresh purple cabbage, green onion, raspberries and blackberries, pepperocini or pickled banana peppers.

Use O&V as your dressing, or some sort of balsamic.

If you're really jonesing, cut up some grilled chicken and toss it in Buffalo wing sauce.  Use the excess sauce to pour over the salad as your dressing.

If that's too much, mix about 1 part wing sauce and 1 part low fat ranch together, and use that sparingly as your dressing.

 

When grilling chicken, I make my own spice mixes.

Sea Salt

Cracked Pepper

Equal Parts granulated garlic and granulated onion 

Ground Ginger (Ground ginger will absolutely give grilled chicken and pork a beautiful, zesty flavor)

Herbs Provence

 

Place split chicken breast in a bag or container with only olive oil.  Let the oil coat the chicken fully.

Get your grill going hot.  

Coat chicken with proper amount of seasoning I posted above.

Grill each side of chicken for 3-4 minutes.

Turn grill down to medium.

Place chicken on top part of grill away from direct contact with heat.

Grill chicken (flipping every 3-4 minutes) until cooked thoroughly. 

 

You'll never have dry chicken that way.  

You ever buy a whole bird from the El Norteno truck on 18th and Dutton? I used to grill chicken often, but it's so easy and good to just pick one up from there. In fact the wife and I split a chicken from there last night.

Edited March 28, 2023 by SimonBolivar

[Trey3216 15,452]

3 minutes ago, SimonBolivar said:

You ever buy a whole bird from the El Norteno truck on 18th and Dutton? I used to grill chicken often, but it's so easy and good to just pick one up from there.

I have not.  Will definitely put that on my list.  

[Ghost of LL 15,686]

14 hours ago, tigol said:

Give it more than a week and get creative.  This isn't a female issue.  I hope you were joking about that. 

 

I got to hear the rant the first go-through, so let me refine it.

We're talking about a chain--think Panera Bread.  And the salads at these places are bland as fuck.  They're just boring and plain and basic.

Now, @Brisketexan blames the demand side of the curve.  He hypothesizes that those salads are bland as fuck because that's what the customer wants.  And when we're talking about salads at Panera Bread, the customer is your basic white female. 

That's not to say that a man won't order a salad.  But let's not also pretend that food isn't gendered.  If Mrs.LL and I are out to dinner and she orders a steak and I order a salad, most of the time the waiter is going to come back and set the steak in front of me and the salad in front of her.  Yes, it's stupid.  But yes, it's also a real thing.

So in developing salads, Panera Bread (and Newk's and Modern Market and Zoe's Kitchen and every other similar place) is marketing for white women.

From that, Brisket assumes that white women are to blame for their shitty bland salads.

I might put forth a different hypothesis.  I blame the accountants.  The customer is the victim.

From an accountant's standpoint, there are three ways to add flavor: (1) fat, (2) sugar, and (3) salt.  All three are unhealthy, but all three are cheap as fuck.  So if I'm an accountant who wants to make something healthy, I need to cut those three.

The accountant can add some of the ingredients identified in this thread to make up for the flavor lost by cutting fat, sugar, and salt.  The accountant could add herbs de Provence or shallot or fresh ginger.  But guess what?  Those are expensive.

So instead of doing that, the accountant is going to add none of those, and persuade the customer base that in order for something to be healthy, it also has to be flavorless.  And in this the American food industry has succeeded spectacularly.  Americans are broadly convinced that something has to be unhealthy to taste good.  And if something tastes good, then they're immediately suspicious of its nutritional and dietetic value.  

This is not a new thing.  It's been going on for about three generations.  And for the American food industry, it's been a fantastic success.

So I think Brisket's wrong.  The basic white woman isn't the perpetrator here; she's the victim.  Along with the rest of us.

[Guest]

I think Greek salad might be one of my favorite foods. I could eat a 5-gallon bucket of the stuff. Lots of flavor with red onion, feta, and olives. 

[jimmyjazz 47,101]

I cheat and buy the bagged salad blends, usually from Randalls, because they often have a good price advantage (say $2.50 for a 10 oz bag of romaine/cabbage/carrots or whatever).  It stays fresh in the bag (until opened) for days.  Then, I doctor it up with some of the usuals -- a little cheese, a little chicken or black beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, maybe some croutons or tortilla strips.

Or, since I sail in a similar flavor boat as @FirstTimeCaller, I buy a fresh Greek salad from HEB, because they kick ass.  All I have to do is whip up a balsamic vinaigrette, which takes approximately 10 seconds.

[Brisketexan 106,873]

6 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

I think Greek salad might be one of my favorite foods. I could eat a 5-gallon bucket of the stuff. Lots of flavor with red onion, feta, and olives. 

So good, and so easy.  And a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, a bit of salt and pepper.  Real flavor and zing.  Then with onion, feta, olives, capers, maybe green onions and fresh bell pepper?  Winning.

[conVINCEd 21,477]

Alternative theory.  We have an underlying need to suffer a little bit when we are doing healthy things.  No pain, no gain.  Karen eats her bland af salad knowing that the blandness is the price she is paying to try to keep her ass in fighting shape.

[Trey3216 15,452]

And one thing I started doing over the pandemic is gardening.

This weekend, I'm putting 15 different hot pepper plants, and 15 other pepper plants into the garden.  I will have 3 cherry tomato plants, as well as blackberries and raspberries out there.  Have done lettuce several times, but I always lose it to the animals.  Probably gonna buy a pellet gun this time so I can night snipe the pinche possums that steal my shit.  

[SimonBolivar 11,062]

42 minutes ago, Trey3216 said:

I have not.  Will definitely put that on my list.  

It's a hidden gem for sure, we get the full combo of  1 whole chicken, rice, beans, tortillas, 1 grilled onion, green & red salsa (green is legit), lemon & lime for $22 just about once a week. I've gotten especially lazy when it's only about a $15 difference in doing it myself sadly.

Edited March 28, 2023 by SimonBolivar

[BurntOrange&White 41,842]

52 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

my one gripe with chicken, which I eat a fuck ton is, I can cook a great chicken breast. I can cook it on a grill, I've sous vide and seared, and it's great immediately. 

I pretty much never encountered a reheated chicken breast that isn't dry AF. Pretty much ever. El Tiempo chicken fajitas re-heated are pretty good, but chicken never retains moisture after the initial cook for me. It's a big reason I've gone with the shredded chicken model for salads or tacos, because it at least allows me to mix it in a sauce to fix some of the moisture problem. 

 

Also, if we're just doing random tips, it's not a salad, but Costco sells these in really big two packs. For a low carb guy, mixing this in with shredded chicken is a great fucking healthy cheat. You can add cream cheese if you're really feeling decadent. I can make that into a buffalo chicken salad with some healthy ranch and banana peppers, or toss in on a taco with ranch. Absolutely scratches that wing itch. 

My wife and I will buy a pack of chicken and meal prep lettuce wraps using various sauces for the week to give us the appeal of not having the same thing every day. 


We generally use a wing sauce for a buffalo style wrap, sugar free baby rays for a bbq style chicken wrap, or like a sugar free terryaki sauce for an asian style. Use carrots, blue cheese, some diced celery for the buffalo style. Pickles and onions for the bbq style, and the bean sprouts and etc for the asian style. 

 

As you mentioned we use non-fat greek yogurt to mix with the sauces and chicken to give it a creamy like chicken salad feel.

[Underdog 29,161]

28 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I cheat and buy the bagged salad blends, usually from Randalls, because they often have a good price advantage (say $2.50 for a 10 oz bag of romaine/cabbage/carrots or whatever).  It stays fresh in the bag (until opened) for days.  Then, I doctor it up with some of the usuals -- a little cheese, a little chicken or black beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, maybe some croutons or tortilla strips.

Or, since I sail in a similar flavor boat as @FirstTimeCaller, I buy a fresh Greek salad from HEB, because they kick ass.  All I have to do is whip up a balsamic vinaigrette, which takes approximately 10 seconds.

Do somewhat similar with the bagged greens/salad mix and most often just a bowl with dressing and sunflower seeds if I have them and I'm good to go.  When I first got diagnosed with T2 betes, I got into the habit of a salad before dinner every time.  Them sadly got out of that habit quickly. 

[sith_horn 2,509]

I think your original comment about carrying around some strategic additions is a good idea if you are set on eating out instead of making/bringing your own. A small bottle of vinaigrette for instance, or a container of pico de gallo. Those type of items that add some punch to any salad. You will still have the inconvenience that goes with that, and of course, if you forget to take them you will do without and munch your salad like a cow chewing its tasty cud.

 

 

 

[texasdago 7,766]

TBH I've largely abandoned chicken breast when cooking and use chicken thigs... just much more flavorful and I don't think it makes that big of a health impact if everything else is balanced.  Balance is key.  For cotoletta, I'll use thin cut chicken breasts but not for literally anything else at all.

On a side note, here is a healthy way to make pasta.  Did this last night.  Google translatez, yo... https://ricette.giallozafferano.it/Pesto-di-zucchine.html

Some people will use slivered almonds or pistachio instead of pine nuts.  I used pine nuts.

[SydneyCarton 49,475]

6 minutes ago, BurntOrange&White said:

My wife and I will buy a pack of chicken and meal prep lettuce wraps using various sauces for the week to give us the appeal of not having the same thing every day. 


We generally use a wing sauce for a buffalo style wrap, sugar free baby rays for a bbq style chicken wrap, or like a sugar free terryaki sauce for an asian style. Use carrots, blue cheese, some diced celery for the buffalo style. Pickles and onions for the bbq style, and the bean sprouts and etc for the asian style. 

 

As you mentioned we use non-fat greek yogurt to mix with the sauces and chicken to give it a creamy like chicken salad feel.

Seems like yall are eating low carb as well. And yeah, what I've learned is that having 1-2 shelves of fucking sauces/salsas/dressings is pretty much a requirement to being able to stay on diet and not feel like I'm eating the same things all the time.

Sugar Free Baby Ray's is a winner, they have a sugar free honey mustard I've found. Another one that is great is GL Hughes. They have a ton of sugar free sauces, the downside is the only place to get most of them is fucking wal-mart. https://www.ghughessugarfree.com/

 

[SimonBolivar 11,062]

17 minutes ago, Trey3216 said:

And one thing I started doing over the pandemic is gardening.

This weekend, I'm putting 15 different hot pepper plants, and 15 other pepper plants into the garden.  I will have 3 cherry tomato plants, as well as blackberries and raspberries out there.  Have done lettuce several times, but I always lose it to the animals.  Probably gonna buy a pellet gun this time so I can night snipe the pinche possums that steal my shit.  

How do your raspberries do here? I have most of my backyard fence line growing thornless Arapaho Blackberries and those seem to grow like weeds. I bought two blueberries when I got the blackberries, but they died in last summer's misery.

[South Austin 53,219]

45 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

If Mrs.LL and I are out to dinner and she orders a steak and I order a salad, most of the time the waiter is going to come back and set the steak in front of me and the salad in front of her. 

I imagine it gets real awkward when the waiter brings your wife the cosmopolitan. 

[South Austin 53,219]

7 minutes ago, texasdago said:

TBH I've largely abandoned chicken breast when cooking and use chicken thigs... just much more flavorful and I don't think it makes that big of a health impact if everything else is balanced. 

Same.  I make chicken thighs with a good spice rub in the air fryer at least once a week, and they're much better the next day as reheated leftovers than breasts.

[BurntOrange&White 41,842]

3 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

Seems like yall are eating low carb as well. And yeah, what I've learned is that having 1-2 shelves of fucking sauces/salsas/dressings is pretty much a requirement to being able to stay on diet and not feel like I'm eating the same things all the time.

Sugar Free Baby Ray's is a winner, they have a sugar free honey mustard I've found. Another one that is great is GL Hughes. They have a ton of sugar free sauces, the downside is the only place to get most of them is fucking wal-mart. https://www.ghughessugarfree.com/

 

The one g Hughes makes taste like chik fil a sauce is great if you buy some strips and cook in air fryer 

[SydneyCarton 49,475]

7 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I imagine it gets real awkward when the waiter brings your wife the cosmopolitan. 

I was thinking he might be more of an appletini man.