WHAT MAKES A GREAT SALAD ?

The answer is anything and everything. In fact don't be afraid to pig out on salad. The things that make a salad fattening are adding too much egg, cheese, croutons, and dressing. Pasta salads should be eaten with care also if you are on a special diet. If you like mayo, or other salad dressings have them on the side. Try olive oil and a flavored vinegar, the olive oil has the right fat to help lower your bad cholesterol and the vinegar will lower your blood sugar by about 30%. Another great idea for dressing if you like it creamy is to cut the mayo with some sour cream. It's lower in calories and better for you. You can also try a simple tomato salsa as a dressing.

As for the salad itself, go crazy and put what you like in it. One thing that I do is if I'm putting in celery,onions, and peppers , is I cook them to soften just a little bit before adding them to the salad. Use any kind of lettuce, or use spinach or even cabbage.

Don't forget fruit salads , you can use those for dessert if you want. Some people use yogurt as a dressing, but I prefer no dressing because the fruit is usually very moist, sweet and flavorful on it's own.

It is a good idea to eat your salad about 20 minutes before the dinner is served, it helps to fill you up. Salads also make a perfect lunch and go great with some soup if you want.