Monday, August 29, 2011

A Salad A Day

This week I decided to challenge myself to eat a salad a day. While this might sound strange to most of you, first let me tell you I'm not a huge fan of salads. I just can't wrap my mind around them being a "real" meal. To me a salad is like an appetizer. Something you eat, but it doesn't fill you up and it is never really overly satisfying.

I have really tried to like salads in the past, but I have never been successful. I love trying new foods and ordering a salad off a menu is not my idea of enjoying a delicious meal. I can eat a salad and afterwards be completely full, but to me it is still a waste of a meal. It never gives me the feeling of being like "oh my goodness that was amazing" or "wow that was so delicious" or "that was one of the best things I have ever eaten." Instead my responses are more like "why did I just waste my meal on a salad?" or "I'm full, but now I want something that is actually tasty" or "I don't understand how people eat this and feel satisfied."

When I go to the cafeteria at work there are two rooms, the room with hot food and the room with the salad bar. Usually for me it's a no brainer to go into the room with the hot food. I mean who wouldn't rather have pork tenderloin, fried chicken, pizza or pasta over a salad? Surprisingly though, the salad line is always the longest. It made me begin to wonder what everyone finds so amazing about them (besides them being healthy). This is when I decided I needed to change my perspective on salads.

Since this is my last week at work, I decided I am going to eat at least one salad every day. (I'm still debating if I want to do it for two weeks because I don't know how much that will cost when I don't have a job, but I'm for sure doing it this week.) I am going to try one with different toppings and dressing each time. I figure maybe I can train myself to enjoy eating salads. I mean they are healthier and more nutritious than most of the other foods I eat, so why not. I am determined to at least learn to appreciate salads and who knows, maybe one day they will be my go-to meal at restaurants.

Today I ordered a salad with artichoke hearts, black olives, mushrooms, purple onions and fresh mozzarella with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. It was ok I guess. The best part was the free bread roll and lemonade that came with it.

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