Resolution #23: Reinstate salad-eating regimen.

I made a pretty lengthy list of New Year's resolutions this year, and by golly, I'm going to try to keep them. Yes. I'm feeling super positive.

Two of my overall goals for this year, which I hope my resolutions will help accomplish:
1. Be healthier.
2. Be greener. (But more on this one later.)

I don't know about other food bloggers, but I personally have always had a challenging time eating healthy while satisfying my love of food. How does everyone else do it? It amazes me sometimes. Maybe I just have no willpower. See, when I cook, it's always gotta be "the real stuff," I say. I pass on the margarine and reach for butter, I opt for the full-fat cream cheese, and I could never, ever bring myself to substitute in Splenda for sugar.

I just can't do substitutes like that. I can't! Don't make me.

What I can do, however, is try to eat more of the "real stuff" I like that's actually somewhat good for me.

Which brings me to New Year's Resolution #23: Reinstate my salad-eating regimen.

A couple years ago, I used to make and eat salad for lunch at least 4 days a week. Not only that -- it was the SAME salad every day: roasted chicken breast, blue cheese, walnuts, cranberries, and granny smith apples over a mesclun lettuce blend with balsamic vinaigrette.

Man, I loved that salad. What am I talking about -- I still love it.

Anyway, I kept that up for several months and it was GREAT. I didn't get the least bit tired of it, until one day, when I forgot the apples. And all of a sudden, I didn't feel like eating that salad anymore. It was strange, and a little sad. It was almost like that scene in Forrest Gump when Forrest all of a sudden decides he wants to stop runnin'.

And I fell off my healthy lunch regimen and haven't seemed to pick it up again.

So, this year, I'm going to try to eat salad at least four times a week. And it's not going to be a burden. Nope. Because they're fun to create!

Asian Sesame Salad


Ok, I have a confession to make. I pretty much stole this salad from Panera Bread. It's roasted lemon herb chicken breast, sliced almonds, sugar snap peas, cilantro, green onion, sesame seeds, mandarin oranges (which I added later) over mesclun and romaine lettuce with Asian sesame dressing. And I topped it with noodle crisps I picked up from a local Chinese dive.

Cilantro Lime Salad


Baja chipotle chicken breast, diced tomato, corn, avocado, cilantro, green onion over mesclun and romaine lettuce with creamy cilantro dressing. I added tortilla strips (I have to put in a little carby crunch) and a squirt of lime juice. You could also add monterey jack or cojita cheese.

Both dressings I got from Fresh and Easy, but I know Trader Joe's also makes a really tasty cilantro lime dressing.

Kinda relevant: For more lunch ideas, LA Times just ran an article that has a ton. Well, 40. Compared to my measly two, that's a ton.