New Salad Ingredients

I am wondering if anyone has any new ideas for ingredients for salads? I love salads with the usual lettuce, tomato, carrot, and cucumber. Sometimes I add almonds, cheese or cottage cheese, and chick peas. But I am looking for something new for my boring salads. Any suggestions?

I love salads :)!
Apart from the basics you mentioned, things that go well in a salad are: peppers - raw or roasted (with olive oil, or just holding them above the stove if you have a gas stove will give really nice results too - my host lady in Spain always used to do this with romero peppers), olives, cabbage, spinach, onions, walnuts, blue cheese (you don't need a lot as it has such a strong taste), red beans, artichokes, anchovies, turkey breast, herbs such as basil, coriander...the list is endless really haha.

Fruit such as grapes, mandarin oranges, small pieces of pears and apples, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries all work great.

I like beets, chick peas, kidney beans, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts (all so easy-they're canned!!!) sliced almonds or walnuts or pecans, dried cranberries (or other dried fruits)

Also, I like putting on tunafish (no mayo) or other canned fishes

But my alltime fav. on a salad are crispy red/yello/orange bell peppers. MMM soo good :)

These are some really great suggestions!

I agree with the nuts and beans on salads so amazing!

Hardboiled eggs, vegetarian bacon pieces, or whole wheat pasta are more things i like on salads.  I also like to put seasoning on my lettuce, like lemon pepper, old bay or mrs dash, it helps me use less salad dressing and gives a great flavor.

combine the usual salad suspects with walnuts and gorgonzola / blue cheese maybe some griiled chicken breast, l put some raspberies in the blender and add some olive oil and drizzle on top, you would think you died and went to heaven.

I love raw mushrooms and raisins in salad! And leftover roasted vegetables (brussl sprouts, asparagus, onions, zuchinni, peppers). Lightly steamed green beans, alfalfa sprouts, water chestnuts, hearts of palm, beans.

Different "dressings" can give a completely different twist- I LOVE tzatziki or hoummus on salad. Salsa goes well with black beans and/or tuna.

Weird sounding, but adding a 1/2 cup cottage cheese, tbsp raisins, chopped red onion and fat free thousand island dressing on a bed of lettuce is amazing!

Oh my goodness...I am making a big shopping list right now! Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions!

I always forget about hummus, and it's so easy and good.

Roasted peppers and other vegetables sound fantastic!

And Fabnina that salad sounds so good with the fresh raspberry dressing, I would have never thought about that!

I love artichoke hearts, and fruit too...Thank you everyone! I foresee a big salad for supper!

i had one at a restaurant the other day i am going to try soon-

it was bbq blue cheese chicken

if i can find a decent blue cheese dressing im going to top my salad with it and bbq sauce is low cal if you find the right stuff

aside that and the basic tomato/cuke/lettuce, ect,  i like:

shrimp(they sell little tiny ones just for salads

radishes(they sell them in little chips at the walmart near me)

baby spinach- great with shrimp and/or strawberries

dried cranberries- even better with my leftover turkey from xmas and thanksgiving which is gone now unfortunately

turkey ham- you can buy it in a slab and cut it into cubes- very lean and good with the cranberries too

sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, or poppy seeds

Small tofu cubes! Yummy!

i like mushrooms, artikchoke hearts, black olives, and roasted pepper :) yum.

Try to mix up the kinds of lettuces in your salads - that can give it a little kick! I second the idea of fruits/dried fruits, too. Just be careful that you're watching the calories on these salads! Nuts, tofu, cheeses, and dressings are all high-cal, and you could end up with a salad with as many calories as a pizza!

I like chicken, madarin slices, almonds and spinach. 

I also love putting sweet and salty together in salads, berries with nuts or cheeses. 

And spinach salad with strawberries and nice balsamic vinegar is really nice.

I like to put fruit into my salad. Apples or grapes or mandarin segments add a refreshing touch of sweetness... how about some olives, or one of those jars of antipasto they sell in the delicatessen? A little of that stuff goes a long way and it adds a ton of flavour. I bought some pickled eggplant strips that were wonderful to liven up a salad as a change from regular dill pickles.

I love love love the following ingredients in/on my salad:

- Artichoke Hearts

- Sun Dried Tomatoes

- Grilled Eggplant & Other Vegetables

- Bell Peppers

- Red Onions

- Cherry Tomatoes

- Anchovies

- Salmon, Sardines, Mackerel

- Olives 

- Capers

- Asparagus or Brussels Sprouts 

- Olive Oil, Garlic, Thyme, White Wine, Salt & Pepper

- Seaweed 

- Water Chestnuts 

- Spinach, Butter Lettuce & Cabbage