bigbeautifulblackgirls:

Filling Salad 1: Spinach Salad With Bacon

Ingredients:
1/2 pound fresh spinach, trimmed, washed and dried
8 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup of chopped cucumber
3 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
Handful of black olives

Directions:
Cook the bacon until crispy. Some people may try to substitute turkey bacon or soy bacon because it’s healthier, however, you won’t have the necessary bacon drippings for the sauce. Leave around four tablespoons of bacon drippings in pan, and then stir in vinegar, oil, soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Heat it back up and stir until just before boiling. Add the mixture to a bowl of spinach. The warm dressing will “wilt” the spinach, which is why this is sometimes called a wilted spinach salad. Sprinkle in the bacon pieces and add the chopped cucumber, egg and olives. This should make four servings.

Fullness factor: Rich, beautiful bacon will always fill you up and when eaten in moderation, it’s not unhealthy. A single piece is about 46 calories. The warm dressing tricks your stomach into believing you ate a full hot meal. It’s especially great when the weather’s cold outside. Also, spinach has a higher nutritional value and is a heartier base than most lettuces.

Filling Salad 2: Niçoise Salad 

Ingredients:
1/2 head Boston lettuce leaves
1/2 pound green beans, lightly steamed
1/2 cup vinaigrette (mixture of olive oil, the vinegar of your choice, and a squeeze of mustard)
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1-2 potatoes, peeled, sliced, and boiled in water until cooked
1 3-oz can chunk tuna or 1 cooked tuna steaks
3 hard-boiled eggs, halved
1 red onion
1 can of anchovies
1/3 cup small black Niçoise-type olives
1 tbsp capers
1 tbsp shallots
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Put the lettuce in a shallow bowl. Toss the beans with the shallots, a couple spoonfuls of vinaigrette, and salt and pepper. Baste the tomatoes with a spoonful of vinaigrette. Cook and slice the potatoes and arrange them with the beans, tomatoes and tuna in the center of the plate. Ring the platter with halves of hard-boiled eggs. Spoon vinaigrette over everything; scatter on olives, capers, parsley, and serve. This should make about three servings.

Fullness factor: The complexities in taste will trick your mouth into believing you’re eating a huge seafood dinner. The tuna, especially when using the tuna steak option, and hard-boiled eggs provide a heavy protein base. The salty anchovies and starchy potatoes make this a satisfying, well-rounded meal, but each ingredient is so simple and healthy on its own that you never end up veering into unhealthy territory.

Filling Salad 3: Urban Market Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup sliced turkey
6 cups watercress
1 red pepper, diced
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup pecans
2 pieces cooked bacon, diced
1/2 cup canned whole kernel corn
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 breast blackened chicken, sliced
1/4 cup dried cherries
Dressing of your choice

Directions:
Some stores have takeout blackened chicken, which makes this dish much easier. If not, you can buy premixed blackened chicken spice packets and bake it in the oven. The best thing about this salad is that it’s just really fun to prepare. It feels very fancy, but is impossible to screw up. Toss the watercress, peppers and corn together. Next, sprinkle on the turkey, dried cherries, bacon pieces, and pecans. If the blackened chicken is already made, warm it in the microwave now. Sprinkle on the Gorgonzola and put the slices of blackened chicken right on top. The warm chicken will make the cheese gooey and great. Place the avocado around the bowl and pour on the dressing to taste. This makes about two servings.

Fullness factor: The dried cherries and Gorgonzola may seem too fancy-pants, but they really do make the salad. The combination of the sweet cherries and corn, mixed with the spiciness from the chicken and dressing, will satisfy the pallet. Plus, the turkey, bacon, pecans, Gorgonzola, and avocado all have plenty of good protein to fill up the heartiest of appetites. You’ll be tempted to make this salad every night, just be sure not to eat too much or smother it with dressing. Just because it’s salad, doesn’t mean it doesn’t pack some calories.

Filling Salad 4: Barbecue Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 can sweet corn, drained
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 tbsps nonfat mayonnaise

Directions:
Broil the chicken in your oven for 10 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool and cut into cubes. Toss together the chicken, celery, red bell pepper, onion, and corn. In another bowl, mix the barbecue sauce and mayonnaise. Pour over the chicken and veggies. This makes about four servings.

Fullness factor: When you’re craving barbecue but don’t want the calories or the hassle, this salad will really save you. In around 30 minutes, you can make as delicious a dish as most restaurants. It’s easy, healthy, and the chicken really fills you up. This is a salad any man can feel good about eating and not worry about looking like a rabbit.