Until yesterday, I thought the dad had shrunk my clothes. Then I had an OMG moment on the scales and decided it’s time to pull back on the good living for a while. My missing link is suggesting that we try the Paleo diet, but I’m not there yet. There are rumblings amongst the co-workers about the lot of us joining Weight Watchers together. I joined WW a couple of years ago and lost 35 lbs. Now that nearly 10 lbs have crept back onto my.. everything, it’s time to take control again.
I’m not a salad lover, but if I make it interesting enough I can handle it. I like spinach greens and cucumber and sliced mushrooms as a base and toppings like meat, cheese, hard boiled egg, nuts, mandarin oranges or dried cranberries and seeds. Not all at once or the whole weight loss thing just wouldn’t be happening.
I baked some spiced seeds and walnuts to add on top of some of the salads. These, along with spinach, some dried cranberries and some cheese make a pretty good lunch salad. It would be really good with warm bacon dressing (even the tall hormonal kid will eat salad with bacon dressing).
The nuts also make a perfectly decent hostess gift – just package them in an interesting container. Add a bottle of red wine and you’ll probably be invited back again.
The nuts keep well in a jar in the fridge or for longer term, keep them in the freezer.
Cajun Spiced Seeds and Walnuts
- 2 cups walnuts
- ½ cup seeds (I used pumpkin)
- 3 tsp Cajun spice mix (make your own if you don’t have pre-made)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 egg white (beaten)
Mix together and bake at 350 F for about ½ an hour, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool, break apart if clumped together, and store in air tight container.
While I’m talking salad, I have a tip for keeping salad greens crisp for longer. Wash them right away, drain them well and store them wrapped in a tea towel. I re-use large spinach containers for this. Just layer the greens between layers of tea towel. The towel wicks away the wetness from the leaves, but keeps them moist enough that they stay crisp. I’ve had salad greens stay fresh for nearly two weeks this way.
Linking to Cups by Kim, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, A Pinch of Joy
lightlycrunchy 
me too… on all of it. I am trying to get into a habit of eating a regular meal for lunch and salad for dinner, but I have had about 5 false starts. The walnuts look great! I didn’t know about cajun seasoning before… thanks for the link:)
You’re welcome. I’m going to try salads as my work lunch, knowing that the hungry wolves at home won’t go for it at night.
The nuts look yummy! I do the same with my salad greens except I actually roll them up in a tea towel and then insert into an old bread bag. You’re right, they stay fresh a wonderfully long time! Good luck on the WW adventure. Hubby and I have been watching our intake since January and are happy to report that he’s down 22 pounds while I’ve shed 15. It gets easier as the time passes for sure.
I hope so. And we are right in the middle of chocolate season in our house.
Great tip with the salad greens. I always struggle with that and have to inhale them within 3 days or they start to go. Now, I don’t have to!! 🙂 Thanks!!
Looks like a great salad. I have been trying to eat more salads too. I like beans in them (garbanzos or kidneys) to make them more filling. And yes, nuts! Always!
Good idea. I always forget about beans as an addition to the salad.
Perfect! Nuts in salad make it all better. It’s the secret to salad loving for me!
Thanks for the tip about the tea towel. It seems I alway end up throwing out some rotted spinach which drives me nuts!
These sound wonderful, I will make them tomorrow.
And where might a person find a recipe to this infamous “warm bacon dressing” that you so fondly speak of….??
Give me a couple of days and I’ll show you. Though if you are eager, I’m sure Google could lead you right.