Healthy or Not?

Salads  - I love salads.  I need to eat more salads.  

What makes a good salad?  Well there is a post on Pinterest that tells you how to make the 'Perfect Salad'.   
     
     You choose your base - basically what type of greens do you want - iceberg lettuce, romaine, kale,      spinach, maybe a mixture? 

     Then you add something crunchy -- maybe carrots or cucumbers - apples - seeds. You get the  
     idea. 

     Next add something soft -- cheese - rice - avocado - olives - tomatoes 

     Now add something unexpected -- cottage cheese - pickled veggies - dried fruit - herbs

    Next up you need some protein --  eggs - nuts - chicken - beans - tofu

     Lastly choose your dressing -- oh the choices available here! Fruity vinaigrettes, - creamy dairy - 
     honey mustard flavorings! 

So how healthy is your salad?

It sounds like a good deal doesn't it? Lots of lettuce and veggies.  You can add cucumbers, onions, radishes, peppers, cauliflower. Load it up.  Still looking pretty healthy to me.

Now here is where you can start getting the unhealthy part.

Let's add some cheese. Should be okay - unless you add cheese - and add cheese and maybe just a little more cheese because well - you like cheese. Plus it's a good source of calcium, right?  Especially if you don't drink milk to get that calcium.

Yes, I know - I can rationalize anything!  

Now let's add some bacon to that salad.  Bacon is good stuff!  And if a little is good a lot is even better. You can't have to much bacon can you?

Now I'm okay with eating my salad at this point. Maybe add some salt but not always (after all the doctor told me to cut down on my sodium).

Now here is where the tricky part comes in.

 That dressing! 

The smart thing to do here is to dip your fork in your dressing of choice and then put the fork in the salad to get a bite.  I do this sometimes.  

Also, your dressing choice can be tricky.  Obviously a vinaigrette based dressing would be better for you. But there are so many choices out there!!

I go back and forth between favorites. I love Creamy Vidalia Onion - but also like the Poppyseed Dressing - and of course Ranch is awfully good. And sometimes a honey mustard flavored dressing.   Notice the theme I have going here?  Creamy - creamy - creamy.  Not the best choice for me, or anyone.

Most of us, yes I'm going to include you in this, add the dressing to the salad. And MAAYBEE we add more than we should.  It is not necessary to DRENCH your salad in dressing. Remember a little goes a long way here.

So tell me? How healthy is the salad you make?  And what is your choice of dressings?