I was feeling proud of being so prepared, making five mason jar salads on Sunday [1], but as soon as I finished my last forkful of veggies at lunch on Monday, I was starving an hour later. Then I'd end up eating a huge snack that was as big as a second lunch. No wonder I wasn't losing weight!
A jar full of carrots, peppers, celery, and baby kale just doesn't cut it. Even though I added beans to my salad for protein, I realized I needed healthy fats and carbs to satiate me for the afternoon. I started adding these four toppings to my salads, and now I'm full and happy until dinner:
1/4 cup whole grains (like quinoa): 56 calories [2], 9.9 grams carbs, 1.3 grams fiber, 2 grams protein
1/4 avocado: 57 calories [3], 2.9 grams carbs, 2.3 grams fiber, .7 grams protein
1/4 cup fruit (like 3 strawberries): 12 calories [4], 2.9 grams carbs, .8 grams fiber, .3 grams protein
1 tablespoon nuts (like salted sunflower seeds): 46 calories [5], 1.9 grams carbs, .7 grams fiber, 1.5 grams protein
The quinoa makes it feel like more of a meal, the avocado adds a creaminess that makes my salad more delicious, the sunflower seeds add a wonderful crunchy texture, and the fruit adds just enough sweetness that I don't crave a treat after lunch.