Confession: I rarely order salads at restaurants. Give me bland, raw veggies any day! Why? The thought of trying to choke down a block of iceberg lettuce topped with 2 tomato slices and dry carrot shavings makes me gag.

Tis the season to overindulge. To get myself ready, I’m purposely overindulging in salads right now – and I must say this is actually more of a pleasure than a chore. I can’t tell you how many kinds of salad we’ve eaten in the last few weeks, and rather than getting old, they’re just getting better.

Remember, when it comes to salad, there’s no need to follow a “recipe.” If you’re missing an ingredient, replace it with something else that will provide the same effect (crunch, spice, tang, creaminess, etc). No one will know and it’ll still be delicious!

IF I WAS A COMPETITIVE EATER, MOUNDS OF ICEBERG LETTUCE WOULD BE GREAT TRAINING! BUT, SADLY I'M NOT.

When I'm not in my own kitchen, I don't try to make salads interesting and filling.

Here are 5 quick tips on making a good salad. List other ways you enhance your salads? Boom.

1. Use a lean protein source like grilled chicken or fish. Adding fried buffalo chicken tenders or fatty ground meat kinda defeats the purpose if you're trying to have a lower calorie option, so they can be counter-productive.
2. Use mixed greens like spinach, arugula or kale. I find these are more flavorful and you can eat more of these in one setting. Lettuce tends to make you feel fuller faster.
3. Use tomatoes or cucumbers as one of the ingredients. They add moisture and may help you not need salad dressing.
4. Remember your healthy fats! These will help make it hearty so it can be a full meal. Nuts, avocado, seeds, olive oil. Or just use salmon as your protein!
5. Use a lean protein source like grilled chicken or fish. Adding fried buffalo chicken tenders or fatty ground meat kinda defeats the purpose if you're trying to have a lower calorie option, so they can be counter-productive.
6. Use tomatoes or cucumbers as one of the ingredients. They add moisture and may help you not need salad dressing.
7. Add raw or dried fruit to enhance flavor. The touch of sweetness helps curb my sugar cravings as well.
8. Toss the salad before serving. If you let each person put on their own dressing, some bites will be well-coated and others will be bland. Add the dressing and toss a few minutes before serving, so the dressing has a chance to really flavor the vegetables before they get eaten.

For dressing, consider using items like pico de gallo, goat cheese, fresh lemon juice or low fat vinaigrette. Be creative, just keep it healthy!