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My Salad Days

bgibson135

Although my “salad days” started at the IGA in Erwin, North Carolina, I found that the Harris Teeter in Fayetteville had a good salad bar also, and they offer an abundance of fruits (blackberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, kiwi, and raspberries) and the salads with an abundance of fruit is what this page focuses on. The IGA has Ken’s Salad Dressings, and the HT has Cindy’s Kitchen Dressings.

I used the ChatGPT AI to help me create the Cranberry Vinaigrette Dressing and it is reminiscent of the “store bought” Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing that I bought some time ago. *I had made some homemade cranberry sauce and used no sugar. That is a positive for this dressing, as I was looking for a lower calorie dressing from the Ken’s or Cindy’s dressings. I like their flavor, but they are high in calories.

An additional suggestion might be to add a tangy, fresh goat cheese like Bucheron (Fr.) or Capricho de Cabra (Sp.).

🌿 Base for All Days

  • Romaine lettuce
  • Red bell pepper strips
  • Red onion slices
  • Broccoli sprouts (¼ cup)
  • Cranberry dressing (1½ tbsp)

🥗 Day 1 — Mixed Nuts + Egg

  • Fruits: 2 strawberries, 6 blueberries, 2 blackberries, 2 raspberries, 5 grapes
  • Nuts: 2 Brazil, 2 pecan halves, 2 almonds, 2 walnut halves
  • Protein: 1 boiled egg
  • Extras: 2 olives, 1 tsp bacon bits
    ~331 cal | ~13g net carbs | ~10g protein

I enjoyed the dressing (non-creamy) and the salad to which I had also added 1/2 a medium avocado and a couple of raw cherries, but before 4 pm I was very hungry and ate a slice of bread, deli turkey & cheese sandwich, and a small container of shrimp-lentil stew. I had had a 2 egg frittata, with half an avocado at breakfast. So, being really hungry after lunch didn’t make sense to me.

🥗 Day 2 — Walnuts + Chicken + Cherry

  • Fruits: ½ small apple (thin slices), 1 raw cherry
  • Nuts: 6 walnut halves
  • Protein: 3 oz grilled chicken breast (cubed)
  • Extras: 2 olives
    ~350 cal | ~13g net carbs | ~25g protein

🥗 Day 3 — Almonds + Egg + Cherries

  • Fruits: 2 strawberries, 2 raw cherries
  • Nuts: 8 almonds
  • Protein: 1 boiled egg
  • Extras: sprinkle of chia seeds (1 tsp)
    ~330 cal | ~13g net carbs | ~12g protein

🥗 Day 4 — Pecans + Egg + Yogurt Creaminess

  • Fruits: 3 raspberries, 4 blueberries, 1 raw cherry
  • Nuts: 6 pecan halves
  • Protein: 1 boiled egg
  • Dressing twist: mix cranberry dressing with 1 tbsp Greek yogurt → creamy version
  • Extras: 2 olives
    ~335 cal | ~12g net carbs | ~12g protein

Diabetic-Friendly Cranberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients (makes about ½ cup, 6 servings):

  • 3 tbsp homemade cranberry sauce (preferably with little or no added sugar, sweetened with stevia, monkfruit, or a touch of agave)
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (healthy fats help slow sugar absorption)
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard (emulsifier + savory depth)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • (Optional) 1 tsp orange juice or zest, for brightness without much sugar

Instructions:

  1. Whisk cranberry sauce, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl until smooth.
  2. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking, to create an emulsion.
  3. Taste and adjust: add a splash more vinegar if you want it sharper, or a pinch of sweetener if it’s too tart.

Nutrition (per serving, ~1.5 tbsp):

  • Calories: ~45
  • Carbs: ~2g (net ~1g, depending on your cranberry sauce)
  • Fat: ~4.5g (healthy monounsaturated)
  • Fiber: trace
  • No added sodium beyond what you include

I enjoyed the flavor and texture of this dressing and would make it again. I haven’t tried adding plain Greek yogurt to it, but I’m pretty sure I will like that also, since the yogurt also has some sour tang to it.

This dressing is tart, fruity, and works really well on dark leafy greens, roasted vegetables, or even a grain salad.

Creamy Cranberry Dressing

Ingredients (makes about ½ cup, 6 servings):

  • 3 tbsp homemade cranberry sauce (no added sugar, or sweetened lightly with stevia/monkfruit/agave)
  • 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (adds creaminess + protein)
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice for softer tang)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (for richness and smooth texture)
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional, helps emulsify and adds savory balance)
  • Pinch of salt & pepper
  • (Optional) ½ tsp orange zest for brightness

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, whisk cranberry sauce, yogurt, vinegar, and mustard until smooth.
  2. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking to blend.
  3. Taste and adjust seasoning. For more tang, add a splash of vinegar; for more sweetness, a drop of your preferred sweetener.

Nutrition (per serving, ~1.5 tbsp):

  • Calories: ~35
  • Carbs: ~2g (net ~1g, depending on sauce)
  • Protein: ~1g
  • Fat: ~3g (mostly healthy fats)
  • Fiber: trace

This version is tangy, creamy, and slightly fruity — great on shredded cabbage slaws, chicken salads, or roasted veggie bowls.