Where Have All the Good Salads Gone?

First, let me say everyone needs to get hip to Eat This, Not That: http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/index.php. It's astonishing how much saturated fat, calories and sodium is in the food served up by many leading restaurants. For example, it is better to eat a Big Mac than a Whopper. Save yourself 220 calories and 18 grams of fat by making this swap.

Now begins my story followed by RAGE! Last week, Ashley, great friend and fellow dieter, sent me the Salad Hall of Fame according to Eat This, Not That as seen here:

Salad Hall of Fame

- McDonald’s Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken

300 calories

10 g fat (1 g saturated)

890 mg sodium

- Panera Classic Café Salad

400 calories

11 g fat (1.5 g saturated)

270 mg sodium

- Au Bon Pain Butternut Squash Salad

280 calories

6 g fat (4 g saturated)

570 mg sodium

- Jack in the Box Southwest Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken Strips

310 calories

12 g fat (5 g saturated)

840 mg sodium

-Carl’s Jr. Charbroiled Chicken Salad

330 calories

8 g fat (3.5 g saturated)

580 mg sodium

-Denny’s Grilled Chicken Salad Deluxe

290 calories

10 g fat (5 g saturated)

770 mg sodium

- Arby’s Martha's Vineyard Salad

272 calories9 g fat (4 g saturated)

609 mg sodium

No surprise to me that McDonald's Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken tops the list with a scant 300 calories and 10 grams of fat. This is a salad that I've lived and died by; delicious edamame, sliced almonds, mandarin oranges, mixed greens, snow pea pods, bell peppers and Newman's Own Sesame Ginger dressing (not included in the fat and calories but one packet at 90 calories and 2.5 grams of fat is more than enough to drench the salad). That is, until McDonald's DISCONTINUED the Asian Salad in the Columbus market. I've already emailed McDonald's for some sort of explanation. Just tell me the ingredients are too expensive and I'll pay MORE. Tell me the demand isn't high enough and I'll advertise! No, all I received (and why would I expect any more) was a form letter explaining how they cycle out the old for new, exciting product and they will contact the manager of my region. Who is this manager? Where is his office? Can I make an appointment to visit him? I've got the time. So my plan for bringing back the asian salad is in the works. Stay tuned for that. I might need your help.

Ashley and I were planning another one of our Sunday Bloody Fundays aka SBF. The plan: get in a good workout and do a good lunch to follow up. The only other salads that are available to us here in Columbus is the Panera Classic Cafe and Arby's Martha's Vineyard. So we planned on the Martha's Vineyard. We get to Arby's... NO MARTHA'S VINEYARD! What is going on? Am I in an alternate universe and I am receiving Salad Hall of Fame's from the other universe I'm not a part of? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills! Thus, left with no option, I ordered the *NEW* Italian Chopped Salad and Ashley, the *NEW* Turkey Chopped Salad. I find that my salad comes filled to the brim with pepperoni, salami, banana peppers, tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette. Awesome dripping with sarcasm. Looking at the nutrition info, it's way more fat and calories than I wanted to take in. With 282 calories and 18 grams of fat before dressing, I could have gotten a regular roast beef and been happier. Ashley did smashingly with her 95 calories and 11 grams of fat and using fat-free dressing she had at home.

All I know is that I've been burned. The great loves of my belly are disappearing and a few of them I really need. I lost 30 lbs. with the help of that asian salad. Every person I know who tried this salad fell in love instantly. Damn you, McDonald's! You broke my heart... and my diet.

Candice K.