I Tried The Viral TikTok "Mother Earth's Ranch" Salad

[@MerleONeal]

Go to dimebeautyco.com/merle and enter promo MERLE at checkout to get 20% off your own DIME skincare routine!

[@Shadeadder]

Making a good salad is just realizing you don't need to limit yourself to vinaigrette, tomatoes, and lettuce. I love using slightly overripe avocados with salt and lime as a dressing. Throw in some beans for protein. Add herbs for dimension (such as dill or cilantro). Use a mix of greens, like arugula and kale. Don't let anyone tell you that salads have to be only veggie based - it's totally allowed to toss it with grains like rice or quinoa to give it more heft!

[@MerleONeal]

Build that bad boy out!

[@Aelffwynn]

Yep. My husband doesn't really like "salads." So I chop up a bunch of cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, other chunky vegetables, etc, and toss that all together. It's a salad. It's just not leafy.

[@electriclilies2642]

I love fruit in salad. Especially in winter pears and oranges in salads slap

[@electriclilies2642]

I love fruit in salad. Especially in winter pears and oranges in salads slap

[@electriclilies2642]

I love fruit in salad. Especially in winter pears and oranges in salads slap

[@strawberrybaby4632]

low iron girlies: I make this dressing or dressings inspired by this one, but instead of just raw cashews I also add in some raw pumpkin seeds! between the spinach and pumpkin seeds, it’s THE most iron rich dressing/dip/spread you’ll ever find, and they don’t change the flavor!

[@bodyofhope]

Fellow low iron girl here. Do you take Chlorophyll? That has worked best for me above any iron supplement. Chlorofresh brand- the gel caps not the liquid if you try it ❤

[@captain_rae]

You might enjoy Egyptian fattoush! Usual salad culprits, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, herbs. But it has epic chunks of crispy fried pitta, seasoned in zaatar or sumac that soak up the dressing. Can do a zingy lime vinaigrette, or add tahini for a different vibe. It's honestly the crispy pitta that makes it.

[@sarahbalaz319]

Fattoush is the bessssttt

[@strawberrysoymilkshake]

Pomegranate molasses ayyyy

[@lexuschristopher23]

my fave salad: roasted cauliflower, roasted sweet potato, roasted chickpeas, lots of smokey seasonings, on a bed of kale and romaine lettuce, sliced cucumber for extra crunch, with a dressing made from tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice and olive oil. it’s heavenly. some times i add vegan chicken as well. 10/10 would recommend

[@PeripheralPink]

I love combining salad with oven-baked vegetables (sweet potatoes, chickpeas, cauliflower etc. the possibilities are endless). I also make sure to add a protein source, my favorites are falafel, tofu or some kind of meat alternative. Also seeds! They add a nice crunch. Additionally I enjoy adding crispy fried onions to my salads. As for dressings I oftentimes use hummus that I just thin out a little bit with olive oil and a splash of water. You can use flavored hummus or add some spices to plain hummus. Mixing soy yoghurt with some tomato paste and spices is also nice. Basically think about making a really nice wrap, but without the bread. Anyway, that was a novel and a half, but making complex salads like this once in a while actually turned my from a salad hater into a salad appreciator.

[@MerleONeal]

That sounds absolutely delectable

[@SauceStache]

SAME.... I am just not a salad person at all!! I should try this!

[@MerleONeal]

They usually bore me to tears

[@ratbo]

Not a vegan but these videos always inspire me to be more creative in the kitchen! Keep em coming Merle!!

[@coloureve9433]

Its exactly why I got into watching her videos in the first place. I love how experimental a vegan kitchen seems!

[@ninaa1624]

Same!

[@tristamyers1910]

I'm not vegan either, but seriously Merle could make me try. I love how she experiments!

[@1auntievenom]

Go vegan! It's better for you, the planet and the animals! It's cheaper, tastes better, more diverse and good for your longevity!

[@malmal1716]

⁠@@tristamyers1910I also used to watch her before going vegan, she’s def great for showing how easy it can be.If ur looking for more vegan youtubers, earthling ed is amazingg, he focuses on the ethical side more and for me he cleared up a lot of misinformation

[@alice.3509]

I had a version of this salad at a vegan restaurant and they added thin slices of onions and POTATOES. I am thinking about that salad more than I should. Also my all time favourite salad is Shirazi salad❤ try it everyone, it’s the best thing

[@ErinChamberlain]

I'm SUPER excited for you!! I love a salad but finding a decent ranch is a game changer. So, so healthy and it looks incredible!! Excited to try

[@MerleONeal]

You’re gonna love it

[@creedreaming]

I think the trick for good salads is 1. good dressing -> check :D 2. different kinds of salad / greens mixed together -> like iceberg, romana, kale, etc 3. add seeds -> sunflower, pumpkin seeds, sesame (maybe even toasted) 4. use different colors -> to the green salad, add red cherry tomatoes, cucumber, yellow / red bell pepers (really what ever you like) And there you go :D enjoy the view and the taste :D

[@sarastevens2973]

As a green thumb plant lover I LOVE that you got the roots with the chives! Two years ago at least now I was growing chives and my planter broke so I just popped it on top of an empty planter since it was the end of the season and I didn't know chives come back each year... So now with literally zero effort I have chives every year now and I just leave the planter outside with my other empty ones since growing stuff isn't an option since the inlaws moved in sadly but yea you now can grow chives indefinitely

[@annamacdonald2270]

Thanks for blessing my work breaks, Merle! This looks yummy, but I feel like I would be hungry again after an hour (as a 90s baby, I have a historically toxic relationship with salads because they were always the skinny girl moral food to order at a resto BECAUSE they'd leave you feeling hungry) ... I'd probably toss in some roasted chickpeas and like some other folks said, some toasted nuts, maybe some kind of whole grain or legume to sustain me for longer! I think this would liven up the texture, too; though I do love pretending to be Littlefoot cronching on leaves, I also get bored of the same texture quickly!

[@MerleONeal]

i thought i would be hungry too but actually the cashews really add some OOMPH to the salad and filled me up quite a bit!

[@dobetterwithchristian4472]

Weekend glow kale salad is my favorite meal salad. Bonus points cause you can make it in advance and it gets better over time.

[@MerleONeal]

Googling this rn

[@dobetterwithchristian4472]

@@MerleONeal be sure to look for glow and not gloq lol

[@calebritchie1069]

Dimitra’s dishes has this really incredible recipe for lentil tabouli! It looks really plain Jane, but it’s a knock out!

[@natlej]

I have to agree with you about the Green Goddess salad. When I finally tried it, my reaction was "that's it?" It's so bland, and the only thing I taste is the green onions lol. This dressing looks way better...but just lettuce? 😛

[@MerleONeal]

im tellin yaaaa you gotta try it

[@MichaelPennMath]

I have been vegan for a long time and every year or so I think to myself: "I am going to start to like salads". ... I have never succeeded...

[@MerleONeal]

This just may be the one salad to rule them all…

[@ninaa1624]

Not a big salad person either but made this on a whim! Gochujang sauce: 1 clove garlic 1/2 tsp ginger 2 tsp soy sauce 2 tsp sugar 1 Tbsp Gochujang Rince and dry a can of chickpeas Coat the chickpeas in the sauce Cook at 450 for 25 minutes Fill bowl with desired greens, avocado, cucumber, sesame seeds, seaweed, chickpeas and drizzle with soy sauce if desired

[@oliviasher8468]

I think what makes the baked by Melissa salads so good is that they are kinda like a dip? Like you can eat it with tortilla chips

[@kimmurray9346]

Made it all the way through and realized I did make this salad already! It’s so good!

[@Livv_it_is]

watching this video now and MERLE! this year is just a nightmare hahahaha

[@InternetFad]

Go go go go go Merle! Love to see you post content. TY for giving me something to look forward to.

[@MerleONeal]

My pleasure!!

[@laurageiss]

The salads in Veganomicon are grrrreat! In particular, the roasted portobello, and the mango/black bean/quinoa. Also great from veganomicon: the Southwestern Corn Pudding and the blueberry brownies!

[@toeknee1505]

THAT LOOKS TASTY!!!! YUMMY!!! I have to try it. Thanks for the video!

[@_marloesvh]

One of my favs: putting some veggies in de airfryer (like zuccini, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes) for apr 10 min and let cool down. Then put it with some lettuce and lentils in your salad bowl. Dressing: tablespoon of tahini, teaspoon sojasauce, teaspoon agave and the juice of a lemon, maybe some water to thin it out some more. This dressing is so yummy, a must try!!

[@laramarcal87]

So, you gotta try this brazillian salad called "salpicão" which is totally a cheat salad, like potato salad. You will need some hearts of palms, fork them to be like shredded chicken (original salad is with chicken or tuna). Then you will mix that with shredded carrots, peas, corn, celery, herbs and mayo. To make it healthier I do the mayo out of aquafaba but you can use whatever mayo. Then top it with string fries (I swear people throw string fries on salads in Brazil and call it healthy 😅). We usually have this for the holidays 😊

[@BlackTigr]

A salad lover here. My favorite ones are the bacon spinach salad with sweet onion dressing that Wendy's used to have (I can imagine that would taste pretty darn good with some portobello mushroom bacon. I think the hardboiled eggs aren't 100% necessary though, so if you don't wanna remake the Tabitha brown ones from before, that's understandable). I also love the Waldorf/Spring salad kits from Attitude (putting them together here because, besides a couple of ingredient changes, they're almost exactly the same). It's mixed greens with diced apples, dried cranberries/raisins, chopped walnuts/roasted almonds (can probably use chopped pecans too), and either a raspberry poppy seed dressing or a creamy celery dressing (which I actually enjoy despite usually hating celery). They also have a San Marino salad that's basically the same but also has roasted coconut flakes. I imagine there wouldn't be too many things that you would have to do to turn these vegan since it's basically just the dressing that makes it not vegan. They also have a "creamy salad with naan crunch" salad that uses toasted pieces of na'an, crunchy chickpea noodles and lentils, and a sweet onion and poppy seed dressing on a bed of baby spinach. It tastes good but I don't find it as punchy as the others. Maybe if they added some roasted chickpeas that had been tossed in turmeric, that would make it better. I've also had some really good Asian-themed salads with a toasted sesame vinaigrette, some kind of chopped nut, either crispy wonton skin or those fried chow mein noodles you get in that yellow bag, some had dried pineapple which worked really well. But I actually wouldn't mind trying it with some dried fruit mixes I found within the past few years. One bag was a mix of pineapple, coconut, and mango with crystallized ginger. And another has much of the same thing, but with jalapeño instead of ginger. But that's the thing I love about salads. They're like a canvas. You can customize them however you like. It's just a matter of figuring out what tastes and textures you want, and how to combine them in a way that works with different kinds of leafy greens.

[@1auntievenom]

I love salads and salad bowls. I do like a budda bowl but with the salad as the base instead of the rice. Then i put whatever ingredients inspire me that day. Usually, my salad bows are asian inspires with some crispy tofu or spam marinated grilled tofu, rice or sushi rice, herbs, a crispy yukon gold from the prepped starches in my fridge, edamame or broccoli. The kettucr mix is done with a mix of slaw, whatever leaves i have on hand, mustard greens and radishes. Top the salad with a little tamari coconut aminos and a little tahini dressing, some everything bagel and furikake. I could eat this every night. In fact, it has been too long and i am going to eat this even though it is 20 degrees outside in new orleans.

[@AmyBG88]

My two salad dressing tips are thin your fav hummus and add some lemon (if you love lemon), salt and pepper for a dressing. Or thin some good guacamole for a dressing. Extra lime if you like it. Easy and delicious.

[@MerleONeal]

Thanks for the tips!

[@LarrietDarling]

imo, the trick to becoming a salad eater is making a salad of all of your favorite flavorful veggies and/or fruit, something for good texture (like crunchy and/or chewy), and your favorite kind of green. i really enjoy spinach and cabbage more than other greens. and they stay fresher a little longer than other greens types. i think it's easy to be a salad person at home, but harder to be one at restaurants. lol i really like dried cranberries. and chopping everything to be pretty small, so you get to enjoy all of the flavors together! and never forget the salt and pepper. a lot of people forget that.

[@jinit8083]

As a vegan I too dislike salads but a Greek salad is my weakness. Also I don’t order salads at restaurants unless it’s filled with some extra ingredients like tempeh or some vegan protein

[@theaudiobookaficionado]

I'm also not a salad person but the only salad i actually LOVE is the white bean kale salad with tahini dressing from the minimalist baker. im gonna need to try this recipe though!

[@AimyS91]

I totally feel that being in your 30s, not liking salad vibe. I used to hate veggies and then a friend of mine made a salad for a potluck that was amazing. Her recipe for the dressing was the game changer: mustard, olive oil, salt and lemon juice. That’s what made me start liking salad. My go to salad now is : lettuce, arugula, chickpeas, sweet red pepper, cucumber, sweet corn, shredded carrot, and olives. Top with feta (or a vegan substitute if vegan or lactose intolerant), olive oil and lemon juice. It’s the addition of the olives, salty feta and the sweet pepper and corn that makes it feel tasty to me. Add the above dressing in lieu of the oil and lemon. Oh and don’t forget some nuts for crunch!

[@wilsonamyc]

So I love salads as a meal, but I usually make them sort of a hybrid between a traditional salad and a hot meal. I try to include like half fresh ingredients, and half cooked ingredients, and then add on a tasty dressing plus something to provide a bit of contrast, so either something crunchy (nuts or croutons) or something tangy/briney (pickled things (onions, jalapenos, cucumber, cabbage), capers, or olives). Also I always like to include some kind of protein if it's going to be a full meal. Here are some of my go to salads: Buffalo ranch salad Romaine, cucumber, carrots, (celery if you like it) Roasted onions, cauliflower, and chickpeas that I toss in buffalo sauce for the last 5 minutes of cooking, sometimes I add vegan chicken strips as well if I'm really hungry Then I top it with chopped up pickled jalapenos (and sometimes regular dill pickles) and drizzle on vegan ranch and a bit more buffalo sauce Vegan Nicose salad Romaine, cucumber, tomatoes Roasted baby potatoes, green beans, and chickpeas, crispy tofu Topped with pickled red onions and olives (some vegan feta or Parm can be good as well) and a balsamic vinaigrette Taco salad Romaine, finely shredded cabbage (I sometimes season it in a bowl with a little vinegar and salt and let it sit for a few minutes before adding), avocado, tomato (sometimes carrots and cucumber) Sauteed onions and bell peppers, garlic, (sometimes fresh jalapenos) and frozen corn and black beans at the end and season with taco seasoning Then I top it with a dressing of my favorite salsa blended with vegan sour cream or plain yogurt and thinned or a bit with some lime juice and/or water. I also add pickled jalapenos, cilantro (if I have it) and crunched up tortilla chips. Vegan ranch (this is one I love) 1/4 cup 2 tbsp tahini 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tbsp tamarind paste (not concentrate, 1 tbsp for concentrate) 2 tbsp white miso paste 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast 2 tsp onion powder 2 tsp dried parsley 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp umami mushroom powder (trader Joe's, optional) 1 tsp dried dill 1 tsp fresh ground pepper 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional) 1/2 cup warm water Blend everything except water until a smooth paste Slowly drizzle in water until fully emulsified

[@AI-dreaming-Life]

I appreciate the insightful video. Looking forward to the next one!

[@sheysmith98]

I like to throw gardein chicken tenders and follow your heart feta on a plain salad (let, tomatoes, cucumber) with the organic fyh ranch. Good god it’s so good.

[@kostandinmikhailovich8478]

I love lots of color, so I’ll often add a variety of vegetables and dried or fresh fruits to a salad. I also occasionally like to add nuts or tortilla strips (they generally should be vegan from what I looked up) for a nice extra crunch. So I only eat salads so often, I love to add avocado when I do.

[@PeiPeisMom]

Snorted at the Rocky Horror reference

[@floorsteinvoort4225]

Amidiatly I'm not vegan but I love love love a good salad. My favourite is a mango and avocado salad, with rocket, crispy smoked tofu, tamato, cucumber, mayo, olive oil, pepper salt and a big dash of curry powder. Everything had to be chopped up small!! It's sooo goodd!

[@MerleONeal]

okay now i'm hungry

[@allisonmuir0930]

Hey Merle!! Absolutely love your videos and I'm not even vegan!! I do love salads though i could probably eat one every day. My favorite "meal" salad is roasted diced butternut squash tossed with s&p, olive oil, cumin, a little chili powder or cayenne, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar. Roast until tender and caramelized. Crumbled (vegan) bacon if you want. Toasted pine nuts, and now the warm apple cider shallot vinaigrette. Reduce a cup of apple cider and wisk in a whole shallot that was minced and cooked until just translucent or you can keep it raw if you want more of a punch, 3 tablespoons of champagne vinegar, a tablespoon of dijon mustard, salt and peppee, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and a teaspoon of fresh or dry dill and a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley. Whisk everything together until homogeneous and check for balance and seasoning and by that point the vinaigrette should be warm or room temperature which is what you want. Now get a big bowl of baby arugula, the butternut squash, bacon, pine nuts, and craisins and toss in the dressing a couple minutes before serving. Top with shaved parm cheese or whatever the vegan substitute would be. It's sooo delicious and you can add or switch whatever ingredients you want to customize it to your liking!! If you try it let me know i would love to hear back from you!😊😊

[@meganstubbi-ok6zl]

My favorite salad is the Texas Roadhouse ceaser and at home i make homemade tofuskin bacon bits to go with it. SSOOOO good

[@crimsonrose]

You should try Southeast Asian salads. You might be able to sub fish sauce for tamari though I know there is a Viet vegan fish sauce but I don't actually know what its made from. The soy might be a bit strong; you might be able to whip something up using msg because that's basically fish sauce. Goi du du/thai/viet green papaya salad is bomb. Gado gado - Indonesian crudite is also bomb. It often contains tempeh and eggs but you can omit the eggs easily. Also goi ga -- viet chicken cabbage salad -- I often make it plain without chicken (I'm not vegan but I go plant-based now and then) but Viet buddhist restaurants will mock meats to go with it. They are actually really good and soak up the sauce. Also goi ngo sen -- viet lotus salad is also good. Chinese tofu skin salad I also like a lot. After making all those for a while, I've sort of got the general rules down and I sort of freestyle it with what I got. All of those are super addicting and a zillion times better than most Western salads. The herbs + textural variety makes them super addictive. They also often employ a bunch of crunchy toppings like crunchy garlic or onion. Some recipes online will usually steer you toward cilantro or mint as the primary herb in them but you can (and should) try others like rau ram, lemon basil, banana flower, etc. This sounds really good btw, the herbs got me super intrigued!

[@BrookeYoder]

Alright I'm convinced. I'll try it

[@MerleONeal]

you will be glad you did!!!

[@sallyjohnston6836]

I love her salads! So good

[@MerleONeal]

This one was amazing

[@TheHonorsKid]

One of my favorite salads is a version of a NY Times recipe and it is Kale, Apples (I use honeycrisp), slivered slightly toasted almonds, manchego cheese, parmesan cheese (cheese is optional of course); and the dressing is kinda eyeballing olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, italian seasoning, and two garlic cloves or so (I'm a garlic girly so I always do at least 2 or more). This salad hits the spot and I normally do not like kale at all.

[@mariab.1884]

I like salad mostly but I had a hard time with kale until I watched a video by Simnett Nutrition that talks about massaging your kale to make it soft and juicy and it was a game changer. He also made a BANGIN dressing that is so easy: 1 part soy sauce, 1 part ACV, 1 part maple syrup, 2 parts tahini. I will eat massaged lacinato kale with this dressing and actually be so happy.

[@lindamoulton1560]

Those chives should absolutely regrow (if the root's attached)- I'd put them in a little dish with some water and when they start resprouting then transplant it!

[@Angiesmangie09]

i love your restaurant role playing ordering a salad lmao

[@MerleONeal]

im so glad it found it's audience lol

[@abbiecox1812]

I used to hate salad until I realised it was all about different textures. My favourite salad is a sort of vegan Caesar salad. I make some version of this salad every single week - I don't use measurements or timings, I just sort of wing it haha, but it's good! Vegan ceasar: Kale Romaine or baby gem or any light green lettuce Capers Cucumber Spring onion chickpeas Vegan bacon (optional) Croutons - bought or homemade Vegan mayo Dijon mustard Nutritional yeast Lemon Roast your chickpeas in nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and mixed herbs until crispy Mix your bread in the same herbs/seasonings if making your own croutons and put them in the oven too Fry or bake your vegan bacon Wash and massage kale Chop your cucumbers, capers and spring onion finely Chop your light green lettuce Mix it all in a big bowl Add in your mayo, dijon, nooch, lemon juice, lots of salt and mix - keep adding the ingredients bit by bit until it tastes good and saucy enough I like to mix half my croutons, half the bacon and half the chickpeas into the salad and top the salad with the rest so it stays crispy If anyone tries this then enjoy, it's phenomenal!

[@mathildal3291]

Warm salads! Super easy: instant couscous or quinoa or any other instant grain, hot vegetable broth or water, your preferred seasoning (like really go for it! Ras el hanout, italian spice mix, five spices etc. use what you love!), chop up some greens, cucumber, capsicum, radishes, tomatoes, whatever you've got, like and you think fit your seasoning, maybe throw in some raisins or chopped up dried fruit if you season with ras el hanout. You've got leftover tofu? Great! Chop it up and in with it. Fresh herbs are great in it too. And toasted seeds and nuts. Assemble: prepare the grains (usually just pour hot liquid over it, let sit for like 5 minutes, done), throw all the cold ingredients in a bigger bowl, add the some oil and mix, add the hot grains and mix and then eat or garnish with toasted seeds, nuts and fresh herbs. Or not. You do you. Even faster: already seasoned instant grains, pre cut salad mix. Done in literally 5 minutes.

[@Unwillkurlich]

Favorite salad is with Belgian endive with walnut and wholegrain mustard honey dressing. So refreshing and satisfying

[@RachelKay528]

I currently am on a low fiber diet due to health issues and I can't have salad (or raw veggies) and I hate it 😭 I LOVE salad and miss it so much 😔 I'm excited to try this whenever I can eat normally again! Looks delicious. I may want to add some carrots and grape tomatoes too. Maybe croutons. Maybe pumpkin seeds would add a nice texture too. Edamame maybe? Ugh idk I just want all the veggies lol

[@Sincyn241]

Been there! It was a hell of an adjustment from a high fiber normal diet. I was so sick of white bread, white potatoes, bananas, and white rice. It was also just so damn bland and soft. I missed veggies and beans! It took me 18 months, but I’m mostly back to my own diet. So I hope that it can happen for you, too. On a sidenote, on the rare chance that it might actually be a thing, it took an upper scope, lower scope, MRI, ultrasound, full allergy panel, and an elimination diet, to discover that I had lost the ability to digest garlic after a severe case of food poisoning and 18 months of dietary instability, shall we say? Apparently, onion and garlic intolerance is the second most common dietary intolerance after dairy, and because it’s in almost everything, it’s so hard to track as a cause. So it may be a thing for you, or it might not. But if I can save a little bit of that frustrating, expensive journey for someone else, it was worth saying. Good luck!

[@RachelKay528]

@@Sincyn241 18 MONTHS?! Oh wow. That's awful! I can't even imagine. I've just been going back and forth between clear liquids and low fiber since right before Christmas and I'm already SO sick of exactly the foods you mentioned lol I'm also losing too much weight. It's so hard. I definitely feel you. Thank you for the tip though! I actually know what my issue is (kind of). I have complicated/smoldering diverticulitis. I haven't been able to figure out my trigger food(s) though, so I'll definitely keep that in mind! But man, I hope it's not that because I'm obsessed with garlic/onion lol

[@Sincyn241]

@@RachelKay528 I miss garlic bread SO MUCH! With my issue, I gained about 30 pounds. I already had IBS, so I was on a very high fiber diet with lots of vegetables, fiber supplements, beans, pulses, and whole grains, to control that, but it was triggering my entire system, so we basically had to go back to the enhanced BRAT diet. I discovered a love of protein, though? Mostly tofu, eggs, seeds, and nondairy milk and cream. I got really sick of bananas, because they can be used to control diarrhea. I’m not sure about the specifics of diverticulitis, but especially after it was so bad that I developed a spasmatic gag reflex, I discovered I could at least make sure I was getting some decent nutrition, by supplementing my tea with a similarly flavored Jell-O, as a protein, or adding oat milk powder to things like buttermilk pancakes or omelets. Oat milk mocha smoothies with peanut butter powder. It’s not all low fiber, but I had to find ways to make sure I was getting something. if you haven’t yet, make sure that you get a consultation with a nutritionist or a dietitian, probably through whatever health system that you have that you’re working with. Very often it’s available and would be covered, but not mentioned. And also check your local library to see if there are cookbooks available that address your specific concerns. Just a shout out from a librarian.

[@RachelKay528]

@@Sincyn241 oh wow...sounds like you've been on quite the health journey too! I don't have IBS (at least I don't think I do lol) but I know a few people that have it. It does not sound fun 😔 It sounds like you've been able to figure out ways to make your nutrition/food choices work better for you though, so that's awesome! The hospital did send in a dietician to speak with me while I was there, because I told them I was having trouble balancing getting enough calories and not going over the fiber limit, but it was a short consultation so I definitely want to set up a full appointment with a nutritionist at some point soon to get a handle on low fiber options and then high fiber for when I'm back to my normal diet. She did mention nutrition drinks like Ensure or Compleat so I got some of those to try and add calories without adding too much fiber 🤷‍♀️ I'll definitely look into the local library also! Thank you so much for all the tips 🥰

[@HIgodzilla.1]

Olive oil Balsamic vinegar Garlic Mustard Italian seasoning Salt and pepper Mix it with an immersion blender Eat on salads and/or sandwiches

[@dawncurry5757]

I genuinely love salad so much. I think it’s very strange that I like it so much. I get jealous every time I see someone eating one. I start to wonder if I’m missing some sort of nutrients because I crave salad all the time. Weird. Anyway, like others have said, I think the key is adding rice or pasta. It bulks it up and absorbs the dressing. And then seeds of any kind, nuts of any kind and raisins or dates or something along those lines. Or beans. And tortilla strips! And while I don’t think there is anything better than ranch on a salad, I recently discovered just plain olive oil and rice vinegar as dressing. It’s so good!! I don’t know how I missed that my whole life. So simple. And for me it has to be romaine. And salt the greens. Happy salad-ing.

[@mmbuzz1]

Sweetgreen (a fast casual salad chain in my area) by far has inspired me the most

[@miss_xandra_mars]

Not a salad girl myself. Honestly, i hate lettuce. But i found a combo from a hello fresh box, and I've been in love with it since. I change up the dressing or vinaigrette, and I'm not vegan (but i know Merle is a magician in the vegan kitchen). Mine is a mix of spinach and arugula, cubed roasted seasoned sweet potato, dried cranberries, feta or mozzarella, toasted pumpkin seeds, and cubed chicken. Sometimes i add croutons or garlic chips. I love my salad recipe. Again, I'm aware Merle is vegan. I've substituted the chicken with marinated tofu twice. This is just the combo that works for me and fills me up when i have it.

[@willcookmakeup]

Omg Merle, when summer comes back around you need to try to peanut crunch salad kit from TJs. I'm biased as I am a crew member, but I HATE salad. And that one is absolutely delicious. I'm also positive it's vegan too. I add avocado chuncks to mine and its my favorite. But if you didn't want to wait, it's a really easy peanut sesame rice vinegar based dressing with chopped peanuts on top. So so good 😊

[@MerleONeal]

Oh this sounds amazing

[@willcookmakeup]

@@MerleONeal its so up your alley. Absolutely delicious, and again, I truly HATE salads

[@Soulstreamcollective]

Seared halved baby bok choy on cast iron, get some nice blackened bits, chop up. Do the same with some seasoned tofu. Some sliced napa cabbage (or regular green), grated carrots, green onions, sesame seeds. Dressing: miso, rice vinegar, sesame oil, tad bit of liquid aminos/soy sauce. Mixy mixy. H E A V E N.

[@michaela879]

Okaay, as a fellow salad hater, you convinced me to try this one. And THIS one is my champion. It tastes like the best part of spring rolls : smaller head of red cabbage, very finely sliced (it's best to use a mandolin) cup (or more) of cashews, chopped spring onion, chopped raisins (can be omitted, but I definitely recommend adding them if you like sweet and savoury together) the dressing: cup of peanut butter 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar 1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce a bit of sesame oil chilli flakes, dried garlic and pepper for seasoning you can add some cilantro if you like that shit Combine and let it chill for a while for the best taste. Since I always eyeball it, the recipe is not super precise and might need a lil bit of tweaking, but it should still be bomb. Sometimes I add more vegetables, like shredded carrots or cucumber, even arugula is nice in this.

[@MerleONeal]

You neeed to try it! and I'm absolutely trying the one you listed here!

[@VinceKully]

You should check out (and review) the Nutritional Yeast Vinaigrette that Carla Music raves about!

[@kerishanarainpersath7484]

Hi Merle . That thing about the garlic , I know in Hinduism there's a specific food group which is called Satvik foods and onions and garlic isn't allowed , because it creates heat in the body.

[@PinkRose0910]

I’m interested to try the dressing. Just eating lettuce alone is not a meal though. I would either serve that as a side salad or add some extra ingredients to boost the carbs & protein to turn it into a meal. Iceberg lettuce is mainly water. It’s one of the lowest calorie & nutrition dense foods there is. The salad dressing has more nutrients and calories than that lettuce.

[@DavidWeaver_]

My favorite salad I have no real measurements, but I'm crazy about it. Lettuce of your choice (I use romaine lettuce) feta---> sub your favorite vegan feta red onion diced (add as much as you want) 2 to 4 strawberries cut into thin slices A hand full of candied pecans crushed (sometimes I sub for almonds when I want to feel healthier) 2-3 tbsp of Girard's - Champagne 60 Calorie Vinaigrette Dressing (I believe it is vegan)

[@sunny5ma]

Lmao I love you so much Merle 😂😂. This honestly made me feel so much better about myself. I always watch your videos and Ur using mushrooms and I feel like a bad vegetarian cause I don't like them but you being vegan not liking salads hits home haha. Tho to be fair I am VERY basic when it comes to my salads, they're mostly just lettuce and tomatoes and basic vinegar, oil n salt, I don't do any of that weird fancy stuff haha. I do love a good Greek salad tho, that's my main thing I order when eating our and there's lack of vegetarian options. I loved the energy in this video ahaha you're too funny, thanks for always bringing attention to these recipes I never would have heard of otherwise and ALSO thank you for scheduling these while you're away on your trip in Europe...so appreciative of the consistency while you're away as I always so look forward to your weekly videos!!!!❤ hope you're having fun in Europe and can't wait for the next one!! ❤❤❤💖

[@TO5TADA]

Souplantation had these two DIVINE salads that I would always get no matter how I was feeling that day. One was like this broccoli cashew raisin salad: phenomenal. The other one was like this teriyaki chicken tangerine salad AND IT WAS EVERYTHING! Sadly they went out of business during COVID.

[@MerleONeal]

i heard whispers of this soup plantation. sounds like it would have been my own personal nirvana but sadly i never got to try it

[@bodyofhope]

​@MerleONeal no wonder soup plantation's salads were so good. That salty sweet crunchy spicy combo is the best for a good salad!

[@breejeanne]

Thai peanut Noodle salad is my favorite!!

[@emmaamrhein9167]

merle you’re so pretty and funny😧 happy new year!

[@MerleONeal]

You too!! Happy new year!

[@bellenesatan]

Try Persian Shirazi salad! Eitherway, I like ribbons of hard vegetables (carrot or zucchini vegetable peeler ribbons), chunks of actual vegetables I enjoy (olives, corn, bell peppers, cucumber, red onions) etc. I can't stand lettuce or raw leafy greens, I want actual chunks of food on my plate. Beans are awesome too, especially chickpeas! Steamed grains are even more delicious, I like wheat kernels or fine bulgur in mine

[@nkalaska14]

You should try a 30 day salad challenge, where you try a different salad for lunch/dinner everyday for 30 days!🥗the possibilities are endless… one of my favourites is vegan southwest salad with bbq chickpeas, black beans, avocado and corn.

[@steviemack6969]

YAY! It's going to be a great day because you posted. I'll make this for lunch today and grab ingredients after my gym run.

[@sarahpowers2212]

Yummy! I want to make it today!!!!

[@MerleONeal]

Omg do it!! LMK what you think!

[@samoskowitz19]

its so funny to see peoples different taste buds, like I would gladly eat a salad everyday for the rest of my life

[@MerleONeal]

im jealoussss

[@storycox2412]

Okay here's what I do- Lettuce (preferably romaine & iceberg), avocado, cucumber, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, black olives, pickles(yes), and red onion. I kind of just add what I have, sometimes more than that something I leave stuff out🤷‍♀️. Most importantly, lettuce & avocado! Then for dressing - Soy sauce, lemon juice, agave or maple syrup, nutritional yeast, coriander, garlic powder, and a little water. This salad has truly changed my life

[@cierraslowsdown]

I love Pinch of Yum’s broccoli salad (you could use that vegan bacon you liked! And skip the feta), and check out Department of Salad Substack-BANGERS! And Dinner: A Love Story may also have it too. Or Allison Roman

[@IsaFrediano]

I found it quite funny that the recipe called for a whole ass cup of chives and dill and then a single green onion 😂

[@maya-gur695]

I came for the food, I stayed for the "Love Is All Around" and Iron Claw references. Love this song, bawled my eyes out at the movie theater when watching the movie.

[@MerleONeal]

It was SO SAD my lord. I was weeping walking out of the theater

[@maya-gur695]

@MerleONeal Me too! I was not expecting this! wigs were making it look like a campy movie!

[@palomaserrano5288]

love the dressing Merle, is such a nice recipe, how long do you think it can keep in the fridge in a nice glass container? thanks

[@MerleONeal]

I’m not totally sure but I would feel good about like 4 days covered? I bet you’d eat it all up by then tho! Hehehe

[@rubybobkowski4464]

okay now i wanna try the dressinggggggggg

[@MerleONeal]

Maybe I’ll make it in Colorado!

[@rubybobkowski4464]

@@MerleONeal delishhhhhhh

[@dandles2010]

I 100 percent want to try this.

[@beruska3271]

really great video merle ! i love the name ' mothers earth ranch' for some reason and dw merle, I'm not a huge salad fan either lol

[@MerleONeal]

You get itttt

[@Gabzilla09]

2024 will birth salad girl Merle 💅

[@radhikam6878]

I’m a vegetarian who tries to explore vegan recipes quite often. I find the perfect recipes to keep me trying more vegan dishes

[@clare8871]

I make salads all the time but they don't look like this - it's just a combination of nice things with a dressing. You should try panzanella. One of my favourite salads.

[@clare8871]

Also, why don't you put this inside a pitta or a baguette or put some potatoes in there. Lettuce does not make a meal!

[@justinguitarcia]

I love salad Dressings. Its all about a rich, salty, tangy delicious dressing. Just add some crunchy produce to accompany and u good. Check out the Carla Music nutritional yeast dressing, its not her recipe but she has a video on it, its very very good

[@user-he6cb4js9f]

😮😮😮😮😮😮 did she admit she likes a salad. Let's give her round of applause. She like it

[@strawberrysoymilkshake]

Ngl I expected this to be avocado dressing on lettuce and I was fully prepared to be angry, but this looks and sounds delicious. I might actually have to make this.

[@MerleONeal]

Try it!!!!

[@summerbisson]

Salad IS MY FAVORITE it's just a bowl or all your favorite things. A good salad is impossible to order as a vegan tho

[@cdronk]

It's hard to find a vegan salad in most restaurants... which kind of blows my mind.

[@katarinakrizova2969]

I'll try it!

[@burntherulebook4374]

You can find dupe recipes for Laughing Planet’s Highway to Kale Salad. Just skip the cheese to make it vegan but you don’t need it because I would bathe in that salad dressing. It changed how I feel about raw kale.

[@parcelsarchive]

The only salad i like is the peanut slaw salad by yeung man cooking. I add baked or crispy tofu to it instead of jackfruit bc i don’t like jackfruit.

[@aneetah.b.robert5042]

Merle, PLEASE try a Nigerian salad! If there's vegan baked beans, it's pretty easy to make it vegan. it is delicious, hearty and barely feels like you're eating a salad.

[@MerleONeal]

Sounds great!

[@lasrecetardasdevegannah7258]

I cannot believe it! Finally you fell in love with a salad!

[@MerleONeal]

I know!! ME NEITHER

[@musiclover1429]

Yeahhh I'm so happy for you

[@johnnyroses3474]

Merle, you know wha' girl?... I got a bit of an issue at the beginning, but now I love this new kitchen even more than the previous one!... so cosy, normal, 90'(?). Anyways greetings from Poland!

[@MerleONeal]

I'm so glad! the twinkle lights make it cozy

[@johnnyroses3474]

@@MerleONeal damn Merle, such quick answer. Low key feel appreciated #handonachest. Literally got'a'check what's time in LA. Daaamn girl, lunch time... Bon apetit🥘! Gotta try that salad. ANYWAYS, Ur GOAT'ed, total LeBron✨of vegan chilled content! Best regs here...genuinly✌🏼

[@bodyofhope]

*DINNER SALAD* I used to HATE salads but now I crave them... NO BORING SALADS!✊️ -power greens -fruit (like dried apricots, dried cranberries, or fresh berries) -protein (make sure it's well seasoned) -nuts/seeds Dressing: -Tahini (big tablespoon) -oil, -lemon -agave -salt -cayenne or red pepper flakes You can drizzle that on your arm and it would be delicious... but we're vegan so don't lol. You can add more veggies if you have them. You can use more savory fruits like tomatoes and bell peppers. You can swap out the greens. You can use peanut butter instead of tahini. You can use ACV instead of lemon. You can use croutons instead of nuts for crunch but I'm GF, so.... You can make it Asian inspired, Tex Mex, or even add BBQ sauce in the dressing and grill up some tofu. This is a formula for salty, sweet, spicy, savory, gluten free salad that always hits the spot bc it's different in every bite. You can also wilt your greens slightly in the microwave before assembling if you get tired of chewing. And don't skimp on the nut butter & oil bc it makes the veggies more bioavailable. Enjoy! ❤

[@Ewonder78]

I watched this while eating cake 😭

[@azuldeprusiarock]

Finally salad person!

[@eriknemec2493]

When i have leftover salad i do white salad sauce with mashed potatoes

[@MerleONeal]

I was thinking for this one I could blend the lettuce up right into the dressing!

[@eriknemec2493]

@@MerleONeal in my family we have recipe: you chop your lettuce and put a lot of salt into it and u try to massage it in, you leave it for few minutes and drain it from water, meanwhile u put chopped onion with oil into pan, when it is soft u add flour 3-5tablespoons, than u stir it for few min 3-6min on medium, add water and neutral vegan milk, it needs to be thick than u add the drained lettuce and dried or fresh dill and 2/3 tablespoons of sugar and salt to taste, great addition is mashed potatoes and fried egg- u can try with vegan egg on top of the sauce. if u have any questions, let me know

[@spiderbouquet3670]

Try the Actually Good Quinoa Salad by Rainbow Plant Life! It’s SOOOO good!