A seafood salad can be served as a salad, a side dish or the main course. Tuna, shrimp, crab or lobster can be the main protein ingredient, but it's what you put with the seafood that will determine whether the salad is healthy or just good and fattening. When you choose ingredients, think fresh and low-calorie and low-fat. When combined, you will have the perfect seafood salad.
Think of Serve
Some seafood salads are a combination of pasta and other ingredients that combine to make a full meal. Others may be the seafood and a few fresh veggies served on a bun. Some seafood salads are served in hollowed out tomatoes, peppers or other vegetables. How you plan to serve the pasta salad will help determine the type of ingredients you need to use.
Seafood Pasta Salad
Shrimp, crab and lobster meats need to be fully cooked before you use them in the salad. Depending on what is available at your local store, you can buy these pre-cooked and ready to use. Other healthy ingredients for a salad would be whole wheat shell pasta, fresh frozen peas, diced fresh tomatoes, diced green peppers, sliced black olives and diced onions. If you plan to go for creamy pasta salad, use a low-fat mayonnaise. Low-fat Italian dressing is also an option for seafood pasta salad. Or make your own by combining 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp. of fresh ground pepper and 1 tbsp. of mixed Italian herbs.
Sandwich or Stuffing Salad
Combine tuna or other seafood with fresh chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, diced green pepper, sliced green or black olives and chopped zucchini. Use low-fat salad dressing or mayonnaise and stir to incorporate all of the ingredients together. Serve on whole wheat bread or buns, or hollow out fresh tomatoes and stuff the salad inside. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Other Healthy Ingredients
There are a number of ways you can create different seafood salads every time you make it. Try adding chopped fresh spinach, fresh sliced mushrooms, roasted peppers, and sun dried tomatoes. The fresher the ingredients the healthier the salad will be. Almost any vegetable that can be eaten raw and some fruits, such as melons or grapes, can be added to seafood salad, so don't be afraid to experiment.
Tags: pasta salad, seafood salad, black olives, crab lobster, diced green, fresh tomatoes
