Looking for a quick, no-fuss meal that will help you lose weight? Choose a salad! We're not talking tired iceberg lettuce with a few pieces of tomato drenched in bacon-ranch dressing, though. Our Salad Diet fills your bowl with a variety of colorful veggies, moderate amounts of lean protein and zesty dressings that go easy on calories but wow you with taste.

Just how do our salads fit into a weight loss plan? Lots of ways!

1. Our salads are based on veggies with oomph --ones that contain lots of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber that help fill you up.

2. Our salads incorporate low-fat protein choices such as broiled or grilled chicken and seafood.

3. Our salads are a visual treat with a wide variety of colors, shapes and textures. Sitting down to a meal that looks gorgeous helps increase our satisfaction and enjoyment, meaning we can eat fewer calories without feeling deprived.

4. You don't have to skimp when you're eating our salads. You can have a large serving without worrying about calories. For example, 3 cups of veggies with 3 ounces of chicken contains only about 250 calories. The same amount of pasta has 500 calories!

5. Our plan lets you eat fast food -- without feeling guilty. A McDonald's Grilled Chicken California Cobb Salad has just 280 calories without dressing (340 calories if you use ? packet dressing) while a typical hamburger and small fries meal has 410 calories. Remember, those are smalll fries.

Pack a salad for lunch or toss together a favorite for dinner and pair it with a healthy side dish. You can mix and match our suggested salad ingredients to create your own unique salad. Or follow one of the seven delicious recipes below. Each comes with a menu plan that will show you how to make the salad part of a well-rounded, easy-to-prepare meal.

Start by choosing salad for a meal at least three times per week, and work up to including salad every day. Not only will your waistline shrink, but your cholesterol and blood pressure levels may also decrease thanks to all the colorful (and fiber-rich) veggies you'll be eating

Getting hungry? Pick a salad now:

• Create-Your-Own
  
• Balsamic Chicken Salad
  
• Green Bean Potato Salad
  
• Marinated Vegetable and Olive Salad
  
• Endive, Radicchio and Spinach Salad with Pear Dressing
  
• Broccoli Tofu Salad
  
• Chicken Caesar Salad