Warning - foodie here - hope you can use some of the tips:)
Your DH may need some carbs to feel full after eating a dinner salad.
This. My husband likes salad, but definitely prefers to include a starchy carb.
To the OP: your husband might also enjoy the salad more if it were stuffed in a wrap and eaten as a sandwich.
OP - salads are one of those things that are highly personal - tastes and preferences differ greatly.
Leftover meat over the usual or current en vogue greenery and whatever cheeses are hip or presently considered healthy - does.not.do.it. for me:)
I can't stand the taste of Quinoa for instance, yeah well:).
While I like cheese and nuts and fruit in my salads, I am not a fan of doing this each and every time or throwing everything and anything together and calling it a salad.
You can get away with that occasionally and sometimes even discover a new combo you like, but a good salad is a well thought out and prepared meal, just like any other dinner.
Here is an old favorite that works well when you want your salad to have more substance - the oomph of a full meal.
Recipe for two:
Tuna or chicken salad - the pineapple slices are an unexpected twist but for whatever reason, they really work well with the tuna or chicken.
Try it - you'll like it:)
Hardboil three to four eggs, no more than five minutes, immediately run cold water over them to stop the cooking process, let cool and slice into round slices to use like garnish on top - all around the side of the bowl later.
Rinse off and chop up a bit of fresh parsley and dill - just enough to later sprinkle on top of the egg slices.
Optional: lightly salt and pepper the egg slices and sprinkle with paprika powder right before you serve the salad.
Refrigerate a small can of full round pineapple slices - four slices - for the center of your salad bowl (surrounded by the egg slices).
Line your salad bowl all around with full-length lettuce leaves of your choice. Looks impressive if you use a glass bowl:)
In a separate bowl:
Combine two cans of tuna drained of juice or cubed cooked chicken, one teaspoon of mustard, half a cup of Hellman's Mayo (add more if you prefer), two-three stalks of fresh celery cut up superfine - so it is still crunchy but unrecognizable:), one small flat teaspoon of celery seeds, a quarter cup of chopped parsley and a few dill leaves if you have them, two small or one large pickle also cut fine, a tablespoon of pickle juice if you have it or your favorite vinegar, one red bell pepper cut into small pieces, salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with ciabatta rolls or french bread, lightly toasted if you like. Essentially a make your own dish.
OPTION 1 ... forget the glass bowl fanciness and serve as a wrap (herb or tomato works well) line your wrap with the lettuce leaves, fill with your salad, add a couple of egg slices and cut the pineapple into bite size pieces or buy them that way.
OPTION 2 ... fix his favorite pasta, add one tablespoon of olive oil and salt to taste, mix well - then top with the salad, eggs and pineapple - skip the lettuce.
OPTION 3 ... Use large Romaine lettuce leaves and fill each one with your salad - place only the eggs on some leaves and only pineapple on the other.
TIP - works great as lettuce cups - when you have a party - just slice in bite size pieces - voila, party food - sprinkle with red paprika or upend a slice of cucumber ...
I didn't grow up eating salads either, except for a big bowl of "green" salad shared by the family onto small plates. Green meant lettuce and green herbs from the garden, like dill, parsley, pimpernel and borage, cucumbers from the Saturday farmer's market.
Decades later, I've experienced awesome salads in various countries and have a whole new appreciation of how awesome a salad can taste.
Nevertheless, I like my salads either totally plain or as a full meal.
Plain like just fresh peppers from the garden with a sprinkle of salt or a dish of strawberries for dessert with a sprinkle of vanilla sugar or any of the holy trinities:) like fresh sauerkraut alongside fresh or pickled beets and shredded carrots.
I like it raw and flavorful and totally organic - sort of like the current clean food craze.
I'm happy with plain cucumber salad in a vinegary dressing of any kind, or just salt or with ranch. I do like the taste of greenery and the freshness of it.
Since I have a herb/veggie garden (actually more like a potager with lots of flowers too:), I always have fresh basils, fresh mints, lemon verbena, dill, lemon balm, three kinds of lettuces, different kinds of peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley, cilantro, celery, nasturtiums, chives etc. to compliment whatever salad I make.
I wouldn't be happy to eat salad as a meal more than once a week, but a small plate alongside a dish that is complemented by whatever small salad would be perfect. Say you grilled or sauteed salmon or your favorite fish and made a cucumber salad with dill and ranch dressing which is a perfect compliment to the salmon, so much so that if you wanted to hide the appearance of a salad at dinner, you could just fix it as a topping to the salmon/fish - voila. Hidden salad.
Like someone already said, most guys like tacos, taco salads and things like the ultimate nachos - so so easy. If you do a little research you can turn them into a healthy meal and a salad in disguise:)
There are tons of variations on google - I like the ultimate nachos with lots of cilantro, green onions, salsa, cheese, colorful peppers, cherry tomatoes even some corn, refried beans and enough hamburger meat fried with onion and taco seasoning.
The next time you turn it all into steak fajita with lots of peppers and onion ...
I think you might want to ask him specifically what it is that he doesn't like about the salads you've fixed in the past, be specific and it will help you to know how to bring the salad goodness that you like to the table without it looking like the kind of salad that he isn't crazy about.
Have you ever made a Pina Colada salad with fruit and coconut? Awesome stuff:)
Mediterranean salad
Italian pasta salads - not the American versions that drown everything in mayonnaise.
Moroccan salad
Swiss salad
or just a simple summer salad made of golden beets instead of the red beets? pair with watermelon chunks, goat cheese-plenty of crumbles please:) and arugula - refreshing, different and good for you. Just serve it next to chicken breast and yellow or nutty rice.
My grandma made a killer hot not cold potato salad in a vinaigrette/broth - with sausage slices, green onions and sometimes boiled eggs on days when she made it with only a couple hotdogs. On hot days it is perfect since there is no mayo.
There is a traditional French seafood salad that is served warm and tastes out of this world.
If you want to keep it simple just grill or saute some shrimp and add to a mixed greens salad with fresh mango and fiery chili - quick and easy.
Good luck with all your new salad creations:)!