No shortage of good salad options around town

Salads are an important ingredient in a healthy eating lifestyle. And with Tucson based Chopped and Core, there is no shortage on tasty greens.

Chopped has one location at 4205 N. Campbell Ave and another at 2829 E. Speedway Blvd. At the restaurant, you can choose for preselected salads like my personal favorites the mediterranean (romaine lettuce, feta cheese, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, cucumber, roasted red peppers, with feta cheese vinaigrette dressing for $7.25) and the southwest chicken (romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, avocado, black olives, tortilla strips, tomatoes, black beans, with salsa ranch dressing for $8.95)

Or you can create your own delicious dish starting at $6.75 for your choice of lettuce (iceberg, romaine, spinach or spring mix), five toppings (with more than 40 possibilities ranging from anchovies to jicama to snowpeas), dressing (with over 20 choices ranging from classic chunky bleu cheese to ranch to reduced calorie roasted garlic vinaigrette) and a ciabatta roll.

For another two bucks, you can also choose a protein (with nine choices ranging from grilled chicken to shrimp to baked tofu ) to add another dimension to your greens.

At the Core cafe located in the University of Arizona student union, the process is similar but for $5.49, you can fill a bowl up to the brim with everything from alfalfa sprouts to red cabbage to wasabi peas. And for an additional $1.25-$2, you can add one of eight proteins. Then you select one type of greens (baby spinach, iceberg, mescalun greens or romaine) and finish it off with a dressing (with 24 choices ranging from creamy pepper and parmesan to poppy seed to serrano grape).

Sounds like good eating to me.

Be cautioned that these green staples are night for night owls. Chopped closes at 8 p.m. while Core closes Monday-Thursday at 8:30 p.m., Friday at 7 p.m. and weekends at 6 p.m.

If you’re not into all the options, some of the best salads with pre-determined ingredients can be found at the Paradise Bakery and Cafe, 7109 N. Oracle Road and 845 N. Park Ave. Try the chopped BBQ chicken with romaine lettuce tossed with ranch dressing, corn, jicama and black beans topped with diced BBQ chicken, diced tomatoes and pepper Jack cheese.

Both the traditional Caesar and Greek hit the spot too.

But in a hurry? Most fast food places serve salads but the awards for the best tasting go to McDonald’s premium southwest salad with grilled chicken and Wendy’s garden sensations chicken BLT salad. Both run about $5 and some change.

Remember a key thing about salads is that just because you’re eating one, doesn’t mean that you are eating healthy. Dressings and proteins can add enough calories and fat to make a salad almost equal to a hamburger or fries so choose toppings wisely.

Until next time, happy eating.