Salads have gotten a bad rap. Through the years of fad dieting- the grapefruit diet, the cabbage soup diet, no carb, no fat, and the list goes on-traditional salads hav fallen by the wayside. No need to write them off, salads can be just as exciting and filling as any other course.

We all know the feeling: full of optimism, you open the refrigerator door, planning to eat a healthy lunch. This lunch will be chock full of vitamins and at least 2 (or maybe 3) servings of the 5 fruits and vegetables the Food Guide Pyramid instructs you to eat per day.

You scan the fridge once, twice, and come up with lettuce...tomatoes...maybe a cucumber. Splash on some salad dressing and you've got one boring salad that won't keep you full for more than an hour.

What can you put in a salad? The short answer is, pretty much anything! Read on for some interesting recipe suggestions that will change your impression of the dieter's standby, the salad.

Grilled Potato and Pepper Salad

(Adapted from the Food Network Magazine, Aug/Sept 2009)

Time: 25 min | Serves: 4-6

In the spirit of summertime, let's start with a salad you can make on your grill. Don't let the carnivores have all the fun, throw down some potatoes and peppers and watch them come back for seconds.

• 2 lbs. fingerling potatoes
• 6 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 bell peppers (red and/or yellow), stemmed and quartered
• 2 bunches of scallions, trimmed
• 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2-3 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• Kosher Salt

Before grilling, you will need to start the veggies cooking in the kitchen. Place the potatoes, garlic and bay leaf in a saucepan with sufficient water to cover.

Season with salt to taste. Bring the water to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Drain the saucepan and take out the bay leaf. Next, you will want to put the potatoes, scallions, and peppers in a large bowl.

Cut any large potatoes in half so that they are uniform in size. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add more salt, and toss together.

Now, transfer your food to the grill, which should be set at medium heat. Vegetables cook quickly, so stay there and monitor their progress. You want the scallions and peppers to be charred and this will only take about 3 minutes for the scallions and 5-6 for the peppers. The potatoes will also cook for 5-6 minutes. Let cool for a minute when done cooking.

Then, you need to scrape the skin off of the peppers. Chop the peppers and scallions into large, bite-sized chunks.

Grab a serving bowl and put the grilled veggies and potatoes in it. Use up the rest of the olive oil and the vinegar by drizzling over the salad. Finish it off by sprinkling the parsley and a little bit more salt on top. Toss it all together and chow down on this hearty grilled salad.

(Adapted from Ina Garten's recipe for "Watermelon and Feta Salad")

The bitter taste of greens puts off many an aspiring herbivore. A salad doesn't always have to be a savory affair. Mix the greens with fruit and see what new combinations tantalize your tastebuds.

Grocery List:

• 6 cups of baby arugula
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1/8 of seedless watermelon
• 12 oz. crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup niçoise olives
• 4 oz. fresh oregano
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette, whisk the white wine vinegar with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Put aside in the fridge while you make the salad.

Rinse the baby arugula. If you own a salad spinner, spin it dry. If not, pat dry between paper towels. Place arugula in a large mixing bowl. Add minced onion. Cut fruit away from watermelon rind and chop into bite-sized cubes. Add to bowl. Add to that the feta cheese, niçoise olives and oregano. Toss all together and serve with vinaigrette.

For another fruit salad with a homemade dressing try the Low-fat Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing.

(Adapted from Bobby Flay's recipe of the same name featured on Food Network show, "Boy Meets Grill")

Grocery List:

• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 carrots
• 1 cup pea pods
• 1 small red onion
• 6 scallions
• Fresh cilantro, Thai basil, and/or mint leaves

To prepare, cut the pea pods and scallions thinly on an angle. Grate the carrots. Cook the brown rice according to the package directions. Cut the onion in half and mince one side. Chop whichever herb you chose to use.

Citrus-Thai Basil Vinaigrette

Grocery List:

• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves (or regular basil or mint leaves if you can't find the Thai basil)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 1 heaping Tbsp. honey
• 1/2 cup canola oil

The dressing is beyond easy. Take all the ingredients listed above and blend for 1 minute in a blender. Now, to create the final product: Take all ingredients (rice, veggies, vinaigrette) and stir together in a big bowl.

Allow the salad to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so the flavors can meld. Once that time has passed, garnish with your desired herbs and serve.

So as you can see, salads can be anything you want them to. Warm salads, sweet salads, grilled salads, and even seafood salads are just the tip of the iceberg. The next time you think a salad is just a bowl of lettuce and some dressing, why not try one of these tasty recipes and find out what a great salad is really made of!