Though I love traditional salads, I’m a big fan of salads that don’t include lettuce, especially in summer months when it’s warm. There’s something about a bowl of fresh, crisp veggies spiked with a bit of cheese that I find satisfying. And it doesn’t hurt that they provide fiber and fill you up with so few calories. Here’s one variation I make often.

Ingredients

　　1 cup 1/2-inch cubes English or seeded cucumber

　　1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

　　1/3 cup small red onion slivers

　　2 teaspoons light balsamic vinaigrette (no more than 2 g of fat per tablespoon; I used Newman’s Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

　　1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, plus more to taste, if desired

　　1/2 ounce (2 tablespoons) goat cheese crumbles

　　Sea salt and pepper, to taste

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　　Reprinted with permission from I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening! by Devin Alexander. Copyright © 2010 Devin Alexander. Published by Clarkson Potter Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Devin Alexander is the author of The Most Decadent Diet Ever, Fast Food Fix, and coauthor of The New York Times bestsellers The Biggest Loser Cookbook and The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. She was a chef on NBC's The Biggest Loser and the host of Healthy Decadence on Discover Health and FitTV.