Category Archives: Salads

Creamy Caesar Salad

This recipe gives you a really nice creamy dressing since you use mayo instead of eggs and oil. If you like it with a lot of bite, add extra anchovy.

Creamy Caesar Salad
Creamy Caesar Salad

8 servings
88 calories per serving

½ c grated parmesan cheese
½ c fat free mayo
¼ c lemon juice
2 t anchovy paste
2 t Worcestershire sauce
½ t pepper
¼ t dry mustard
5 large cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. fresh bread cut into cubes
4 head romaine lettuce in bite size pieces

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine 1.2 c water with cheese, mayo, lemon juice, anchovy paste, Worcestershire, pepper, mustard and garlic. Whisk well and set aside. Place bread pieces on a baking sheet and bake 15 minutes to toast them. When done combine croutons and romaine and then dress and serve immediately.

Chickpea Salad

This is another one of those really versatile salads – you can add into this bits of pieces of all the little leftover bits of veggies in your frig without really changing the calorie count all that much. This is great next to a sandwich or sometimes I have it all on its own with a few Triscuits next to it and call it a meal !

Chickpea Salad
Chickpea Salad

4 servings
286 calories per serving

2 14 oz. cans chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
4 radishes diced small
1 green pepper diced small
½ c chopped parsley
1 T lemon juice
1 T vinegar
1 T oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
¼ t celery salt

Combine beans and all veggies and then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Kidney Bean Salad

Very refreshing – very summery…it’s the perfect side to any grilled meat.

Kidney Bean Salad
Kidney Bean Salad

8 servings
150 calories per serving

2 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (1 can red and one can white makes a nice salad)
10 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ½ small cans mandarin oranges, drained and rinsed well
1 medium green pepper, chopped
6 green onions, sliced
½ c light zesty Italian dressing
¼ c sliced almonds

Mix beans, tomatoes, oranges, peppers and onions. Add dressing and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with almonds before serving.

Greek Pasta Salad

You’d think this one would be bland with just the balsamic as the dressing – but that is definitely not the case. All the flavors from the peppers, cheese, olives, prosciutto and basil mix in with the vinegar to create a divinely simple and delicious to prepare lunch salad. And this filling salad is only 301 calories !

Greek Pasta Salad
Greek Pasta Salad

3 servings
301 calories per serving

9 oz. package of fresh tortellini
1 quart boiling water
1/3 c jarred roasted red peppers cut into 1 inch strips
1 oz pepper jack cheese cut into 1/4 inch cubes (about 1/4 cup)
8 grape tomatoes
8 pitted kalamata olives
6 canned artichoke hearts
2 thin slices prosciutto cut into strips
1 T chopped fresh basil
3 T balsamic vinegar

Cook pasta 7 minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool down. Drain. Combine pepper and the rest of the ingredients other than the tortellini. Mix well. Then add tortellini and toss gently.

Cucumber and Radish Salad

This is a crisp salad with the ultimate pairing of zesty dressing and feta cheese. The olives are just a bonus 🙂

Cucumber and Radish Salad
Cucumber and Radish Salad

7 servings
90 calories per serving

4 large cucumbers
8 radishes, thinly sliced
½ c low fat crumbled feta cheese with basil and tomato
1/3 c low fat zesty Italian dressing
1/3 c pitted kalamata olives

Peel the cucs (optional) and cut into thin slices. I like to use English cucumbers as they are basically seedless. Toss cucs with the radishes, cheese and olives and dress the salad.

Corn and Avocado Salad

Using just citrus means the dressing on this salad is nice and light. So even though you have higher cal avocados and corn, the salad is still a good side dish coming in at just 133 calories per serving. The avocado is what really makes this special – the creaminess blends so nicely with the corn and tomato !

Corn and Avocado Salad
Corn and Avocado Salad

4 servings
133 calories per serving

1 small 8.5 ounce can corn
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, diced
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 T fresh lime juice
1 T oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients. Serve alongside many different dishes to bring a little spark and flavor – This is great next to chicken, fish, sandwiches, etc.

BLT Salad

I’m not a big salad lover. That is always a tough part of ‘dieting’ for me. But once in a while I actually crave a big bowl of greens. Adding bacon and croutons makes this one a winner.

BLT Salad
BLT Salad

1 serving
280 calories per serving

3 c chopped romaine lettuce
6 slices turkey bacon
1 c halved grape tomatoes
1 slice 45 calorie bread
2 T dressing (70 calorie)

Toast bread and let it sit to harden (about 5 minutes) and then cut into cubes. Cook bacon according to instructions. When cool, crumble up. Put lettuce and tomatoes in a bowl. Top with bacon and croutons. Drizzle with dressing.

Green Beans and Tomatoes

This just has ‘summer’ written all over it. Use garden fresh or farmer’s market fresh veggies for the best flavors 🙂

Green Beans and Tomatoes
Green Beans and Tomatoes

8 servings
90 calories per serving

1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces
2 lb. beefsteak tomatoes, seeded and cut into ½ inch wedges
5 T balsamic vinegar
3 t minced garlic clove
½ t Kosher salt
½ t pepper
1 anchovy fillet, minced
3 T oil

Boil green beans 3 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Add tomatoes. Whisk vinegar, anchovy and oil and add to beans. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Turkey Cobb

Cobb salads are a perfect lunch. They are packed with protein and give you the energy to get through the afternoon without any ‘3 o’clock sleepies’.

Turkey Cobb
Turkey Cobb

8 servings
200 calories per serving

12 c mixed salad greens
6 oz. thin deli sliced roasted turkey breast, cut into strips
1 chopped avocado
1 ½ c grape tomatoes, halved
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 hard boiled eggs cut into wedges
1 c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. light balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Place greens on a platter and then lay other ingredients in strips across the top. Place dressing on top of individual portions.

Southwest Ranch Salad

This is simple to make and you can even pack it up to go as it travels well. All the southwest flavors mingle nicely and it’s a refreshing lunch salad. If you don’t like Ranch dressing, substitute any other low fat or no fat dressing.

Southwest Ranch Salad
Southwest Ranch Salad

4 servings
380 calories per serving

4 c mixed salad greens
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz. frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 large red pepper, chopped
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
½ c low fat ranch dressing
2 T cilantro, chopped

Arrange greens on plates and top with beans, corn, peppers, tomatoes and cheese. Top with dressing and cilantro.

Related Posts with Thumbnails