Category Archives: Salads

Mushroom and Feta Salad

September 24, 2010 admin 1 Comment

This has sooooo much flavor in it that you just want to keep eating and eating ! It was just a perfect mix of ingredients and makes a great lunch serving.

2 servings
270 calories per serving

6 T Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette dressing, divided
2 large Portobello mushroom caps
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
5 c mixed salad greens
½ c chopped roasted red peppers
½ c low fat crumbled feta cheese
2 T toasted pine nuts

Brush mushrooms and squash with oil and 2 T of the dressing, Grill or broil 3-4 minutes each side and then cut mushrooms into slices. Add mushrooms and squash to lettuce and peppers. Add the rest of the dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and nuts and serve immediately.

To toast nuts, heat a dry skillet and sauté nuts 5 minutes or so. You will know they are done because you will star to smell the nutty aroma 🙂

Dinner, MUFAs, Pork, Salads, Summer

Grilled Pork Salad

September 22, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This tasted equally as good all nestled inside a wrap for easy portability…what a great brown bag lunch !

4 servings
400 calories per serving

¼ c oil
2 T lime juice
1 T Dijon mustard
½ t salt
1 lb. pork tenderloin
Raspberry Vinaigrette
3 bunches watercress torn into pieces
1 small peach, cut into ½ inch pieces
½ c raspberries

Mix oil, lime, mustard, and salt in a zip loc bag and add pork. Mix up and refrigerate in the sealed bag at least 1 hour. Heat grill and cook pork 10 minutes each side or until done. Cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices and set ½ of it aside for another meal. Arrange meat on watercress pieces and drizzle with vinaigrette then garnish with fruit.

Vinaigrette
¼ c oil
2 T raspberry vinegar
1 t honey
½ t salt
½ t ground mustard

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Lunch, Salads, Vegetables

Chopped Salad

September 17, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The idea of a chopped salad is to get all the ingredients chopped uniformly and small – otherwise, it is just not a chopped salad ! And to me, prepping things in this fashion DOES make a difference in the flavor of the salad. There is something about getting a bunch of the ingredients in your mouth at the same time – it just makes for a flavor explosion !

6 servings
200 calories per serving

1/2 c white balsamic vinegar
3 stalks celery, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 large peach, diced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 c coarsely chopped arugula or spring mix or any other crisp greens
1 c thinly sliced napa cabbage
3 T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 oz. crumbed low fat goat cheese
½ c slivered almonds or pine nuts, toasted
1 large hard boiled egg, sliced
Smoked paprika

Mix together all the veggies with oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and then add in cheese and almonds. Top with eggs and sprinkle with paprika.

To toast the almonds, simply place in a hot skillet and sauté until toasty and starting to brown.

Dinner, Salads, Sides, Vegetables

Citrus Salad

September 15, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Great served hot – and equally as good served chilled. This side salad has a great taste and is very easy to prepare!

4 servings
280 calories per serving

2 c Minute brown rice, uncooked
6 oz. baby spinach leaves
11 oz. can mandarin oranges
½ c light Catalina dressing

Cook rice according to package instructions. Place in a bowl and add spinach and oranges then toss with dressing t coat.

Dinner, Italian, Salads, Sides, Vegetables

Artichoke Salad

September 12, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Simple yet fancy. Light yet filling. This is a great side salad. If you are making it as a main salad instead of a side, add some grilled leftover chicken.

8 servings
140 calories per serving

2 c grape tomatoes
11 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and cut into chunks
10 oz. spring mix salad
1 c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
½ c low fat balsamic vinaigrette

Mix salad ingredients and then combine with dressing.

Chicken, Lunch, Salads

Chicken Salad with Artichokes

August 30, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Lunch salads don’t have to be the same boring thing day in and day out. This one has marinated grilled chicken and artichokes giving it a great Italian flavor.

2 servings
390 calories per serving

½ c lite Italian dressing
½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 c torn arugula
2 c torn romaine leaves or other greens
14 oz. can quartered artichoke hearts
2 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
½ c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
4 fresh basil leaves cut into strips

Pour ¼ c dressing over chicken and refrigerate ½ hour. Heat grill and cook chicken 6-8 minutes each side or until done then cut into strips. Combine arugula and lettuce and top with artichokes, chicken, tomatoes, cheese, basil and the rest of the dressing.

Lunch, Mexican, Salads

Black Bean and Corn Salad

August 14, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Nutritious, full of fiber, satisfying, filling, extremely portable – this is a great lunch salad.

4 servings
350 calories per serving

1 c frozen corn
½ c French dressing
2 t chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
4 c chopped romaine lettuce
2 c grape tomatoes, halved
¼ c sliced green onions
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
½ c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 c coarsely chopped blue tortilla chips
¼ c chopped cilantro

Cook corn according to package directions then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Combine dressing with chipotle chilies. Combine corn, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, beans and cheese then add dressing and mix well. Garnish with chips and cilantro.

Dinner, Salads, Sides

Creamy Herb Salad Dressing

August 1, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This dressing has a nice rich flavor – almost like that of the old Axelrod onion dip that I can’t find in stores any more. It’s very oniony and has just the right amount of spices. This also makes a great dip for veggies.

Makes 1 ¼ cups
2 T = 19 calories – very low cal for a salad dressing !

½ c plain low fat yogurt
½ c nonfat sour cream
1 green onion, minced
2 T minced fresh parsley
1 t lemon pepper
½ t honey
¼ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Whip together yogurt and sour cream. Stir in the rest and refrigerate to chill well.

Lunch, MUFAs, Salads, Tex Mex, Vegetables

Southwest Spinach Salad

July 19, 2010 admin Leave a comment

What a symphony of flavors ! Your mouth doesn’t know what to be the happiest about – is it the pine nut accent? Or the spicy pepperjack cheese? Or the creamy avocados? Or the smoky chipotle dressing? This is one of THE BEST salads I’ve ever made.

4 servings
300 calories per serving

8 c fresh baby spinach
1/2 c corn with sweet peppers
1/3 c halved black pitted olives
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
2 oz. diced pepper jack cheese
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered
1 ripe avocado cut into 16 slices
3 T lime juice
2 T oil
1 t chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1/8 t salt
1 garlic clove, minced
2 T toasted pine nuts
A few extra squirts of lime juice if you like your salad nice and ‘wet’

Combine spinach, corn, olives, cilantro and cheese. Place 2 c worth on each plate. Arrange tomato, egg and avocado slices atop the spinach. Combine lime juice, oil, chopped chipotle, salt and garlic. Whisk well and pour over salads. Sprinkle with pine nuts.

Dinner, Salads, Sides

Roasted Garlic Potato Salad

July 5, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Just one more, just one more ! That’s what you’ll be saying after you have a few bites of this warm potato salad. The flavors were outstanding and it’s a nice dish next to fish or chicken.

8 servings
173 calories per serving

2 lb. small new potatoes, quartered (about 20)
2 T oil
1 bulb garlic
1 t oil
½ c sliced green onions
2 T white balsamic vinegar
¼ t salt
¼ t pepper
2 T oil
¼ c sliced olives
¼ c sun dried tomatoes, drained and cut into thin strips

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put potatoes in a baking dish and drizzle with 2 T oil and toss then roast 10 minutes and stir. Cut the top off the bulb of garlic (DO VIDEO) and remove any loose paper skin and then cut side up in a baking cup and drizzle with 1 t oil. Cover with foil and place in oven and continue roasting 10 minutes. Stir potatoes and add onions and continue baking another 15 minutes or until potatoes and garlic are tender. Let stand until garlic is cool enough to handle. Squeeze out garlic cloves and mash with vinegar, salt and pepper then whisk in 1 T oil. Mix in the olives and tomatoes with the potatoes and then add the dressing and toss to coat.