Strawberry Almond Salad

I had this salad last week at a family party, and it's better than the strawberry-walnut salad I had at Mimi's Cafe a few weeks back.

1 bag baby spinach

1 bag Romaine lettuce

    (can use 1 bag of red leaf lettuce)

Mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Green Onions (1 bundle or 8 onions)

Sugared almonds (slivered)

Pecans (whole)

Strawberries (1 lb container sliced)

    (can use apples and dried cranberries)

Dressing:

1 c. oil

¾ c. sugar

½ c. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. garlic

½ tsp. salt

    (can add 1 tsp. dry mustard and ½ tsp. celery seed)

Whip in blender

Add dressing to salad just before serving.

Sugared nuts:

Put in non-oiled pan (Teflon)

1 c. sugar

1½ c. almonds

1 c. pecans

Medium to low heat.  Stir when slightly brown and take off heat quickly.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

I have a weakness for pasta salad.  This is one that my husband, mom, grandma and kids all loved.  Guess what, its super healthy too.


Serves 4
Dressing:
1/2 cup fat free sugar free vanilla yogurt
2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp grated lemon zest 
1/2 tsp poppy seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Salad:
6 Oz dry whole grain penne pasta
12 oz cooked skinless chicken breast, cubed
3 oz spinach cut in bite size pieces
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, halved & slivered
1/4 cup almonds, dry roasted
1 to 2 tbs milk, optional

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Set aside.
Prepare the pasta according to package directions, omitting the salt.  Drain.  Rinse under cool water until cool.  Drain well.

In a large bowl, stir together pasta, chicken, spinach, bell pepper, and onion.  Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing to coat.  Serve sprinkled with almonds and refrigerate up to 4 hours, sprinkling with almonds just before serving.  Add milk if salad is dry after refrigeration to add moisture.

Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 364, Total fat 7.5g, Saturated fat 1g, trans fat 0g.  Polyunsaturated fat 2g, monounsaturated fat 3g, cholesterol 73 mg, sodium 238 mg.  Carbs 40g, Fiber 6 g, sugars 6g, protein, 35 g.

Tips and Tricks:

I substituted regular (not sugar free) low fat yogurt because I try to keep chemical sweeteners out of my home.  I didn't have lemon zest, so I used lemon juice in place of the zest and vinegar.  There was no spinach in the store, so I bought arugula and wilted it slightly, it gave a delicious, nutty flavor to the salad.

Sweet Pork Salad

I had a sweet pork salad at Costa Vida last week and was determined to find a way to make this delicious dish at home.

Prep: 30 minutes (plus 6-8 hours to slow cook the sweet pork)
Yield: 6 Salads

* 1 head of Romano lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces.
* 1 can Black or Pinto beans
* 3 Cups of Sweet Pork (recipe below)
* Cilantro Ranch Dressing (see recipe below)
* 6 flour Tortillas
* Pico de gallo (see recipe below)
* Tortilla strip crunchies
* Cilantro Lime Rice (recipe below)



Place a warm tortilla in a bowl or on a plate. Place approximately 1/3 cup of warmed sweet pork and 1/3 cup of warmed Bush’s beans on the tortilla. Place a portion of rice on top of the beans. Place lettuce over the meat and beans. Sprinkle ¼ cup of pico de gallo over the salad as desired. Drizzle with cilantro ranch dressing and top with a healthy amount of tortilla strip crunchies. Serve and enjoy.


Mexican Sweet Pork


* 4 lb pork shoulder roast (the more fatty the roast, the better)
* 1 Cup of Pace Picante sauce. (Medium heat is best, but the mild version will work)
* 2 Cups brown sugar
* Salt and pepper to taste


1. Remove pork roast from packaging, and wash. (Avoid cutting the roast to expedite cooking time)
2. In a separate bowl, mix picante sauce and brown sugar and whisk until sugar is mostly dissolved.
3. In a crock pot or slow cooker, place the roast in the cooker and cover the roast with the mixture of picante sauce and sugar.
4. Place on medium heat, cover and simmer. Check it every hour or so to rotate roast in the juices. The roast will eventually produce enough juices to make the right consistency, so do not add water.
5. Once the roast is fully cooked, it will begin to fall apart. Use a fork to separate the meat into smaller segments. Cover and continue cooking.
6. After 8 hours, continue to shred the meat until no chunks remain.
7. If it appears to be too juicy, turn slow cooker down to its lowest setting, remove the cover and let it reduce as needed.


Cilantro Ranch Dressing

* 1 package of Hidden Valley ® buttermilk ranch dressing, prepared to pkg directions
* 3 Tbsp of prepared salsa verde
* cilantro (1/4 bunch)
* 2 cloves of garlic
* ¼ cup lime juice
* 1/8 tsp Tabasco

Clean and rinse cilantro and remove large stems. Pour prepared ranch dressing in a blender, and add cilantro leaves, salsa verde, garlic, lime juice and Tobasco. Blend until cilantro is finely chopped. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until dressing has thickened.

Pico de Gallo

* 1 cup diced tomatoes (remove seeds)
* 1/3 cup diced red onion
* 1 Jalapeno diced (at least a Tablespoon, but more if you prefer)
* 1 Tbsp minced garlic
* 2 limes juiced (about 1/3 Cup of lime juice)
* 1 Tbsp cilantro, plus extra for garnish
* Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and stir well. Chill.

Cilantro Lime Rice:

* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 cup basmati rice
* 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
* 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
* zest from one lime
* 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
* 1 tsp. salt

Add the oil to a sauce pan and heat on low. Add the garlic and rice to the oil and saute for 2 minutes on medium heat stirring frequently.

Add the chicken broth, salt, lime juice and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes or according to rice package directions.

When the rice is done, add lime zest and chopped cilantro and stir to mix in. Serve immediately.

Greek-Style Quinoa Salad

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes + chilling
Yield: 10 servings

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1/2 cup sliced pepperoncinis
1/2 cup Greek olives, pitted and halved
3/4 cup reduced-fat Greek or Italian salad dressing, divided

In a small saucepan, bring quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork. Let stand for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, spinach, cheese, tomatoes, beans, cucumber, pepperoncinis and olives. Pour 1/2 cup dressing over quinoa mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Just before serving, drizzle remaining dressing over salad; toss to coat.

Tips and Tricks
I took a lot of liberties with this recipe because I realized at the last minute I was missing some ingredients. I omitted the spinach and pepperoncini, and used garbanzo beans in place of black beans. Try this recipe for Italian dressing.
Make It Healthier
Reduce amount of cheese. Use trans-fat free salad dressing.
How Kids Can Help
Rinse quinoa. Measure ingredients. Mix to coat.
Recipe Source
adapted from Healthy Cooking magazine

Nutrition Facts
One serving (3/4 cup) equals
calories:
184
Fat:
8 g
Saturated Fat:
2 g
Cholesterol:
9 mg
Sodium:
472 mg
Carbohydrate:
19 g
Fiber:
4 g
Protein:
7 g

Diabetic Exchanges
1-1/2 fat, 1 starch, 1 lean meat.

Broccoli and Tortellini Salad

Made this for a family party yesterday and its soooo yummy!

Prep: 15 minutes
Yield: 12 Servings

6 slices bacon
20 oz. frozen cheese Tortellini, heated according to package directions
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp cider vinegar
3 heads fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup hulled sunflower seeds
1 red onion, finely chopped

Cook & drain bacon. Crumble and set aside. In small bowl combine mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar to make dressing. Set aside. Combine broccoli, pasta, bacon, raisins, sunflower seeds and onion. Pour dressing over salad and toss.

Bacon and Potato Salad with Green Celery Leaf and Cider Vinegar

Yield: 4 servings

20 new potatoes
8 slices of bacon
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
6 fl. oz. olive or sunflower oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
A handful of celery leaves, finely chopped
2 shallots, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the potatoes in boiling water until just tender but not too soft. Drain, cut each one in half and set aside. Meanwhile, cut the bacon slices in half and cook over a medium heat for about ten minutes, turning once or twice, until crisp. Put the sugar, mustard, oil, vinegar and water in a bowl and mix until well combined. Stir in the celery leaves and shallots. Taste and add salt if necessary, then season with black pepper. Put the potatoes in a big bowl, throw the bacon slices over the top, and pour over the dressing. Mix well. It doesn't mater if the bacon slices break up—that way it just tastes better.

Seven Layer Southwest Salad

Fresh vegetables, black beans and a zesty salad dressing are united in a layered salad with lost of zip.

Yield: 8 servings

1 1/2 c. sour cream

3/4 c. thick and chunky salsa

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 large green bell pepper, diced

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions with tops

1 pkg. (16 oz.) iceberg lettuce salad mix (10 c.)

1 c. (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

1 1/2 c. corn chips (optional)

In bowl, combine sour cream and salsa; mix well and set aside. Drain and rinse beans. Using Dice bell pepper and tomatoes; thinly slice green onions. Layer beans, bell pepper, lettuce, tomatoes and green onions in Large Bowl. Spoon sour cream mixture over top using spreading evenly. Grate cheese over top. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with corn chips, if desired, and serve.

Tips and Tricks: For a heartier main dish salad, 2 cups diced cooked chicken can be added between the bell pepper and lettuce layers, if desired. This salad can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing

Prep/Total Time: 5 minutes = 30 minutes chilling
Yield: 12 servings

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Tips and Tricks
I omitted the chives because I didn't have any. I also used light sour cream and reduced fat mayo and it still tastes very rich to me. Cut it with milk if it's too thick. This dressing also makes a great dip.
Make It Healthier
Use low-fat or light mayo and sour cream. Omit salt.
How Kids Can Help
Measure spices. Mix in bowl.

Spinach Salad

Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes

8 oz fresh spinach
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup craisins
2 tbs sliced toasted almonds

Dressing:
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
2 tbs orange juice
1 tsp orange zest

Wash & clean spinach & tear into bite sized pieces. Toss with 1/2 of the cheese crumbled cheese. Add onion & toss. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over salad & toss. Add craisins and remaining cheese and almonds. Serve immediately.

Cranberry Cesear Salad

Prep: 10 minutes

Romaine Hearts
Craisins
Ken's Steakhouse Creamy Cesear Salad Dressing
Fresh Grated Parmesean Cheese
Croutons
Grilled Chicken (optional for a main dish salad)

Tear lettuce & toss with salad dressing. Add craisins, chicken, grated cheese & croûtons & toss well.

How Kids Can Help:
Kids can add ingredients to salad & older kids can help toss.

Savory Chicken Salad

Prep: 15 minutes
Yield: 4-6 Servings

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup mango chutney (optional)
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup halved red grapes
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 tbs finely chopped red onion
Romaine leaves
Toasted Almond slices.

In blender combine mayo & chutney until smooth. In medium bowl combine remaining ingredients with mayonnaise mixture. Season if desired with salt & pepper. Serve on lettuce & garnish toasted almond slices.

Tips & Tricks:
Use rotisserie-cooked chicken or packaged cooked chicken meat. Or cook extra & reserve for salads later in the week next time your meal calls for cooked chicken for an easy light dinner.

Mom's Cranberry Salad

This recipe was submitted by Jen at Mythbuster Beauty. Check her out!

1 lb. fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
2-3 oranges or tangerines
2 apples
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1 cup crushed drained pineapple
2 small boxes Orange, Lime, Raspberry Jell-O
1 1/2 hot cups water for each box

Clean and chop all fruit into small chunks, no need to peel the apple. Dissolve Jell-O with hot water and combine extra sugar.

In a blender:

Pour 1/4 of jell-o, fruit, and nuts and lightly puree. I recommend doing this is four parts because otherwise it can be extremely messy. Pour blended mixture into a serving dish. Continue until all is combined and then place in fridge to set up.

This is a very fresh and delicious homemade cranberry sauce!

Turkey Waldorf Salad

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes

2 cups sliced celery
2 cups cooked small shell pasta
2 cups diced cooked turkey breast (12 ounces)
2 cups diced unpeeled Fuji apples
1/4 cup sliced scallions (green onions)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Yogurt Dressing
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
3 Tbsp. reduced calorie mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Combine ingredients for yogurt dressing. In a large bowl combine celery with pasta, turkey, apple, scallions and walnuts. Add Yogurt dressing; toss to coat thoroughly.

Tips and Tricks:
To toast walnuts: Place in a small dry skillet over low heat until golden, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Citrus Salad

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep: 15 minutes plus chilling

1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbs sugar
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
3 large oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 large pink grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 medium green onion, sliced (2 tablespoons)
1 Tbs snipped fresh mint
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce (about 6 ounces)



1 For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine oil, sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, and salt. Cover and shake well.
2 In a medium bowl place orange and grapefruit sections, onion, and mint. Pour dressing over and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
3 To serve, put romaine in a large salad bowl and top with fruit mixture; toss lightly. Serve immediately.

Catalina Salad Dressing

1 10 oz can tomato soup
6 oz water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbs mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Pour soup, water, vinegar, oil, and sauce into blender. Mix well. Add sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, and garlic powder. Blend on high speed for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.

Serve over green salad. Store leftovers in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Seasoned Croutons

Prep: 20 minutes

Bake: 10 minutes

Yield: 12 servings/3 cups

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Pinch salt
6 slices day-old bread, cubed

In an ungreased baking pan, combine the butter, oil and seasonings. Heat in a 300° oven until butter is melted. Remove from the oven; stir to combine.

Add bread cubes and toss to coat. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Cool. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Tips and Tricks

Make sure the bread is dry enough. I first tried this recipe with bread that was still quite moist, and it didn't turn out.

Make It Healthier

Use unsalted butter or trans-fat free spread. Use whole grain bread.

How Kids Can Help

Measure seasonings. Cube bread. Toss to coat.

Nutrition Facts

1/4 cup equals 61 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 99 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein

Chicken & Rice Salad

Prep: 30 minutes, plus chilling
Yield: 10 Servings

3 cups cooked long grain white rice
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast
2 cups crushed, drained pineapple

Combine & chill overnight, then add:

1 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 can drained mandarin oranges
1/3 cup chopped red pepper
3/4 cup green grapes, halved
1 cup roasted almonds

Dressing:
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp salt
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs vinegar

Combine dressing ingredients and shake well, then toss through salad.

Tips & Tricks:
Do not use minute rice. This salad can be molded, but will require additional chilling to set. You can substitute turkey breast for the chicken with good results.

Make it Healthier:
Reduce oil & use brown rice in place of white.

How Kids Can Help:
Kids can add ingredients to mixing bowl.

Suggested Sides:
Garnish with red grapes & cantaloupe.

Zippy Mexican Pasta Salad

Yield: 6-8 Servings
Prep: 20 minutes

8 oz Elbow Macaroni, uncooked
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chili sauce
2 Tbs vinegar
1-2 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp onion salt
4-5 drops hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 cups red kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives
1/4 cup sliced green onion

Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili sauce, vinegar, chili powder, onion salt, and hot pepper sauce. Add cooled pasta & remaining ingredients. Blend well. Cover & refrigerate until ready to serve.

Make it Healthier:
Use sodium reduced kidney beans, and onion powder instead of onion salt. Use whole grain pasta & add more veggies such as tomatoes & bell peppers for more nutrients. Use low fat sour cream instead of mayonnaise.

Jicama Romaine Salad

Prep/Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

4 cups torn romaine
4 cups julienned peeled jicama
2 medium tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
CHILI PEPPER DRESSING:
2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fat-free milk
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup chopped green chilies

In a large salad bowl, combine the romaine, jicama, tomatoes and cheese. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, milk, sour cream, garlic, oregano, cumin and hot sauce; stir in chilies. Pour over salad and toss to coat.

Tips and Tricks

If you don't like spicy food, omit some of the ingredients from the dressing to make it more suited to your tastes, or use a different dressing altogether. The salad and dressing can be made in advance, then tossed right before serving. See Spotlight On Produce for advice on choosing jicama.

Make It Healthier

At 67 calories per serving, this recipe is already very healthy. Use reduced-fat sour cream in the dressing. Fat-free sour cream will not give the dressing the right consistency.

How Kids Can Help

Tear lettuce. Peel jicama with vegetable peeler. Measure ingredients. Pour dressing over greens.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup equals 67 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 7 mg cholesterol, 114 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 3 g protein

Diabetic Exchanges

2 vegetable, 1/2 fat

Chicken Salad

Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes

Combine:

3 cups chicken cooked & cubed
1 cup seedless grapes, any color cut in half
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 Tbs chopped onion
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup lemon yogurt
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

Mix well.

Suggested Sides:
Serve in Cream Puff Pastries, or on a bed of green leafies.

Tips & Tricks:
Turkey can be used in place of chicken. Instead of fresh onions, you can use 1 tsp onion powder.

Make it Healthier:
In place of mayonnaise use 1/3 cup light sour cream.