Healthier Mayo Free Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped apples
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• optional: 1 teaspoon honey

Directions
Add the first 5 ingredients to a serving bowl. Mix the yogurt, oil, lemon juice and honey in a small bowl then toss with the fruit and nuts. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour before serving.

Top it over some mixed greens!

Nutrition Info
As a Main Dish:
Servings: 2* Calories per serving: 470* Fat: 24g* Cholesterol: 0mg* Sodium: 68mg* Carbs: 61g* Fiber: 8g* Sugars: 44g* Protein: 11g*
Weight Watchers Points+:{You do not need to count the apple or celery here, the above nutrition info includes all ingredients} 11*

As a Side Dish:
Servings: 4* Calories per serving: 235* Fat: 12g* Cholesterol: 0mg* Sodium: 34mg* Carbs: 30g* Fiber: 4g* Sugars: 22g* Protein: 6g* Points+:6*



http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/healthier-mayo-free-waldorf-salad-vegetarian-gluten-free/

Mexican Cole Slaw

Mexican Coleslaw:
1 package Coleslaw {you can also buy green/red cabbage and dice it yourself}
1 can corn {drained}
1 can black beans {drained}
1/3 cup diced green onions
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced black olives
1/4 cup diced cilantro
1 avocado chopped

Mix ingredients in a large bowl. 

Add 3/4 cup Jalapeno Ranch Dip and toss thoroughly to coat coleslaw. Garnish with cilantro. Chill in fridge and serve when ready.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

 

Ingredients

Serves: Prep: 5min Cook: 0min Total: 35min

• 1 cup whole-kernel corn
• 2 cans (16 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced red onions
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
• salt
• ground black pepper
• lettuce leaves

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the corn, beans, parsley, onions, vinegar, oil, lemon juice, garlic, and honey or brown sugar. Let the salad marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Arrange the lettuce leaves on 4 salad plates; spoon the salad over the lettuce.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES	417.6 CAL
FAT	6.9 G
SATURATED FAT	1 G
SODIUM	220.3 MG
CARBOHYDRATES	66.9 G
TOTAL SUGARS	7.2 G
DIETARY FIBER	21.3 G
PROTEIN	21.7 G

Tropical Rice Salad

(Makes 4 servings)

Ready to start eating your way across that phytonutrient rainbow? Here’s a great summer salad that’s crazy with antioxidants. What’s more, the rice and beans make it a complete source of protein.

• 3 cups brown rice, cooked
• 15 oz. black beans, low-sodium
• 1 medium orange, chopped
• 1 fresh mango, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1. Combine rice, beans, orange, mango, tomato, jalapeño, bell pepper, green onion, and lettuce in a large serving bowl.
2. Add vinegar, orange juice, and salad dressing. Toss gently to blend.
3. Serve immediately.

Tips/modifications:
Canned or homemade beans can be used.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Sushi Salad

This is a good alternative to rolling sushi and the result is still very good.

 Ingredients:
yields 6-8 servings

3 cups brown sushi rice
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup good quality sesame oil
1 lb medium cooked shrimp
2 carrots, chopped
2 cucumbers, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
10-12 sheets nori, cut into strips
Sesame seeds (optional)

Cook rice according to package instructions. (I cook mini in a rice cooker which I think it helps a lot in getting the rice perfectly cooked)

When rice is done place it in a big bowl and add all of the remaining ingredients and combine.

Adding soy beans and pickled ginger would be really good on this.

Nutrition facts calculated based on the recipe giving 7 servings. This is high in vitamin A and manganese.



http://eatgood4life.blogspot.com/2012/04/brown-rice-sushi-salad.html

Raw Broccoli Raisin Salad

 

Serves 4-6
The cashew dressing is creamy, nutty and delicious and makes this broccoli salad one of the best I’ve ever had! This recipe isn’t 100% raw because it does have dijon mustard. If you’re following a raw diet, you can tweak the recipe to your needs.
Ingredients

• 6 cups broccoli (two small to medium sized crowns), chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• Cashew dressing (recipe below)

Preparation

1. Mix together broccoli, raisins, red onion, raisins, and sunflower seeds.
2. Top with dressing and combine until all ingredients are covered.

Cashew Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked at least 1- 2 hours
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon agave (or other liquid sweetener like maple syrup)
• 1 Tablespoon shallot, chopped (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender or processor until completely smooth.

http://www.eatingbirdfood.com/2012/03/raw-broccoli-raisin-salad/

Avocado, orange and mixed green salads

With its creamy texture and mild, yet fragrant aroma, the avocado is perhaps my favorite aphrodisiac food. The provocative shape explains why some call it the testicle tree. It is a versatile fruit, excellent on its own, on sandwiches, even in smoothies. In this recipe, the avocado shares the stage with another arousing fruit, the orange in a mixed green salad with poppy seed dressing.

Prep time: 15 min
Equipment: Paring knife, 1 bowl, cutting board
Serving Size: 2

2 c mixed greens (your favorite)
1/2 avocado
1 small orange (cara cara or blood orange recommended)
1 small red onion

Poppy seed Dressing
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 t poppy seeds
Pinch of salt

Slice avocado in thin long slices. Peel orange and slice into rounds. Slice the onion in thin rings, cut rings in half. In a salad bowl mix greens, avocado and orange. Sprinkle in a few rings of onion – to your taste.
Combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, poppy seed and salt, drizzle over salad. Plate and serve.

How to feed a large crowd without cooking or baking!

Need to feed a large crowd of people but don't want to turn on the oven?

Want to have a party without showing up exhausted from cooking? 

Do you want to know how to create a lite and healthy, well-rounded meal without spending much time in the kitchen?

Well, this post will tell you how. Actually, it will tell you how my sisters and I did it. A week ago today, we threw my youngest sister a baby shower.  We had about 20 people coming, and we wanted to have a beautiful array of food, but did not want to spend much time making it all.  My youngest sister was only in town for a few days, so we didn't want anything to keep us from spending as much time with her as we could, and we were not interested in hanging out in a hot kitchen for that spent time!

Our solution was to make our own Hearty, Healthy & Delicious 
SALAD BAR!

We wanted it to be hearty enough to pass for dinner, so we made sure we included toppings that were filling and hearty-- protein and carbs along with typical vegetable toppings and fruit.  Some of our protein toppings included shredded chicken, bacon, cheese and nuts. (could also use hard boiled eggs and beans.)  For carbs, we included whole-wheat mini bow-tie pasta noodles, and served bread along with the salad.

{that is my sisters hand, don't you like her funky green nail polish?

I'm so bummed I didn't get good pics.  My camera quit on me right at the beginning of the shower}

So how to do this without slaving over a stove/oven? 

Here is what you do:

~Make a grocery list of salad toppings (the ones we used are listed below)

~Go to Wal-mart, buy ingredients for toppings.

~Stop by Sam's Club (which is usually right next door to Wal-mart) and pick up a few Rotisserie Chickens and their Spring Salad Mix.

~Swing by Panera Bread (or any bread store/bakery), and pick up a few loaves of Asiago Cheese Bread.

~Hit your local dollar store for paper products.
*I went to the dollar tree and found clear, hard plastic bowls that were the perfect size for our toppings.  I knew all the colors of the vegetables and toppings we used would make art on the buffet bar if we used clear bowls.  They also had large, clear hard plastic bowls, so I bought 3.  One for punch, one for the spring salad mix, and one to hold sliced bread.
I was delighted that they had small, clear serving tongs, 4/$1.00!  They also had a punch ladle and small, clear punch cups.  I found little coffee stirrer type straws, they were blue and white (matched our shower colors) and were the perfect size for the punch cups.  

Once you have all your supplies, it is just a matter of chopping and putting the toppings into Ziplocs until ready to use. We kept chopping to a minimum by buying veggies that were conveniently packaged, for example-shredded carrots, grape tomatoes, shredded cheese, heat and serve bacon.  Convenience was the way to go to keep it simple enough to get it all done and enjoy my sister!

Our Menu:
Hearty, Healthy & Delicious Salad Bar With A Trio Of Salad Dressings
Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Cute Cupcake Toppers
Lemon Refresher Punch-I may be posting about this, gotta find out if it is a "secret" family recipe or not:)

That's it!  Simple, Simple, Simple.

The Lemon Refresher and Cupcakes can both be made the night before, which again, helps with simplifying.  We were going to make homemade dressings, but then decided to buy it instead. We stood in front of the dressing aisle, a bit stunned by all the different types of salad dressings.  We choose Briannas Fine Salad Dressings, mostly because the bottles were pretty:) but also because they had 3 different types that we thought would suit most tastes.  We got Poppy Seed (my favorite and the most popular of the evening), Blush Wine Vinaigrette, and Caesar.

This Salad Bar idea would be great for groups large or small, and even though we went a bit crazy with the number of toppings, you really could minimize that, too. The feedback we got from those attending the shower was all positive.  We even had a number of children there, and they loved it too!  Yes, there were lots of vegetables, but there was also a lot of fruit, shredded chicken, pasta noodles and cheesy bread, which kept the kids happy and satisfied.  

I will be doing this often, whether it is for a ladies luncheon, a bridal or baby shower, or just having another couple over-it would work well in many situations.  I do love to cook and bake, but sometimes it is just nice to just have a break and keep the oven off!

Our Salad Bar:

Spring Mix Salad

3 Dressings

Shredded Rotisserie Chicken

Chopped Bacon 

Whole-Wheat Bow-Tie Pasta

Sliced Strawberries

Blueberries

Grapes

Pineapple

Mandarin Oranges

Dried Cranberries

Avocado

Green Peppers

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Carrots
Peas

Radishes

Cucumber

Tomatoes

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Feta Cheese

Croutons

Sunflower Seeds

Sliced Almonds

Asiago Cheese Bread

 

 

http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/2010/06/how-to-feed-large-crowd-without-cooking.html

Green Lentil Salad

Sometimes I like to eat lentils for breakfast if I have them left over from the night before. It never occurred to me to prepare them as a cold salad for the evening meal, but I recently met someone who told me that it is quite common to eat them that way in some North African countries. Hmmmm. Why not?

With about 30% of their calories from protein, lentils have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut, after soybeans and hemp. They also have a lot of iron (which most of us don't get enough of in our daily diet), folate, vitamin B₁, and minerals.

Green lentils have a lot more fiber than the other varieties if you have a choice.

According to lots of the recent research, lentils pack a lot of bang for your nutritional buck so they make a perfect meal if you're packing a lunch. This salad is perfect for a picnic as it travels well and doesn't need to be re-heated.

Cold Lentil Salad

1 cup green lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup of green onions
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup of peeled and diced carrots
1 teaspoon of dried dill
2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

• Bring 3 cups of water and the lentils to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until lentils are tender (about half an hour).
• Stir the lentils, the green onions, the black beans, the carrots and the dried dill together.
• Stir in vinegar and the oil.
• Put the salad in the fridge for an hour (or overnight).

http://vegetarianonabudget.blogspot.com/2012/04/some-like-it-hotbut-not-always.html

Cucumber Avocado Salad

ucumber Avocado Salad

1 cucumber, seeds removed, sliced in half to create half moon shape
1 avocado cubed
1 handful of fresh parsley
Mustard Dressing
1 tsp. Dijon style mustard
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Mix together and pour over the salad. Enjoy, this is really cool and soothing.

Kale Avocado Salad

SHAVED KALE AVOCADO SALAD
Contributed by Chad Sarno, www.rawchef.com
(Serves 2)

1 head kale, shredded
1 cup tomato or red bell pepper, diced
1 cup avocado, chopped
2½ tablespoons olive oil or flax oil
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cayenne

In mixing bowl toss all ingredients, squeezing as you mix to “wilt” the kale and cream the avocado. Serve immediately.

As a variation, add chopped fresh herbs or your choice of diced vegetables. You can also substitute chard or spinach for the kale.

Nutty Apple Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups mixed greens
• 1 tablespoon cashews
• 1/2 sliced green apple
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

Combine 2 cups mixed greens, 1 tablespoon chopped cashews, 1/2 sliced green apple and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar.

Pesto Pizza Salad

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons pesto sauce
• 1 whole-grain pita
• 1 1/2 cups arugula
• 1/4 cup tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 1/4 cup white beans
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

Spread 2 teaspoons pesto on a whole-grain pita; broil until golden. Toss 1 1/2 cups arugula, 1/4 cup chopped tomato, 1 tablespoon pine nuts, 1/4 cup canned white beans (rinsed and drained) and 1 teaspoon olive oil with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Serve on pita.

NUTRITION INFO Calories: 398; Total Fat (g): 17; Saturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 550; Carbohydrate (g): 53; Fiber (g): 9; Protein (g): 14

Fiesta Bowl Salad

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup black beans
• 1/4 cup cubed avocados
• 1/4 cup corn
• 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 2 cups romaine lettuce

Directions

Combine 1/4 cup each canned black beans (rinsed and drained), chopped avocado, canned corn (drained) and chopped cherry tomatoes with the juice of 1/2 fresh lime and salt to taste. Serve on top of 2 cups romaine.

Calories: 183; Total Fat (g): 6; Saturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 246; Carbohydrate (g): 29; Fiber (g): 8; Protein (g): 7

PB & G Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon natural peanut butter
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 2 tablespoons raisins

Directions

Whisk together 1/2 tablespoon natural peanut butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons warm water until smooth. Toss with 2 cups mixed greens and 2 tablespoons raisins.

Calories 130 Total Fat (g) 4 Saturated Fat (g) 1 Sodium (mg) 60 Carbohydrate (g) 21 Fiber (g) 4 Protein (g) 4

Egg-cellent Asparagus Salad

Ingredients

• 8 asparagus spears
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 1 hard boiled egg
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

Cut 8 asparagus spears into 2-inch pieces; saute with 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 minced garlic clove. Top 2 cups greens with cooked asparagus, 1 chopped hard-boiled egg, 1 tablespoon vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Calories: 209; Total Fat (g): 15; Saturated Fat (g): 3: Sodium (mg): 108; Carbohydrate (g): 10; Fiber (g): 5; Protein (g): 11 2/17/2011 11:32:11 AM

Yummy Quick Salad

All fresh veggies plus protein

Ingredients

• romaine lettuce
• tomatoes
• broccoli
• onion
• green pepper
• carrots
• boiled egg
• sesame sticks
• slivered almonds
• dressing of your choice

Instructions

chop all and eat up!

http://eatcleandiet.com/the_kitchen_table/recipe/recipe.aspx?id=1999

Chicken Salad with Grapes

2/3 cup reduced-fat or regular mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon dried tarragon

2 teaspoons lemon juice

4 cups shredded skinned cooked chicken

1 cup red seedless grapes, rinsed and halved

1 apple, rinsed, cored, and chopped

1 head red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

Salt and fresh-ground pepper

In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, tarragon, and lemon juice. Add chicken, grapes, and apple. Mix gently. Mound lettuce equally on dinner plates. Spoon chicken salad equally onto lettuce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

http://recipes.terra-organics.com/2010/09/dish-of-the-week-tarragon-chicken-salad-with-grapes/

Dreamy Avocado Dressing

1 ripe avocado, cubed
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp. minced red onion
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley


Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth. Chill, and then toss with chosen salad ingredients just before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Nutritional Information (per serving)
Calories Protein Fiber Carbs Fat Total Saturated Fat
97 4 grams 3 grams 9 grams 6 grams <1 gram

Healthy Ranch Dressing

• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. fresh pepper
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• ½ tsp. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp. water
• ½ tsp. lemon zest
• ½ tsp. Dijon mustard

Directions:
Combine everything and chill before serving!