Tag Archives: salad

Asian Chicken Salad

Unfortunately, I’m not a big salad person. I know some people who can eat a salad for lunch everyday but I’m just not one of those people as much as I wish I was. Every once in a great while, I’ll go through a salad phase, but that comes and goes with the solar eclipse. I just don’t enjoy chomping on lettuce. I love baby spinach but only when cooked or topping a sandwich. But recently I realized that I do like cabbage. Maybe because there is more heft to it. This is a realization for me because I never ate cabbage as a kid. Not even the little cups of creamy coleslaw that seemed to sit beside every sandwich at every restaurant.

But since this blog is making me expand my horizons a little, I boldly lifted two different kinds of cabbage into my grocery cart this weekend in order to make Asian Chicken Salad. Napa cabbage and red cabbage are mixed with chopped chicken and cilantro and tossed with a spicy, gingery, Asian dressing. The dressing calls for Chinese mustard (I got mine from a leftover Chinese food packet!) but if you don’t have any, I think dijon or even yellow mustard would work. The dressing gets heat from the chile paste and a slight sweetness from honey. Topping it all of are toasted almonds and Chinese noodles (I used chow mein noodles) which add a buttery crunch and sweet, juicy mandarin oranges. This is a great salad which will travel well for a picnic or, if you plan on eating it over a few days, toss the dressing when you are ready to eat to keep the cabbage from getting soggy. Don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients in this recipe (which is one of Cooking Light Magazine‘s Superfast recipes) because if you use precooked chicken, it can be made in less than 20 minutes. This is one salad I won’t mind eating everyday.

The ingredients:

In a large nonstick skillet, sauté almonds in melted butter over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add in Chinese noodles and sauté for 3 minutes or until toasted. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, Chinese mustard, ginger, and chile paste (sambal oelek) with a whisk.

Add in cabbages, chicken, and cilantro and toss gently to coat.

Top salad with oranges and noodle/almond mixture.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

  • Green cabbage
  • Chow mein noodles

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad

I don’t know what it is about cherry tomatoes but I’ve become slightly obsessed with them.  This seems crazy to me considering I didn’t even start eating raw tomatoes until I was in college.  They taste so sweet and fresh plus they are just so darn cute!  I’ve been holding on to this recipe for Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad for a very long time.  The reason I know this is because everytime I look at my vegetable recipes, I always come across this one, am struck by the vibrant colors, and wonder why I haven’t made it yet.  With both green beans and cherry tomatoes being on sale this past weekend, I knew this was the time to get it done.  Well, let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint.  Green beans are cooked until perfectly green, mixed with sweet cherry tomatoes, then coated in a light vinaigrette of oregano, shallots, red wine vinegar, and olive oil.  I used dried oregano and white wine vinegar (because I had no idea that I didn’t have red wine vinegar in my cabinet) so use what you have.  This salad is best served nice and cold, right out of the fridge, and makes for a nice side to your meal or even a light meal by itself.

The ingredients:

Cook the green beans either in the microwave (according to package directions) or in boiling water until bright green and tender (approximately 7 minutes on the stove).  While beans cook, quarter the cherry tomatoes.

Place cooked beans in a bowl with quartered tomatoes and fresh oregano.  (Since I used dried oregano, I didn’t add it here but with the vinaigrette instead).

Combine shallots and vinegar (and dried oregano) with a whisk and allow to sit for 10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.

Pour the vinaigrette over the bean mixture and toss.  Serve cold.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Dried oregano
  • White Wine Vinegar

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

Waldorf Chicken Salad

I went a little crazy at the grocery store this weekend and bought nearly every fruit and vegetable I could get my hands on. So, this week’s recipes will be full of healthy ideas. (I hope you don’t mind!)

This recipe for Waldorf Chicken Salad was buried in a cancer-fighting meal plan on Self Magazine’s website. Don’t pass by meal plans like these in magazines when you see them because they are usually very easy, healthy and full of great ideas. I don’t normally eat Waldorf salads even though they are full of all kinds of things that I love like apples, grapes, celery, and walnuts. I suppose it is because they are dressed in mayonaisse, making them a wanna-be healthy girl’s enemy.

This version has a teeny-weeny bit of mayo but also uses plain yogurt which cuts the calories. I used non-fat Greek yogurt which is tangy but is complemented by the sweetness of the grapes and apple. This is a great use for any leftover chicken you might have on hand or if you’re in a hurry, use precooked chicken strips like I did (I love Perdue Short Cuts). I didn’t use walnuts this time (even though they are one of my faves) but instead used chopped pecans because I had them on hand. Since chicken salad usually just tastes better as flavors meld, make this over the weekend and keep it in the fridge for a few quick workday lunches.

The ingredients:

In a bowl, mix yogurt, low-fat mayonaisse, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Add in chicken, apple, celery, grapes, and onions and mix well. (I put the pecans in here too but you can wait and sprinkle them over the salad just before serving if you prefer.)

Serve over your favorite greens.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

  • Dijon mustard for yellow mustard
  • Pecans for walnuts
  • Non-fat plain Greek yogurt for low-fat plain yogurt
  • Light mayonaisse
  • Scallions for onion

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: Self Magazine

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