Salad.  For some salad is a curse word.  When you think salad you think rabbit-food or diet food, or do you think deliciousness?  For me I love salads.  When the weather is hot outside I'm want something cool and delicious.  The great thing about salads is they can be made to suit anyone's diet, tastes, and any you can find a salad in just about any cuisine.  Plus, the great thing is not all salads are just lettuce.For those that are on a diet, you can find salads that fit most any plan whether it is, low carb, low fat, low calorie, gluten free.

Here are a few salads in those categories.

Low-Carb

loading...

Ingredients:

¼ cup diced Monterrey jack cheese
½ medium tomato, chopped
1 slice bacon
½ avocado, cubed
1 cup mixed salad greens
6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast

Directions:

1. Cook bacon and lay on paper towel to absorb excess fat.
2. Poach chicken in 1 inch of water in a skillet over medium heat until it is no longer pink in the center, about 8 minutes. Cool and chop into bite-size pieces. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Assemble greens, bacon, chicken, tomato, avocado and cheese.
4. Toss with low-carb dressing of your choice and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Nutrition:

Net Carbs: 5.0 grams, Fiber: 6.4 grams, Protein: 51.0 grams, Fat: 35.0 grams, Calories: 561

Recipe Information:

Makes: 1 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Marinate Time:

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Cool Time:

Low Fat Salad

8 6-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1 t ground cumin, divided
2 T reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 t liquid smoke seasoning
1 16-ounce package frozen pepper stir-fry mix (green, red, yellow bell peppers, and onion), thawed
3/4 lb lean roast beef (such as Healthy Choice), sliced into thin strips
4 cup romaine lettuce, chopped (or 1 bag of any pre-cut romaine salad mix)
1 Haas avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
Olive-oil cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with olive-oil spray. Place 4 tortillas on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of cumin. Bake for 8 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven; transfer to individual plates. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine remaining cumin, soy sauce, and liquid smoke. Set pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add vegetable mix and cook for 3 minutes, until tender. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables from pan; set aside. To the same pan, add roast beef and simmer for 2 minutes, until hot.

Top toasted tortillas with lettuce, then pepper stir-fry mixture and roast beef. Arrange avocado on top. Serve with additional tortillas on the side. (Additional garnish options: fat-free sour cream, salsa, jalapeños, hot sauce.)

Nutrition Information

340 calories, 38g carbs(45%), 9.8g fat(26%), 23g fiber, 25g protein(29%), 2.7 g saturated fat

Recipe Information

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 5-7 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes

Low Calorie

loading...

Maureen Callahan, R.D.

1/4 c smoked tomato vinaigrette (such as Drew's)
1 can (15 oz) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp ground cumin
2 c fresh corn kernels (about 2 large ears)
2 oz smoked mozzarella, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
3/4 c coarsely chopped avocado
1/2 c finely chopped red onion
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a large bowl, combine vinaigrette, beans, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and pan-roast, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir corn and remaining ingredients into black bean mixture and toss together.
3. Chill until ready to serve. Divide evenly into four salad bowls.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving: 324 calories, 9 g fat (2.7 g saturated), 554 mg sodium, 42 g carbs, 11 g fiber, 13 g protein

Recipe Information:

Makes four servings.

Gluten Free

Teri Gruss, MS

3 pounds fresh new potatoes
1 pound gluten-free bacon
1 pound fresh green beans
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon gluten-free dry mustard (see tips)
1 teaspoon dried, crushed tarragon leaves
1 minced clove garlic
1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
1/4 cup gluten-free chicken broth
1/2 cup light olive oil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Fry bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. When cool crumble.
2. Slice unpeeled potatoes 1/4-inch thick and boil just until tender, but not soft, about 15 minutes. Drain. While potatoes are boiling, cut green beans into 2-inch pieces and steam for about 7 minutes, or just until tender.
3. Place cooked potatoes, green beans, sliced green onions and parsley in a large bowl.
4. In a medium bowl combine light olive oil, gluten-free chicken broth, tarragon vinegar, minced garlic, dried tarragon, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined. Pour dressing over vegetables and use a large spatula to gently coat vegetables. Add crumbled bacon and gently combine.
5. Serve immediately at room temperature or chill.

Tip: If you can't find dry gluten-free dry mustard you can make your own by grinding 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of mustard seeds in a clean coffee bean grinder.

Reminder: Always make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.

Nutritional Information: Not given

Recipe Information:

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Lori's Indulgent Chicken Salad
loading...
I was getting tired of tangy chicken salad and I wanted a chicken salad that was sweet.  I got bored in the kitchen one day and threw this together.
1 can of diced chicken (or 2 chicken breasts cooked and diced)
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. grapes halved or quartered
1/2 c. mayonnaise (full fat, light or fat free or if you love Miracle Whip)
1/2 med. apple
chopped pecans (optional)
Mix everything together in a bowl and serve on your favorite bread or pita.  If you don't like bread serve it on a lettuce leaf.
What are some of your favorite salads?  We would love for you to share those recipes with us.

More From Mix 94.1