Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 6 cups cubed cooked chicken¹
• 1 and 1/2 cups corn
• 1 and 1/2 cups black beans
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
• handful chopped cilantro

Dressing

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use nonfat)
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 jalapeño, finely diced
• 2 heaping teaspoons taco seasoning (I use mild)
• salt, to taste and if needed

Directions:

1. Add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl. (If you're not serving it right away, add the tortilla chips on last right before serving. They'll stay crunchy that way.)
2. Whisk the dressing ingredients together, except for the salt. Taste, then add salt to your preference.
3. Spoon dressing over salad, then give everything a big toss to combine. Serve cold.

Make ahead tip: You can prepare this salad the day before through step 3. The flavors get even better on day 2! Add the tortilla chips right before serving.

Additional Notes:

1. For the grilled chicken, I drizzled 3 large chicken boneless skinless breasts with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper before grilling. This was about 5-6 cups of cubed chicken. You can also use store-bought rotisserie chicken or just any leftover cooked chicken you have.

JAPANESE CUCUMBER SALAD (SUNOMONO)

I love everything about this Japanese Cucumber Salad. It is refreshing, light, and sweet & tangy at the same time! The vinegar dressing does the job. Oh and don’t forget the pleasant crunchiness of the cucumbers. Also, it requires almost no time to make. You can throw it together in under 5 minutes!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large English cucumber or 2 Japanese cucumbers
• ½ tablespoon salt
• ½ tablespoon sugar, or more
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Thinly slice the cucumber. You can do it either by hand or using a food processor. Rub the slices with salt and drain for 5 minutes in a colander. Rinse under cold running water and squeeze them tightly to remove water. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, soy sauce, and rice vinegar until the sugar dissolves.
3. Add the dressing to the cucumber slices, sprinkle with sesame seeds and mix well. Enjoy!

rosemary chicken, bacon and avocado salad.

rosemary chicken, bacon and avocado salad

yield: serves 2

total time: 35 minutes

ingredients:

• 4 slices thick-cut bacon
• 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• 6 cups spring greens and/or butter lettuce
• 1 bunch watercress
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 large avocado, thinly sliced

rosemary vinaigrette 

• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• salt and pepper

directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook until it's crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel to drain any excess grease.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cover with the rosemary. In the same skillet, over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook until golden and crisp on both sides, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and let sit for a moment while you assemble the salad, then slice it.

Toss the greens with the watercress and the tomatoes. Top with the sliced chicken, the bacon and the avocado. Drizzle with the rosemary vinaigrette!

rosemary vinaigrette 

Whisk together the mustard, oil and vinegar. Whisk in the rosemary and a pinch of salt and pepper.

DAIRY FREE FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

Ingredients

• 1 pound of eggless fettuccine – cook according to instructions on the package
• 1 and 1/2 cups of raw cashews – put in a bowl and cover with water for at least 3 hours. Cover the bowl and leave on the counter top. Drain and rinse.
• Juice from one large lemon
• 2 cloves of peeled garlic
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano flakes
• 1 teaspoon of ground sea salt + 1 tablespoon for the pasta water
• Black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Once the cashews have soaked for at least three hours drain them in a colander and rinse well. Put them in the blender along with the other ingredients and blend for 1 and 1/2 to 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. If you have a Blendtec blender, select the Whole Foods setting and the soup setting within that setting.
3. When the water is boiling, salt the water and place the pasta in the water. Make sure it’s completely covered in the water and cook according to the instructions on the package.
4. Drain the pasta water when done and put the pasta back in the pot. Add the Alfredo sauce and stir to coat the pasta.

CREAMY VEGAN GARLIC PASTA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES

CREAMY VEGAN GARLIC PASTA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

A 30 minute creamy pasta made with almond milk and infused with garlic and roasted tomatoes. Perfect for a quick, weeknight meal and feeding vegan/dairy free friends.

Author: Minimalist Baker

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: Vegan

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 3 cups (450 g) grape tomatoes, halved
• 10 ounces (283 g) whole wheat pasta (such as penne, linguini or fettuccine | Use less if you want a higher sauce:pasta ratio)
• Olive oil
• 2 medium shallots, diced (~1/4 cup or 40 g)
• 8 large cloves garlic, minced/grated (1/4 cup or 24 g)
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 3-4 Tbsp (25-33 g) unbleached all purpose flour (or another thickener of choice)*
• 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) unsweetened plain Almond Breeze (sub up to 1 cup with veggie stock, if preferred)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and toss tomatoes in a bit of olive oil and sea salt. Place cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish. Then set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. When done, drain, cover and set aside.
3. In the meantime, prepare the sauce. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and the garlic and shallot. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper and stir frequently, cooking for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
4. Stir in 3-4 Tbsp flour (or other thickener of choice – see notes) and mix with a whisk. Once combined, slowly whisk in the almond milk a little at a time so clumps don’t form. Add another healthy pinch of salt and black pepper, bring to a simmer and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes to thicken. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. (Optional: You can also add a few shakes of vegan parmesan for extra flavor at this time if you wish.)
5. If you want an ultra creamy sauce, transfer sauce to a blender (or use an immersion blender) to blend the sauce until creamy and smooth. Place back in pan and reduce heat to a low simmer until desired thickness is reached.
6. Once the sauce is to your desired thickness, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Then add pasta and roasted tomatoes and stir.
7. Serve immediately and garnish with extra black pepper, fresh basil and/or vegan parmesan cheese.

Notes

* Inspired by Kitchy Kitchen
* To keep this recipe gluten free, sub the flour for cornstarch or another thickener. Add 1-2 Tbsp during the blending process to make sure it’s completely blended. Then add back to the pan to thicken for 5-7 minutes. Alternatively, make a slurry with the cornstarch and a few Tbsp of the sauce in a small bowl and then whisk it directly into the pan during the simmering process. Repeat in 1/2 Tbsp amounts until desired consistency is reached.
*Nutrition information reflects 1 of 4 servings.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ~1 cup Calories: 379 Fat: 9g Saturated fat: .8g Carbohydrates: 64g Sugar: 5gSodium: 360mg Fiber: 8.5g Protein: 11.5g

PUMPKIN SPICE PANCAKES

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cup lowfat (1%) milk or unsweetened nondairy beverage
1 cup pumpkin purée
1 egg
3/4 cup cooked quinoa*
2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin purée and egg. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture and stir until evenly mixed. Stir in quinoa. Set batter aside to rest for 10 minutes.

Oil a cast-iron griddle or large nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat until hot. Ladle a heaping 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle and cook about 5 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer, or until pancakes are cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter and serve warm.

*Use precooked frozen quinoa or cook from scratch by rinsing 1/2 cup quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear, drain and transfer to a small pot. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside off the heat for 5 minutes; uncover and fluff with a fork. Measure out 3/4 cup cooked quinoa and refrigerate or freeze the rest for a salad or a second round of pancakes.

Nutritional Info

Per Serving: Serving size: 2 pancakes
180 calories (40 from fat)
4.5g total fat
1g saturated fat
40mg cholesterol
480mg sodium
29g carbohydrates
4 g dietary fiber
5g sugar
8g protein

Super Easy, Low Calorie Chicken Caesar Salad Stuffed Shells

Ingredients



12 jumbo pasta shells, I used Barilla jumbo shells

2 cups romaine lettuce, diced

½ cup tomatoes, diced

½ cup chicken, cooked and diced (remove skin)

2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 tablespoon Girard’s Light Caesar dressing, Cardini’s Light Caesar dressing or your favorite

Directions

1. Cook shells. Drain, rinse in cold water and drain again. Blot dry with paper towels. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, add all ingredients, except cooked pasta shells and mix well.

3. Stuff each shell with 1 overflowing tablespoon.

4. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

Makes 12 stuffed shells

Nutrition Facts

for 1 Skinny Caesar Salad Stuffed Shell
58 calories
1g fat
0.2g sat fat
10mg chol
4g protein
8g carbs
1g fiber
41mg sodium
1g sugar

CREAMY APPLE, CELERY AND GRAPE SALAD

Ingredients

Cashew-naise:
1 cup whole raw cashews
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Aminos
Salad:
3 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, cored and diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions

For the cashew-naise, put cashews in a container, add cold water to cover by an inch; cover the container and refrigerate overnight. Drain cashews and rinse under cold water. Place soaked cashews in a blender and add vinegar, mustard, turmeric, liquid aminos and 3/4 cup water. Blend until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

For salad, in a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Toss again with celery, grapes and cashew-naise. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

To serve, place lettuce onto a large platter or individual serving plates and top with apple mixture. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Nutritional Info

Per Serving:
280 calories (140 from fat)
15g total fat
2.5g saturated fat
80mg sodium
32g carbohydrates
6 g dietary fiber
17g sugar
8g protein

BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUT DUSTED GRAPES

Ingredients

3 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons lowfat (1%) milk
2 cups walnut halves
1 pound seedless grapes, rinsed (about 60 grapes)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place walnuts in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking time. When golden and aromatic, remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

Place walnuts in a food processor. Pulse several times until they resemble bread crumbs. (Be careful not to over-chop!) Return walnut crumbs to the medium bowl.

Wipe out the food processor and add cheese, cream and milk. Process until smooth and scrape into another medium bowl.

Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce each grape with a toothpick. One at a time, dip a grape into the blue cheese mixture and then into the walnut crumbs. Use your hand to cover grape evenly with walnut crumbs. Arrange grape on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining grapes and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: Mix any leftover blue cheese mixture with the remaining walnut crumbs, thin it with a bit of milk and you have a dressing for a salad or a dip for crudités or chips.

Nutritional Info

Per Serving: Serving size: about 6 grapes
220 calories (170 from fat)
19g total fat
5g saturated fat
20mg cholesterol
120mg sodium
12g carbohydrates
2 g dietary fiber
8g sugar
5g protein

AVOCADO CUCUMBER SALAD

PREP TIME

10 mins

TOTAL TIME

10 mins

 

Refreshing, bright and tangy Avocado Cucumber Salad. Ready in less than 10 minutes with a simple lemon-lime, cilantro dressing.

Author: Ceara

Recipe type: Side

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large cucumber, sliced in quarters
• 2 avocados, chopped
• ¼ - ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• ½ tsp sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Place chopped cucumber, avocado, and cilantro in a medium bowl. If you are not a fan of cilantro, start with using only ¼ cup.
2. Add lemon juice, lime juice, and sea salt to the chopped vegetables. Toss gently to combine. Taste and add additional cilantro (I use the entire ½ cup) and sea salt to taste. Leave to sit and "marinate" for 5 - 15 minutes. Serve fresh with your favorite Summermeal.

BLT Pasta salad

Ingredients

1. 2-1/2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
2. 6 cups torn romaine lettuce
3. 1 medium tomato, diced
4. 4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
5. 1/2 cup ranch dressing
6. 1 Tablespoon barbecue sauce
7. 1/4 teaspoon pepper

 

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Then rinse pasta under cold water.
2. In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, tomato, bacon and pasta.
3. Drizzle the ranch dressing and barbecue sauce over the top. Gently toss to coat evenly. Season with pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!