Strawberry Spring Salad
Ingredients:
- 3 T. white wine vinegar
- 3 T. water
- 1 T. honey
- 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/8-t. salt
- 1/8-t. pepper
- 3 cups strawberries, quartered
- 10 oz Italian blend salad greens
- 4 t. pine nuts, roasted
Directions:
- To make the salad dressing, combine the first 6 ingredients and stir well with a whisk.
- Combine strawberries and greens.
- Add the dressing mixture to the strawberries and greens; toss to coat.
- Sprinkle with pine nuts to serve.
Yield: 4 servings
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Chicken, Black Bean, Corn, & Tomato Salad
Ingredients:
- 12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and poached
- 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed
- 1 large vine-ripened tomato or 2 plum tomatoes, cored and diced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 t. dried oregano
- 2 T sherry vinegar or cider vinegar
- 1/2-t. salt
- 1/2-cup scallions (3 scallions)
- 1/4-cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
- Shred poached chicken and combine with black beans, tomatoes, and corn in a salad bowl.
- Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until just beginning to color, about 30 seconds. Add oregano and cumin; stir until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Remove from heat; add vinegar and salt. Pour over the salad. Add scallions and parsley; gently toss to combine.
Serves 4.
Recipe courtesy of Eating Well magazine.
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Wheat Berry & Brown Rice Pilaf
Ingredients:
- 1 cup wheat berries*
- 5 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 t. olive oil
- dash of pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2-tsp. thyme
- 1/2-cup chopped onion
Optional: 1/4-cup chopped mushrooms, 1/4-cup diced celery, 1/8-cup finely minced carrots, 1/8-cup minced fresh parsley
Directions:
- Bring water or broth to a boil.
- Add wheat berries and cook for 1 hour.
- Add brown rice and cook 30 more minutes.
- Heat olive oil in small skillet and sauté onion and optional celery. Mushrooms and carrots may also be added at this time.
- Add sautéed vegetables to wheat berry/rice mixture.
- Add bay leaf, thyme, and optional parsley.
- Add pepper to taste.
- Continue to cook another 30 minutes or until grains are tender.
Yield: 5 2/3 cups.
*Wheat berries are available in the health food section of most grocery stores.
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Low-Fat Taco Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. extra lean ground turkey
- 1 envelope low-sodium dry onion soup mix
- 1/2-cup water
- 1 t. chili powder
- 6 cups salad greens
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 cup shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese
- fresh cilantro sprigs
- baked tortilla chips, crushed
Directions:
- In skillet, cook ground turkey until browned - drain fat.
- Stir in soup mix, water, and chili powder.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes longer.
- To serve, spoon meat over lettuce. Top with tomato, cheese, cilantro, and chips.
Additional toppings may include sliced green onions, jalapeno peppers, or low-fat sour cream.
Serves 4.
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Chicken and Spinach Calzones
Ingredients:
- 2 t. olive oil
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 8 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 t. minced garlic
- 1 T. chopped parsley
- 4 t. Parmesan cheese
- 2 egg whites, divided
- 1 frozen whole-wheat bread dough loaf (16 oz.), thawed, not risen
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a large, non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken and sauté, turning occasionally until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- When cool to the touch, cut the chicken breasts into cubes. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta cheese, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and 1 of the egg whites. Mix until well blended. Set aside.
- In another bowl, using a wire whisk or fork, beat the remaining egg white lightly.
- Cut the bread dough into 6 equal-sized pieces.
- On a floured surface, press each piece into a circle.
- Using a rolling pin, roll each dough piece into ovals 8 inches long and 6 inches wide.
- Brush the edges of the dough ovals with the lightly beaten egg white.
- Place 1/6 of the chicken cubes in the center of each oval. Add 1/6 of the spinach mixture to each.
- Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges together. Crimp with a fork and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until browned and crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve immediately.