Spinach bacon salad

Ingredients

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground pepper to taste

12 cups spinach leaves

4 eggs, hard boiled (see tip*) peeled and chopped

4 slices bacon, cooked crispy, cooled and crumbled

1 red onion thinly sliced

Instructions

Smash and peel garlic clove. Mince and mash with the side of a chef’s knife with the salt to form a paste. Scrape into a medium bowl. Whisk in vinegar and Dijon. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with pepper.

Place spinach, eggs, onions, and bacon in a large salad bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion , chopped
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro , chopped
• 1 ripe avocado , diced (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse the quinoa in a strainer. Sometimes it can have a bitter taste on the outside so rinsing gets rid of this.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook for a couple of minutes or until onion is soft.
3. Add the quinoa and vegetable broth to the pan. Add the cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Stir in lime juice and frozen corn into the pan and simmer for 5 minutes or until corn is heated through.
5. Finally, mix in the black beans and cilantro. Garnish with chopped avocado if desired.
6. Serve hot or cold. Store in refrigerator.

California Cobb Strawberry Salad

California Cobb Strawberry Salad

Ingredients for the Salad:

Serves 4

8 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped (or spinach or lettuce of choice)

2 cups Strawberries, chopped

1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled (or blue cheese)

1/2 a medium red onion,

chopped

1 Large Avocado, cubed

Optional:

Sliced fresh cucumber

2 large Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts, cooked and sliced

Arrange salad ingredients on plates.

{Lemon Pepper Chicken}

2 large chicken breasts

Juice of 1 fresh lemon

1 Tbsp avocado or olive oil

Zest not rind of 1 fresh lemon

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste (I use a lot of pepper for these!)

Combine marinade ingredients, pour over chicken & coat well, either in a glass bowl or Ziploc.

Let marinate for 1-4 hours in the refrigerator.

Remove, let sit on counter for 20 minutes.

Sauté in about 1/2 Tbsp additional oil on med/high for about 4 minutes per side until cooked through. Wrap in foil to keep moisture in while arranging salad.

{Avocado Ranch Dressing}

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 medium avocado, peeled and cored

2 Tbsps fresh lime juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp chopped fresh dill

2 tsp chopped fresh chives

1/2 tsp onion powder

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4-6 Tbsps unsweetened milk, as needed

Add all dressing ingredients except for milk to a food processor. Pulse until blended, scraping sides often. Add in milk 1 Tbsp at a time to reach desired consistency. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Healthy Southwestern Chopped Salad

Healthy Southwestern Chopped Salad

Large head of Romaine 15 oz.
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large orange bell pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cups corn (fresh or frozen, thawed)
5 green onions

Grilled chicken
Optional: avocado

{Dressing}
1 cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
1/2 avocado (or 1/2 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt)
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime), more to taste
1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt

{Instructions}
Making the dressing: puree all ingredients in a food processor/blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Making the salad: Finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Toss with desired dressing.

ASIAN CHICKEN CRANBERRY SALAD

ASIAN CHICKEN CRANBERRY SALAD

YIELD: 8-10 PREP TIME: 15 miutes TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

Toast almonds by laying on a paper towel and microwaving for 1 minute, turning once. Or, toast the sliced almonds under low broil for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. You can also make your own cabbage mix with green and purple cabbage with a tiny bit of carrots.

INGREDIENTS:

2 small bags of coleslaw mix (about 12 cups)

4 cups rotisserie chicken, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups toasted sliced almonds (or cashews)

1 1/2 cup dried cranberries (I used Orange Cranberries from Trader Joe’s)

3/4 cup red onion, finely diced

1 cup sesame sticks (found in the bulk aisle at grocery store - optional)

1 1/2 cups chopped cilantro

1/4 cup black sesame seeds

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp. honey or brown sugar

2 Tbsp. minced ginger

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

DIRECTIONS:

Layer the cabbage in a large bowl with chicken, almonds (or cashews, or both), cranberries, red onion, sesame seeds, sesame sticks (optional), and fresh cilantro.

Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, ginger, and sesame oil in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Process until smooth.

Lightly pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss; serve.