Smoked Chicken Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. plain fat-free yogurt
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lb. smoked chicken breast, in one piece
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 cup red grapes, halved
• 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup walnut halves, chopped
• 4 cups baby salad greens

Makes 4 Servings ( 1 1/2 cups chicken salad and 1 cup greens)

 

Whisk together mayonnaise yogurt, vinegar, Dijon mustard and pepper in a bowl, Cut chicken into thin strips. Add chicken, apple, grapes, celery, onion and walnuts to dressing and toss to combine. Serve over salad greens.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Tastier Than Takeout Cookbook. This is a very quick and easy meal to put together and tastes delicious too. This salad is filled with flavor and its share of fruits and vegetables. A grilled chicken breast seasoned with salt and pepper will do just as well and the salad will still be delicious. Kids and adults will love this salad it will quickly fill you up.

Baby Greens & Grilled Asparagus with Shallot Vinaigarette

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. hulled pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 large shallot
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small bunch slender asparagus (about 12 oz.)
• 5 cups baby salad greens (about 4 oz.)

Make 4 Servings

1. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium.
2. In a small ungreased skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds over medium heat until they look lightly browned and puffed up a bit, 3-5 minutes. Scrape onto a plate to stop the cooking.
3. In a cup, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, shallot, mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in the oil until well blended.
4. Place the asparagus in a shallow bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigarette and turn the spears to coat.
5. Grill the asparagus, turning often, until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes, depending on the thickness. Transfer to a cutting board and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces.
6. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus and greens with the remaining dressing. Divide the salad among 4 plates and sprinkle each serving evenly with pumpkin seeds.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick & Easy Cookbook. This side salad goes great with any protein and will quickly fill you up. This salad will also cleanse your palate due to the lemon juice, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I highly recommend adding a touch of garlic because garlic always makes everything better. If you don't want to toast your pumpkin seeds, you can purchase pumpkin seeds already toasted. I also highly recommend Lemon Infused Olive Oil & Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic Vinegar from the Imperial Olive in Williamsburg, VA. For more information, visit www.TheImperialOlive.com. 

Greens with Tomatoes, Herbs, and Toasted Pistachios

Ingredients:

• 2 cups nuts, pistachios, unsalted, shelled
• 6 ounces salad greens, baby (6 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium cucumber thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup  fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pinch freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread pistachios on a baking sheet; toast until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop. 
2. In a large bowl, combine greens, tomatoes, cucumber, basil, and mint. Add oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates, sprinkle with pistachios, and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. Here is a colorful salad that is quick, easy and filling. It's also perfect to eat on a hot summer day when you don't want to cook. You can use any kind of salad greens such as arugula, spinach, romaine lettuce, etc. and any kind of tomatoes such as baby heirloom, grape or currant tomatoes ad your salad will be delicious. You can  use white vinegar and a drop of lemon juice mixed in with the olive oil in place of the sherry vinegar and the salad dressing will still brighten your taste buds. The pistachios give the salad a nice crunch to it and are packed with minerals.

 



Tropical Chicken Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. unsweetened orange juice

1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp. table salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 4 cups fresh mixed baby greens 5 oz. cooked skinless boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced 3/4 cup pineapple, cut into chunks 3/4 cup mangoes, fresh, cut into chunks 3/4 cup cucumber, seedless, cut into chunks
1/4 cup mint leaves, fresh, cut into thin strips 1/4 cup red onions, thinly sliced Make 2 Servings In a large bowl, stir together orange juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper until blended. Add salad greens, chicken, pineapple, mango, cucumber, mint and onion; toss to mix and coat. Serve immediately.  WW POINTS VALUE 7 pts. (3 cups per serving) Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. My mom and I had this salad for dinner this evening and it was so good. It is so deliciously filling and packed with heat and flavor from the juices and spices. What makes this salad so filling are the fruits, onion, cucumber and chicken and the flavors of orange juice, mint, and cumin. I added a pinch of ground cumin to the dressing for a more Cuban taste and it totally worked. Tropical fruit always makes your dish so refreshing. I don't even miss the store-bought dressings. The key to any fresh salad dressing is extra-virgin olive oil, citrus juice, garlic, salt, freshly ground black pepper and the herb or spice of your choice depending on what kind of salad you are making. I highly recommend cooking the chicken in Blood Fused, Persian Lime Fused or Organic Infused Olive Oil from the Imperial Olive in Williamsburg, VA. For more information, visit www.TheImperialOlive.com. This tropical salad is so quick and easy you will never order a salad out ever again.



Chicken Milanese Style

Ingredients:

• 4 (3 oz.) chicken breast cutlets
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup Italian-seasoned dried bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesean cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 3 cups mixed baby salad greens
• 1 cup grape tomatoes or havled cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup matchstick-cut carrots
• 3 reduced-fat balsamic dressing

Makes 4 Servings

1. Sprinkle the chicken with the pepper. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesean on a sheet of wax pepper; coat the chicken with the crumb mixture, pressing lightly so it adheres.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side.
3. Meanwhile, combine the salad greens, tomatoes, and carrots in a medium bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Place 1 chicken cutlet on each of the 4 plates and top evenly with the salad.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts . (1 chicken cutlet and 1 cup salad)

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. I was hungry for dinner and wanted some comfort food and this dinner hit the spot. This is a delicious dinner that can be made on the weekmight after a long day. This chicken is very easy to make and has a nice flavor with few ingredients to it as does the salad. The salad is very colorful plus you are getting all your nutrients. Make sure you pound your chicken into thin cutlets so they all cook evenly and nobody gets any uncooked chicken.