Greek Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad

Dressing:
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons dried Oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic or garlic powder
Freshly cracked Pepper
Salt to taste

Salad:
1 lb box of Tricolor Rotini Pasta - cooked and cooled
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into wedges
1 red onion, minced
1 small red bell peppers, seeded, deribbed and thinly sliced crosswise into rings
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced across the stalk
1/2 lb Feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
20 Kalamata olives, halved
2-3 tablespoons of the juice from the olives

To make the dressing, in a bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Set aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cucumber, celery, onion, Feta Cheese, olives, juice and bell peppers. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently to mix. For the best result, we make the salad the night before to allow everything to marry together before serving. 

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Fettuccine Salad

I used to LOVE getting this at Souper Salad back when they were open... and this is a really good copy-cat version.

Fettuccine Salad

8 oz Fettuccini, cooked & drained
1/2 cup Mayonnaise (I used Hellman's, but just make sure it's real mayo)
1/2 cup Frozen Corn
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated (I used fresh Parm and my Microplane - but I'd get the powder)
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Pepper
Salt to taste

Mix all together in a large bowl while the noodles are warm. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!Pin It Now!

Caesar Pasta Salad

Caesar Pasta Salad
Courtesy of: A Bountiful Kitchen (via Pinterest)

1 pound Pasta (I used veggie spirals)
1 package Grape Tomatoes, halved
1 head Romaine, chopped
1 half pint Grated Parmesan (I went for the good stuff from the deli)
1 bottle Girard's Caesar Dressing
1 package croutons (I used Texas Toast Caesar Croutons)

Boil the pasta according to the package directions, drain and rinse with cold water. I then put it in the fridge for a couple hours until it was cold.

Just before you're ready to serve the salad: in a large bowl - mix the pasta with about 1/2 of the bottle of salad dressing. Add in the halved tomatoes, chopped lettuce, Parmesan, and croutons. Mix well, and add more dressing as needed.

For another fun serving idea - you could mix everything except the lettuce... leave the leaves whole, and pile the pasta and tomatoes on the leaves.Pin It Now!

Autumn Chopped Salad

Autumn Chopped Salad
Adapted from: Espresso and Cream

6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium pears, chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Balsamic Vinaigrette (we used Brianna's Home Style dressing)

Chop all of the lettuce, pears, pecans, bacon, and feta into very small pieces. Combine in a bowl for mixing. Pour the dressing over the top and toss with the dressing.

The original recipe also added in dried cranberries and used a dressing mix of 70% poppy seed dressing mixed with 30% of the vinaigrette. We personally aren't huge fans of dried cranberries or poppy seed dressing so I left those out of our salad.

We really enjoyed this salad combination, and will be making it again sometime soon!
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Strawberry Jello Salad

I've made this for my work Thanksgiving party, and then again for Thanksgiving Day too.

Strawberry Jello Salad
Courtesy of an old family recipe

1 large package strawberry jello (I use sugar free)
2 cups boiling water
1 package frozen strawberries
1/2 pint sour cream (I think that I use the whole pint)
2 riped bananas, mashed
1 big can crushed pineapple, drained well
1 cup chopped pecans
1 container of whipped cream

Dissolve jello in water. Add strawberries and stir until thawed. Add bananas and pineapple. Pour 1/2 of the mixture into a 13 x 9 inch pan. Let set up in refrigerator until firm. Place the bowl with the other 1/2 of the jello mixture in the refrigerator as well.

Mix the sour cream and the pecans together. Spread on first layer of jello. Pour the rest of the jello mixture on top of the sour cream layer. Refrigerate until firm.

Spread the whipped cream on the top. Serve and enjoy!

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Fruity Spinach Salad

(Photo from Taste of Home.com)

Yet another salad that makes me drool right now... pregnancy might just be VERY good for my diet! Because protein is important to me right now - I'd likely either have a side of grilled chicken with this, or toss it into the salad.

Fruity Spinach Salad

Courtesy of Taste of Home.com

Servings: 8

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 package (12 ounces) frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed and undrained
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 package (9 ounces) fresh spinach, torn
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 large banana, sliced
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  
  
• In a large bowl, whisk the first five ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in thawed strawberries and poppy seeds.
• Place spinach on individual salad plates. Arrange the fresh strawberries, banana and avocado over spinach. Top with green onions and dressing. 

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 214 calories, 13 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 29 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 2 g protein.

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Garlic Cheese Croutons

Garlic Cheese Croutons
Courtesy of Cypress Family Fellowship Recipe Party 2009

1 loaf sourdough bread cut into bite sized squares
olive oil
garlic powder
parmesan cheese

Place bread pieces in a large flat pan, drizzle with olive oil, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. Stir and place in 200 degree oven for at least 1 hour or until golden brown. Stir every 15 minutes. Place in an airtight container until use.Pin It Now!

Sweet and Crunchy Broccoli Salad

Sweet and Crunchy Broccoli Salad
Courtesy of Cypress Family Fellowship Recipe Party 2009

1 package Ramen Noodles, broken up into pieces (without seasoning packet)
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup pecans
1 bunch romaine lettuce, in bite sized pieces
1 stalk broccoli, chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste

Saute noodles and nuts in butter until lightly browned. (Add the nuts to the pan a few minutes after the noodles) Cool on a paper towel. Mix together with the lettuce and broccoli. Add dressing just before serving.Pin It Now!

Spinach Berry Salad

Spinach Berry Salad
Courtesy of Jenn Bettis

Baby Spinach (for the two of us - I used about 1/3 of a bag of baby spinach)
Strawberries, halved (about 3 berries per person)
Blue Berries (about 6-8 per person)
Feta Cheese
Pecans
Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette

I don't know if this salad dressing is regional - because it is made in a small town not far from us... but if you can't find it - use your favorite vinaigrette dressing instead. A rasberry vinaigrette would work pretty well here too.

I simply layer all the ingredients into a bowl and serve.

If I were serving more than just the two of us - I'd go ahead and mix the dressing into the bowl just before serving and toss a bit to coat.

This truly is a refreshing summer/spring salad that you can enjoy as a side dish or throw some cold chicken on and have as a meal.Pin It Now!

Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa
Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

1 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 cup peeled, diced cucumber
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Combine the mango, cucumber, jalapeno, red onion, lime juice and cilantro leaves and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.Pin It Now!

Summer Fruit Salad

Summer Fruit Salad
Courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine
Yield: 20 Servings

1 medium honeydew melon, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 medium cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
2 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
2 medium nectarines, sliced
1 cup seedless red grapes
1 cup halved fresh strawberries
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
2 medium kiwi fruit, peeled, halved and sliced
2 medium firm bananas, sliced
1 large granny smith apple, cubed
1 can (12 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix

In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Just before serving, stir in the bananas and apple. Combine lemonade concentrate and pudding mix; pour over fruit and toss to coat.

I served in wine glasses with a bit of whipped cream on the top.Pin It Now!

Chicken Fajita Salad

First off, let me just say this is not the photo that I took... but it's something.

Chicken Fajita Salad

Courtesty of my teeny brain

I made enough chicken for 4 salads, but the rest of the measurements are for each salad... you might want to add a little more or less of some ingredients based on your tastes and hunger levels.

2 chicken breasts (I planned on 1/2 a breast for each meal for myself)

1 bottle Wishbone Italian salad dressing

1/4 head romaine lettuce per serving (more if you have big eaters)

1/4 roma tomato per serving

2 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese per serving

3 teaspoons homemade guacamole per serving (recipe at bottom)

2 teaspoons sour cream per serving
1 teaspoon salsa per serving (I used one called Hell on the Red in the mild version)

Marinate the chicken in the Italian salad dressing for a couple of hours - up to a day depending on your tastes.

Since my grillmaster isn't eating solid foods - I took the liberty of putting the chicken on a broiling pan and baking for about 30 minutes at 350 - then it switched it over to broil at 400 for another 15 minutes or so. (Just until the edges browned up a bit)

To make the guacamole - we used two avocadoes, one chopped roma tomato, 1/4 of a medium onion chopped, a little salt & pepper, and the juice of one fresh lime. Mash the avocadoes and mix in the rest of the ingredients in a bowl... taste for perfection. We sometimes need to add more lime juice, but this time our lime was really juicy.

I mixed the guacamole, sour cream and salsa into a thick dressing like mixture... to mix with the other ingredients whenever I am ready to have my salad (grab and go!) . The dressing is in small individual containers as I have enough for 4 salads throughout this week.

Slice the chicken breasts, and in my case - I put the slices in individual containers for grab and go.

In another bowl - add the Romaine, tomatoes, and cheese... add the chicken slices on top, and mix with dressing mixture.

Enjoy!

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Chicken Egg Salad

Chicken Egg Salad
Adapted from LivingAfterWLS 5 Day Pouch Test Recipe

Yield: 2 servings of 1 cup

1 cup chopped rotisserie chicken (You could use turkey or canned chicken)
4 eggs, hard boiled, chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup homemade Italian salad dressing (or any vinaigrette of your choice)
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
1 tablespoon pickle juice
1 tablespoon yellow mustard

Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, salad dressing, dill pickle relish, pickle juice, and yellow mustard in a small bowl. In a large bowl, mix chopped chicken, eggs, onion, and celery. Mix the dressing into the chicken mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

I had two servings, and packed them into my own small tupperware dishes for chilling.

This would be great as a sandwich/pita, or as a light lunch served over lettuce with a side of fruit or yogurt.

Looks yummy, doesn't it?

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Feta Chicken Salad

Feta Chicken Salad
Adapted from LivingAfterWLS 5 Day Pouch Test Recipes

This is a recipe that is allowed on Day 3, soft proteins, but I made it my own. I really love the flavors of a greek salad, so I added a few extras to make this taste more like that.

3 cups cooked chicken, chopped (I used rotisserie chicken from the store, but the recipe says you can use canned chicken)
1/2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 green onion, sliced
1 roma tomato, diced (grape tomatoes would be a great substitute here)
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
6 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup greek vinaigrette (I make my own)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon kalmata olive juice (if you like the actual olives - they'd be great in this)
salt & pepper
*next time I might add a bit of cucumber to round out the greek salad theme... or maybe some capers.

In a large serving bowl, mix together the chicken, celery, red onion, bell pepper, tomato, feta, and olives if you choose to add them. In a separate bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinaigrette, oregano, and olive juice - stir to blend. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving.

This made me 4 servings at 1 loosely filled cup each...

Serving: I think it would be great in a pita or as a sandwich too, if you're able to eat bread. You could also serve it over lettuce with a side of fresh fruit or greek yogurt... that would make a yummy light lunch.

Want a bite?

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Cranberry Salad

Cranberry Jello Salad
Courtesy of my friend Dara

2 (3 oz) boxes of Strawberry Jello (you could use Sugar Free)
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cup sugar (you could use Splenda)
1 bag cranberries
1 orange
1/2 the zest from the orange
6 apples

Grate apples, cranberries, and orange in a food processor. In a large bowl dissolve jello and sugar in boiling water. Mix grated fruit with the jello mixture, and put in the refrigerator until set.Pin It Now!

Pappadeaux Greek Salad

Pappadeaux Greek Salad
Courtesy of the internet - I've had this recipe for a while - so I don't know exactly where to give the credit.

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons dried Oregano
Freshly cracked Pepper
1 clove Garlic, finely minced (optional)

3 cups torn assorted salad greens such as romaine, escarole, or frisée
4 small ripe Tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into wedges
1 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
2 small green bell peppers, seeded, deribbed and thinly sliced crosswise into rings
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced across the stalk
1/2 lb Feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
20 Kalamata olives
Capers (optional)
6-10 large shrimp, boiled and peeled (typically the restaurant puts two per salad)

To make the dressing, in a bowl, stir together the Olive oil, lemon juice, Oregano, cracked Pepper to taste, and the Garlic, if using. Set aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine the greens, Tomatoes, cucumber, celery, onion and bell peppers. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently to mix.

Sprinkle the Feta cheese, capers and olives over the top and serve. (I mix the Feta and Olives in before I toss so that everything is coated in the dressing.)Pin It Now!

Tomato & Feta Salad

Tomato & Feta Salad
Courtesy of Lacy

2-3 cups of sliced cherry tomatoes (I might use a regular tomato, but I'm not a fan of cherry ones)
1 cup of diced cucumber (personally - I might use Avocado here instead of cucumber)
1/2-1/4 cup of feta cheese
1/2 cup diced green onions or shallots
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients till the veggies and cheese are coated.

I make a lot of greek salads, and lots of my own salad dressings from scratch. This is very close to what I'd do only I'd add some red wine vinegar and some dijon mustard to the mix.Pin It Now!

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Courtesy of Cypress Family Fellowship Women's Recipe Party
Yield 6 to 8 servings

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Garnish: fresh rosemary

Coat a large roasting pan with cooking spray; toss together sweet potatoes an 1 tablespoon oil in pan. Bake, uncovered, at 450 for 40-45 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender and roasted, stirring after 30 minutes.

Whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, honey, and the next 5 ingredients in a serving bowl. Add warm potatoes, and toss gently. Cool. Garnish, if desired.Pin It Now!

Ziti Salad

Ziti Salad with Spinach and Three Cheeses

Courtesy of Cheryl



1 pound Ziti or Mastaccioli, cooked according to package directions, drained and rinsed under cold water
1 red bell pepper, julienned
5 cups chopped fresh spinach
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 ounces sliced provolone cheese, julienned
6 slices bacon, cooked, and crumbled

Vinaigrette Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 drops red pepper sauce (Tabasco)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, salt, and red pepper sauce together in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Toss the pasta in a serving bowl with the red pepper, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and provolone cheese.

Toss the vinaigrette dressing with the pasta. Sprinkle bacon over the top.Pin It Now!

Lemon-Grilled Chicken Meal 2

Hearts of Romaine Ceasar Salad with Grilled Chicken
Courtesy of Cooking Light - August 2008 issue

1 large egg (use a pasteurized egg if you have safety concerns)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
2 canned anchovy fillets (you can leave them out, or use the anchovy paste from a tube)
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1 1/3 cup plain croutons
2 heads hearts of romaine lettuce, leaves separated (about 14 ounces)
3 servings Lemon-Grilled Chicken Breasts, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Place egg in a small bowl or coffee mug; cover with boiling water. Let stand 1 minute. Rinse egg with cold water; break egg into a small bowl.

Combine pepper and next 3 ingredients (through garlic) in a mini food processor; process until minced. Add egg and lemon juice; process 1 minute or until thick. Gradually add oil and water, processing until blended.

Combine croutons, lettuce, chicken, and egg mixture in a large bowl; toss gently. Divide salad evenly among 4 plates. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon of the cheese.

Serving suggestion from magazine: Serve with soft breadsticks and cubed cantaloupe mixed with cracked black pepper.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information:
261 calories
10.1 g fat
29.3 g protein
12.5 g carbohydrates
1.8 g fiber
115 mg cholesterol
2.9 mg iron
561 mg sodium
165 mg calciumPin It Now!