Nutrition: My Favorite Salad Recipes!

Here is a weeks worth of some of my favorite salad recipes to help you on your quest to eat more fruits and vegetables! Remember these can be prepped before hand with mason jars, just remember to put your dressing at the bottom!

Enjoy!

Beans and Rice Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can white corn chipotle corn, drained
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
a small bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped very fine (I used half a large bunch)
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Bring 2 cups water to boil in a saucepan. Add 1 cup rice, 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from heat. Do not take the lid off at any time. Let the rice rest for another 15 minutes, with the lid on at all times. I like to spread the rice then on a cookie sheet for about 5 minutes so it can come to room temperature.

Add corn, beans, green pepper, onions, garlic, cilantro, vinegar, oil and cumin to a large mixing bowl. Mix well to combine. Add rice and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Pear Salad with Walnuts and Feta Recipe

Ingredients
1 bag spring mix salad
2 pears, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup roasted walnuts
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
freshly cracked pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts on single layer in a baking sheet. Roast for 10 – 12 minutes, or until just fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.

Add spring mix to a large bowl. Top with thinly sliced pears, feta cheese and walnuts. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Add freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Toss salad to incorporate all ingredients.

Buffalo Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients

1 head Romaine, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup matchstick cut carrots
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 slices crispy bacon, chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to make thin cutlets
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper
your favorite hot sauce or wing sauce
homemade blue cheese dressing recipe

Blue cheese dressing ingredients

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 clove grated garlic
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
a drop or two of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Preheat grill or skillet. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and paprika. Remove bacon when done. Add chicken to the same skillet and cook until done.

Prepare salad by adding romaine, celery, tomatoes, carrots, blue cheese and cooked bacon to a large bowl.

When chicken is done, slice and add to a large bowl. Toss with hot sauce. Add to salad. Add all ingredients for blue cheese dressing to a bowl and mix well. Drizzle dressing on salad and serve.

Classic Cobb Salad with Red Wine Lemon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

Salad

one large head of romaine or iceberg lettuce
2 lbs chicken breasts, grilled or cooked in leftover bacon grease and chopped
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 lb bacon, chopped and cooked crisp
2 large avocados, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup shredded Monterrey and Colby cheese (or crumbled blue cheese)
salt and pepper

Dressing

1 teaspoon lemon zest
the juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook bacon until crisp. Reserve bacon fat to cook chicken in if desired. Salt and pepper chicken. Grill chicken or cook in bacon fat for extra flavor.

Add lettuce to a large bowl. Top with cooked and chopped chicken, crisp bacon, chopped hard boiled eggs, avocados, onion, tomatoes and cheese.

Combine lemon zest, red wine vinegar and agave syrup for salad dressing to a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil. Add salt and pepper.

Italian Salad and Fresh Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the Salad

1 head of romaine, chopped
1 small jar of pitted Kalamata olives
3 roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 cup sweet and hot salad pepper rings
1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

For the Dressing

a bunch of fresh basil
a bunch of fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 shallot
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:

Add basil, parsley, vinegar and shallot to food processor for dressing. Pulse until blended. Then turn on processor and stream in olive oil. Add salt and pepper and set dressing aside. Add all ingredients for salad to a large bowl. Top with dressing.

Lightened-Up Taco Salad

Ingredients

2 lbs ground turkey
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small can tomato paste
1 – 14 oz can tomatoes with green chilies
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon chili powder (for heat, optional)
1 cup water
olive oil
Shredded lettuce
chopped fresh tomato
freshly chopped cilantro
tortilla chips
light sour cream
salsa

Directions:

Preheat large skillet. Drizzle with olive oil. Add onions and ground turkey. Brown meat. Add all spices and garlic. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes and add beans, tomato paste and canned tomatoes. Add water and stir well. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 – 30 minutes or until thickened.

2. Add tortilla chips to plate, add meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. Top with salsa and light sour cream.

Basil-Balsamic Salmon Salad

Ingredients

1 (3-ounce) pouch or canned wild salmon, drained

2 teaspoons (10 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon (5 ml) balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon (2.5 g) fresh basil cut into thin strips (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)

Accompaniments: whole-grain crackers (my favorites are Ak-Mak and Rye-Vita), vegetable crudités, roasted bell pepper strips

Directions:
Place the salmon, oil, vinegar and pepper in a bowl and stir with a fork, breaking up large chunks of salmon. Sprinkle in the basil. Enjoy immediately or chill for up to 3 days until ready to eat. Serve with accompaniments.