Salad

Avocado Chicken Salad

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Don’t you love it when two of your favorite things come together in perfect harmony?  Things like your favorite song on the radio and being in the car alone, hitting all of the green lights when you’re in a hurry, or the perfect concoction of chicken and avocado?  I know, I know…these things rarely happen, and I’m sorry to say that I can’t help you with the traffic lights.  I can, however, hook you up with the perfect summer combination in this Avocado Chicken Salad!  It’s become one of my favorite summery dinners – especially if I can make it with at least a few of the ingredients right out of my own garden (though I haven’t yet figured out how to grow avocados in the Oklahoma climate).  Everyone in my family goes back for seconds on this dish, and sometimes, when they aren’t looking, I might indulge in a third helping! ~ Tracy

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Ingredients

  • 350 grams of avocado, usually 3 medium avocados
  • ½ c. finely chopped yellow or white onion
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ c. grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • ½ c. cilantro, chopped
  • 2 cups chopped grilled chicken breast
  • Juice of one lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the avocado from the rind.  Discard rind and pit.

Roughly mash the avocado with large fork or potato masher.

Mix all ingredients together, stirring gently.

Serve in your favorite tortilla or wrap.

Makes 4 cups.  Each ½ cup serving is 2 WW Freestyle Points.

Old Country Store Brussels & Kale Slaw

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When I think of salads, I typically think of summer.  This, however isn’t your typical salad.  In fact, it’s more of a slaw… a fall slaw.  I like the sound of that; heck, it almost rhymes.  But not quite.  Anywho, if you’ve ever visited Cracker Barrel Old Country Store for dinner, you may have had their Brussels Sprouts N’ Kale Salad.  If so, this will be very familiar.  I’m not sure what exact ingredients their version has, but I think I hit it pretty close.  Mine has shredded Brussels sprouts, kale, dried cranberries and pecans, just like theirs.  I kicked it up a notch, though, with addition of finely diced apples, red onion, and a maple vinaigrette.  What says Autumn more than apples, pecans, cranberries, and maple?  Nothing, folks.  This is the perfect Autumn/Fall/Holiday Salad/Slaw/Side.   ~Erin

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Ingredients: 

  • 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 c. maple syrup*
  • 2 T. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp. dry ground mustard
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, stems cut off and outer leaves removed, then washed
  • 3 c. chopped kale
  • 2 apples, cored & finely chopped
  • 1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 c. dried cranberries, coarsely chopped (or more if not following WW)
  • 1 oz. pecans, toasted if desired & chopped

Instructions: 

  1. Mix together the first 5 ingredients in a jar with a lid (shake to combine) or a small bowl (whisk to combine).
  2. Shred the Brussels sprouts, preferably using a food processor.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the shredded sprouts with the chopped kale, apple, and onion.
  4. Pour the dressing over top and stir.  I like to add it gradually and stir, so as not to overdress the slaw.
  5. Top with chopped cranberries and pecans.
  6. Chill until ready to serve; toss to redistribute dressing before serving.

WW Freestyle Info.:  This recipe makes 8 1-cup servings at 6 points with regular maple syrup. With sugar free maple syrup, it’s 4 points per 1-cup serving.

Watermelon Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

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I had a watermelon salad in a bistro several years ago while on vacation, and I could not believe how much I loved it (I’m normally not the biggest lover of watermelon). In this salad, though, the chilled watermelon and vinaigrette dressing were exactly what I needed on an unusually hot day in the mountains, and the sweetness of the melon is balanced by the saltiness of the pepitas and feta.  And it had such a gourmet feel to it, as it was absolutely gorgeous.  Impress your summertime guests with this wonderful salad I recreated with my very own, easy peasy vinaigrette that has a bright and beautiful honey citrus flavor.  ~Robin

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Ingredients for dressing:
  • ⅛ c. extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅛ c. lime juice (usually 2 limes)
  • ⅛ c. honey
  • 1 T. balsamic vinegar
Ingredients for salad:
  • 5 oz. bag of spring mix salad
  • heaping ½ c. chopped red onion
  • 2 oz. fat free feta cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ c. salted, roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 10 oz. cubed watermelon
  • 1/4 c. minced cilantro (optional)

Instructions: 

  1. Chill salad mix, watermelon, and limes before you begin to make this recipe nice and cool upon serving.
  2. Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, honey, and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine salad mix, chopped red onion, pepitas, feta, and cilantro (if desired).
  4. Gently lay cubed watermelon on top of salad mix.
  5. Whisk dressing once more and drizzle dressing over salad (I start with about a 1/3 and gradually add a little more…if you over-pour you can be left with a pool of dressing in the bottom. You’ll typically only need about half the dressing or a little less). Points are figured for a little over half the dressing to be on the safe side.
  6. Then gently toss together to coat salad and mix in watermelon.
  7. Serve immediately.

WW Freestyle Info.: Serves 4 and is 4 points per heaping cup.

Italian Tortellini Salad

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I invented this on a Sunday night when I felt like something new. I love the Italian chopped salad at McAlister’s Deli, so I was thinking about that as I started, but I like how it ended up even better if I do say so myself. Its distinctive flavors still go together well. It makes a HUGE amount, so I quickly realized I’d need to share and took most of it to work the next day. I was pleased to find I didn’t even have to try to find a spot in the fridge for it again when I went to put it away at the end of lunchtime since it had all vanished – yay!

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The best part about this recipe, as I face down a 99 degree afternoon, is that it requires no cooking except quickly boiling the tortellini, and it’s served at a nice chilly temp.  This is filling enough to be your dinner or a hearty side or appetizer.  ~Robin 

Ingredients:

  • Buitoni three-cheese tortellini, 1 20 oz. bag
  • 2 medium cucumbers, chopped
  • ½ red onion, diced or thinly sliced (about a cup, sliced)
  • 2 c. of tiny tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size (I love Sunset’s Wild Wonders Gourmet Medley for their variety of colors, but you can snag any grape or cherry tomato variety as well)  
  • 1 c. sliced Kalamata olives (could use green olives too, but I love Kalamata olives)
  • About 4 c. of baby spinach (stems removed)
  • 2 c. hard salami, cubed into ½ in. chunks (about 10 oz. by weight)*
  • 2 c. provolone cheese, cubed into ½ in. chunks (about 10 oz. by weight)
  • 1 c. Ott’s creamy Italian dressing
  • Black pepper, fresh cracked, to taste (optional)

Instructions:

Prepare one package of tortellini according to package instructions, except do not add any olive oil – it would make it harder for the dressing to stick to the pasta later.  Drain very well and set aside to dry further and cool.  

Once pasta is cool enough and well-drained, add all other ingredients except tomatoes, black pepper, dressing, and olives; then mix. Add tomatoes, olives, pepper (if desired), and dressing, gently tossing until mixed well and salad is coated with dressing throughout. Chill & serve.  

*My deli counter sliced the salami and cheese into ½ inch thick slices so I was able to simply chop it into cubes from there…big time saver!  This salami from the deli is SO much better than the lunch meat slices you may have been tortured with by a well-meaning relative as a child. I thought I didn’t like salami all my life, but it turned out I just hadn’t had the right salami.  Give salami a chance! Unless you’re one of our vegetarian friends, in which case you can save a couple bucks instead.  🙂 

Ramen Noodle Salad

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My boys were fortunate enough to go to daycare in the home of a wonderful woman.  Brenda taught them how to tie their shoes and to love foods they wouldn’t otherwise have tried.  If only she could have taught them to take long naps…but, alas, no one could manage that.  One of those foods was what the boys referred to as Ramen Noodle Salad. It’s now a favorite at picnics and family gatherings. ~Tracy

Ramen Noodle Salad Pic 2Ingredients for Salad:

  • 1 bag cole slaw mix
  • 3 to 4 green onions, sliced
  • 2 T. shelled sunflower seeds or toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 pkg. beef Ramen noodles (seasoning and noodles are used separately)

Ingredients for Dressing:

  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
  • seasoning packet from beef Ramen noodles
  • 2 T. sugar
  • 3 T. white vinegar
  • ½ c. vegetable oil

Instructions: 

Pour cole slaw mix into large mixing bowl.  Add onions and sunflower/sesame seeds. Stir to combine.

In small bowl or a large measuring cup, combine the seasoning packet from the noodles, salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar, and oil.  Mix well.  An easy way to perform this step is to place all of the dressing ingredients into a mason jar; seal it tightly and shake well.

Pour the dressing over the cole slaw mixture and stir to combine.

Crush the dry Ramen noodles into small pieces.  Sprinkle crushed noodles* over the slaw mixture and gently fold them in so they’re mixed throughout but not pulverized — you’ll want them to remain intact for the crunch factor.

*If preparing ahead of time, be sure to avoid soggy noodles by adding them to the salad right before serving.