Salads

1) Corn and Bean Salad: I love this one! 1-15oz can whole corn (rinsed), 1-15oz can low-sodium garbanzo beans (rinsed), 1 medium tomato chopped, 1-2 green onions chopped (green and white parts), juice of 1 lemon, 2 tsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss all ingredients together and chill. Makes 6 servings at about 100 calories per serving. I like this one with either chicken or shrimp. **Note: Whenever I dress a salad I make sure to use good quality oils to enhance the overall flavor. For cooking it doesn't matter as much.

2) Curry Chicken-Papaya Salad: Toss together 4oz grilled chicken breast, 1/2 a medium papaya, 2-3 tbsp greek fat-free yogurt, 1/2 to 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tbsp lemon juice, pepper and salt to taste. 1 tbsp of raisins is a good addition to this one. Without raisins: 226 calories, 3.3g fat, 30g protein, 21g carbs, 580mg sodium. With raisins: 256.3 calories, 3.3g fat, 30.3g protein, 28.6g carbs, 581mg sodium.

3) Beet, Tomato, and Onion Salad: 1-15oz can beets (rinsed), 1 medium tomato, 1/2 a medium onion thinly sliced and rinsed thoroughly. Mix ingredients in a salad bowl and condiment with 1-2 tsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp fig vinegar (or another flavor), salt and pepper. Toss and serve! Serves 2 to 3 people as a side (289 calories total for everything). Omit the beets and use white vinegar to have another great salad!

4) KFC Coleslaw: An NS member posted this recipe a while back and I like how it comes out and want to keep it handy. Use 1 pkg. Classic Cole Slaw Mix (or 8 Cups very finely chopped cabbage and 1/4 Cup shredded carrot), 2 tbsp minced onions, 1/3 cup Splenda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1/4 cup fat-free milk, 1/2 cup fat-free or low-fat mayo or Miracle Whip, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar, and 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice. Serves 8.

• Be sure that the cabbage, carrots, and onions are chopped up into very fine pieces (about the size of rice kernals).
• Combine Splenda, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, and lemon juice, and beat until smooth.
• Add the cabbage, carrots and onions to the dressing. Mix well.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
• The critical part of this cole slaw recipe is the flavor-enhancement period prior to eating. Be absolutely certain the cole slaw sits in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours prior to serving for a great-tasting slaw.

5) Fruity Chicken Salad: 3 cups of salad greens (I like spinach), 1/2 cup strawberries sliced thin, 1/4 banana sliced thin (or a few grapes halved), 3 oz cooked chicken cubed, 1/2 tbsp pine nuts (toasted with cooking spray in a skillet), 1/2 oz herbed goat cheese, 1/2 tbsp fig or rasberry vinegar, 1/2 tsp canola oil, salt and pepper. Toss and serve cold. 289 calories, 12.7g fat, 27.1g protein, 20.2g carbs, 536mg sodium (w/o salt).

6) Apple Coleslaw: This is actually supposed to be apple and pears, but I made it with just apples. 1-2 large apples peeled and sliced thin, 1 bag of coleslaw (shredded cabbage and carrots), 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar, 2 tsp brown sugar substitute (or 2 tbsp brown sugar), 2 tsp poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Whisk the vinegars, sugar, seeds, salt and pepper to make the dressing and pour over the cabbage and apples. Mix well and let refrigerate an hour or so before serving. This makes quite a bit of slaw.

7) Spinach and Spring Mix Salad: This is very basic but my staple almost every day. I toss in baby spinach and spring mix (or just baby spinach), 1 tsp minced garlic, 1-2 tsp of olive oil, 1 to 2 tbsp of vinegar (either mix of fig vinegar and white or just white), and salt. Mixed well and voila! Makes 2 servings. I occasionally sub the baby spinach and spring mix for butter lettuce or watercress with everything else remaining the same.

8) Grilled Salad: I only make this when there are leftover grilled veggies from the previous night's dinner. Firmer vegetables like asparagus or carrots work great. I also use grilled onions, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. Just grill the veggies with a little olive oil and seasonings for dinner. With the leftovers, cut them into bite-sized pieces and drizzle with 1/2 tsp olive oil, 1-2 tsp vinegar, some salt and pepper. Toss together and serve.