Raspberry, Avocado & Mango Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, divided

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar

1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

8 cups mixed salad greens

1 ripe mango, diced (see Tip)

1 small ripe avocado , diced

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup toasted  sliced almonds (see Tip), optional

Directions

1. Puree 1/2 cup raspberries, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender until combined.

2. Combine greens, mango, avocado and onion in a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top and gently toss to coat. Divide the salad among 5 salad plates. Top each with the remaining raspberries and sprinkle with nuts, if using.

Tips:
Tips: To dice a mango:

1. Slice both ends off the mango, revealing the long, slender seed inside. Set the fruit upright on a work surface and remove the skin with a sharp knife.

2. With the seed perpendicular to you, slice the fruit from both sides of the seed, yielding two large pieces.

3. Turn the seed parallel to you and slice the two smaller pieces of fruit from each side.

4. Cut the fruit into the desired shape.

To toast chopped or sliced nuts, heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

Egg-White Muffin Melt

Ingredients

3 egg whites
Whole-grain English muffin
1/2 cup spinach
1 slice reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1 slice tomato


Make It
Scramble 3 egg whites. Cover half of a whole-grain English muffin with 1/2 cup spinach and the other half with 1 oz reduced-fat  mozzarella  cheese; toast until cheese is melted. Add egg and 1 slice tomato.

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Warm Arugula Salad with Chicken & Chevre

 

 

Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

6 cups  arugula, tough stems removed

4   green olives, pitted and quartered

4   large dried dates, pitted and quartered

1   orange, peeled, sectioned and sliced into chunks

1/4 cup  seasoned whole  wheat breadcrumbs

8 ounces  chicken tenders

2 teaspoons  extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons  frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 tablespoon  water

1 tablespoon  cider vinegar

1 tablespoon  Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon  salt

  Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/3 cup  crumbled aged or  fat free feta cheese,

 

Directions

1. Place arugula, olives, dates and orange chunks in a large salad bowl.

2. Place breadcrumbs on a large plate; roll chicken in the breadcrumbs to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; cover and keep warm.

3. Add orange juice concentrate, water and vinegar to the pan. Stir in mustard and let dressing boil for 30 seconds. Add salt and season with pepper to taste. Add half of the warm dressing to the salad; toss gently to mix.

4. Divide the salad between 2 plates. Cut the chicken into thin slices. Top each salad with the chicken, fat free feta cheese  and remaining dressing.

 

Chicken, Charred Tomato & Broccoli Salad

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, or 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (skip Step 1)

4 cups  broccoli florets

1 1/2 pounds  medium tomatoes

2 teaspoons plus 3 tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon  salt

1 teaspoon  freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon  chili powder

1/4 cup  lemon juice

 

 

Directions

1. Place chicken in a skillet or saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, shred with two forks into bite-size pieces.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add broccoli and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.

3. Meanwhile, core tomatoes and cut in half crosswise. Gently squeeze out seeds and discard. Set the tomatoes cut-side down on paper towels to drain for about 5 minutes.

4. Place a large heavy skillet, such as cast-iron, over high heat until very hot. Brush the cut sides of the tomatoes with 1 teaspoon oil and place cut-side down in the pan. Cook until charred and beginning to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Brush the tops lightly with another 1 teaspoon oil, turn and cook until the skin is charred, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate to cool. Do not clean the pan.

5. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in the pan over medium heat. Stir in salt, pepper and chili powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Slowly pour in lemon juice (it may splatter), then remove the pan from the heat. Stir to scrape up any browned bits.

6. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and combine them in a large bowl with the shredded chicken, broccoli and the pan dressing; toss to coat.

Chicken Salad with Strawberry Dressing

 

 

Ingredients

 

8 ounces  thin asparagus, stem ends snapped off, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

1/2 pound  sugar snap peas, stemmed (2 cups) (see Tip)

8 ounces  snow peas, stemmed (2 cups)

2 tablespoons  fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon  almond oil (see Note), or canola oil

1/4 teaspoon  salt

1/4 teaspoon  freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup  chopped scallions

12 ounces  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

2 teaspoons  canola oil

1 teaspoon  salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning

  Fresh Strawberry Dressing, (recipe follows)

1/4 cup  sliced almonds, toasted

4   whole strawberries, for garnish

Directions

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking vegetables. Prepare a grill or preheat broiler.

2. Blanch asparagus, sugar snaps and snow peas in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water to refresh, then blot dry with paper towels. Whisk lemon juice, almond oil (or canola oil), salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the vegetables and scallions; toss to coat.

3. Rub chicken with canola oil and sprinkle with lemon-pepper seasoning. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the chicken and cook until lightly browned and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes per side. (Alternatively, broil the chicken on an oiled broiler pan 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.) Let rest for 5 minutes.

4. Cut the chicken crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Divide the vegetable mixture among 4 plates. Arrange the chicken over the vegetables. Spoon about 3 tablespoons Fresh Strawberry Dressing over each salad. Sprinkle with almonds and garnish each serving with a strawberry. Serve immediately.

Tips:
Tip: Sugar snaps have a fibrous seam on the inside curve. To remove it, grasp the stem protruding from one end and pull it down the inside curve as if you were unzipping the pea.

Note: Almond oil is an unrefined oil pressed from almonds. You can find it in many supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Store it in the refrigerator.

Tip: To oil the grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.

 

 

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Blanch the vegetables up to 4 hours before serving; store in the refrigerator under barely moistened paper towels.

 

Dressing

 

Ingredients

1 cup  strawberries, (6 large berries), rinsed, hulled and sliced

1 tablespoon  balsamic vinegar

3/4 teaspoon  freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon  stevia

1/4 teaspoon  salt

2 tablespoons  almond oil, (see Note) or canola oil

Directions

1. Place strawberries, vinegar, pepper, stevia and salt in a blender or food processor; process until pureed, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides. Add oil and process until smooth.

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Quinoa Chicken Salad

Prep: 20 mins Cook: 20 mins

 

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1/4 cup mint, chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 1 cup diced apple with peel
• 1/2 cup diced red onion

Directions

1. Coat a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Season chicken with the salt and black pepper; cook 8 to 10 minutes a side until cooked through. Cool 2 to 3 minutes, then slice into thin strips.
2. Meanwhile, fill a saucepan with the water and add the quinoa. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork and then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mint, scallions, vinegar, orange juice, orange zest, mustard and oil. Mix in the walnuts, apple, and red onion. Add the quinoa and toss to coat. Serve topped with chicken.

Seared Salmon with Cherry Tomato Sauce

 

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 salmon fillets, skin removed, or shrimp
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to become saucy, about 15 minutes.
4. Cover, keep warm.
5. Season salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.
6. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking.
7. Add the salmon fillets and cook, for 3 minutes.
8. Turn and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 4 to 5 minutes more.
9. Transfer to a serving plate, top with the sauce, and serve.

Broiled Salmon Fillets with Hummus Sauce

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 salmon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup prepared hummus
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat the broiler and set oven rack 4 inches from the heat.
2. Place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil; season with salt and pepper.
3. Broil until just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. To make the sauce, combine the hummus with 5 tablespoons water in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes, then season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
6. Drizzle the sauce over the salmon fillets and serve.

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