Posted by Sammie on July 1st, 2010 |
4 commentsThere are really so many ways to enjoy a good healthy salad. Salad does NOT have to be a big plate of lettuce! I’ve had a couple of requests for different salad recipes so I dug out my salad cookbook for some inspiration to provide you with 4 great salad recipes that are more exciting than the old lettuce salad (but not so crazy you won’t try it LOL)
I’ve come up with 2 poultry salads, 1 seafood and 1 veggie for the different palettes out there!
CHICKEN
I chose this “Asian Chicken Salad” not only for it’s great flavour but also because it uses cabbage as the base ingredient and cabbage is known for it’s wonderful cancer fighting properties. It’s got such a yummy crunch and a great flavour!
Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts (boneless/skinless) cut into bite size pieces
2 tsp soy sauce (or Bragg’s seasoning, it has the same flavour but minimal sodium)
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp safflower oil
1/2 head chinese cabbage
3 scallions (or spring onions) sliced diagonally including green parts
1/4 cup slivered almonds
sesame seeds (optional to garnish)
Dressing
5 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp light soy sauce (or Braggs)
a few drops sesame oil for flavour
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Whisk dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl or cup.
Drizzle the chicken bits with soy sauce and sprinkle with white pepper.
Heat a wok/pan over high heat and add the safflower oil. Stir-fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes or until brown and crisp. Drain on a paper towel and let cool. NOTE: you can also use water for stir-frying purposes. Simply keep a squirt bottle next to the pan to add for “frying”
Arrange the chinese cabbage in your serving dish and place the chicken, almonds, and scallions on top of the cabbage. Remix the dressing and pour over the salad. You may sprinkle with sesame seeds and if you so desire add a few rice noodles on top!
TURKEY
Turkey is the forgotten white meat and a wonderful alternative to chicken. Turkey breast is lean and it cooks well. This recipe incorporates grains and snow peas as the greens!
Ingredients
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup long grain rice
2 tbsp sunflower oil
one large turkey breast cut into thin slices
2 cups snow peas
1/2 cup oyster mushrooms torn into pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp fresh garlic chives (snipped)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Set aside 3 tbsp of chicken stock. Boil the rest in a large pan. Add the rice to the stock and cook for 30 minutes or until cooked. Drain and let cool a little.
While the rice is cooking, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wok or pan. Stir fry the turkey over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until it’s cooked through. Transfer the turkey to a dish and continue to use the pan to cook the snow peas and mushrooms. Stir fry the veggies for 1 minute and then add the reserved chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, covering the vegetables, and let simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove veggies and let them cool a little.
Mix the rice, veggies, turkey, nuts, cilantro and chives in a dish together, then season to taste with the salt and pepper. Drizzle with the remaining oil and the vinegar and serve warm.
SALMON
Salmon is such a great fish as it is rich in omega fatty acids! This warm salmon and mango salad is a pleasure for your tastebuds!
Ingredients
8 red cherry tomatoes
3 oz salmon fillets, skinned and cut into small cubes
1 large mango cut into small chunks
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp soy sauce (Or Braggs)
4 cups of your favorite salad greens
1/2 cucumber, trimmed and sliced into thin sticks
6 scallions (Spring onions) trimmed and chopped
Dressing
4 tbsp low-fat plain yogurt
1 tsp soy sauce (or Braggs)
1 tbsp grated orange rind
Preparation
Cut half of the tomatoes in half and set aside for garnish with half the mango chunks.
Skewer the whole tomatoes, remaining mango and salmon onto 4 kebab sticks. Mix the orange juice and soy sauce together and brush over the kebabs. Let sit for 15 minutes to absorb the flavour and brush once more with the remaining juice mixture.
Arrange the greens on a serving platter with the set aside mango and tomato pieces, cucumber and scallions.
Preheat your oven’s broiler to high and line your broiler rack with foil. Place the kebabs on the broiler rack and brush again with the marinade and broil for 5 to 7 minutes or until the salmon is cooked. Be sure to turn the salmon halfway through cooking and brush the opposite side with the marinade.
Divide the salad over 4 plates, top each with a kebab and drizzle with the dressing (which you can just whisk the ingredients together in a dish)
VEGGIE
Asparagus is one of my favorite veggies and one that is rarely prepared and enjoyed. For that reason alone I couldn’t resist this salad.
Ingredients
8 oz asparagus spears
1 handful corn salad (lambs lettuce)
1 handful arugula (my favorite salad green!)
1 lb ripe tomatoes sliced
12 black olives, pitted and chopped
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
Dressing
1 tsp lemon oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp whole grain mustard
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
Preparation
Steam the asparagus spears for 8 minutes or until tender. Rinse under cold water to prevent them from continuing to cook. Cut into 2 inch pieces.
Arrange the salad greens around a salad platter to form the base of the salad. Place the sliced tomatoes in a circle on top and the asparagus in the center.
Sprinkle the black olives and pine nuts over the top. Shake the dressing ingredients together and drizzle over the salad and serve.
…..And if you’re still not sold on the greens just have this guy make your salad to inspire you to eat up, I mean that’s what I’ll make Seb do 
I hope this gives you a bit of a head start on salad fun and creativity. Bon Appetit!
Always living with passion,
Sammie
