BACON SALAD WITH CRISPY ONIONS

 FOR THE DRESSING

8 thick slices of bacon

3 tablespoons (45 mL) of cider vinegar

1 tablespoon (15 mL) of Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon (15 mL) of honey

¼ teaspoon (1 mL) of salt

Lots of freshly ground pepper

FOR THE SALAD

½ head of iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced or chopped

1 or 2 carrots, shredded

A few radishes, shredded

2 green onions, thinly sliced

A handful of chopped fresh parsley

1 pint (500 mL) of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup (250 mL) of canned crispy fried onions

 Desription

 Begin the dressing by slowly and patiently browning and crisping the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Take your time, and you’ll be rewarded with magnificent bacon crisps and lots of rendered fat. Drain the bacon on paper towels, reserving the fat.

In a festive salad bowl, whisk together up to ⅓ cup (75 mL) of the bacon fat (save the rest to flavor something else), vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Add the lettuce, carrots, radishes, green onions, parsley, and tomatoes. (You may make the salad to this point an hour or two ahead. Cover and chill.)

Just before serving, toss everything together, evenly mixing the flavors, textures and colors. Top with crispy onions and artfully arranged bacon slices. Serve and share!

Chopped Vegetable Salad with Sardines and Toasted Pita Croutons

This dish is inspired by a Middle Eastern salad called fattoush that makes use of day-old pita by toasting it and breaking it into shards to create rustic croutons. Using whole wheat pitas adds not only texture, but also fiber to this fresh-tasting main course salad.

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES / TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES / SERVINGS: 4








Ingredients
2 whole wheat pitas (6″ each) 
2 cups chopped green leaf or romaine lettuce
2 plum tomatoes, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup chopped English cucumber
8 radishes, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
6 scallions, chopped (about 1⁄3 cup)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon ground sumac
3 cans (3.75 ounces each) sardines packed in olive oil, drained
Lemon wedges

1 HEAT the oven to 400°F. Place the pitas on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Break into 1″ pieces when cool enough to handle.

2 COMBINE the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, scallions, parsley, and mint in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and toss. Add the sumac and the pita croutons and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide among 4 plates and top evenly with sardines. Serve with lemon wedges.

NUTRITION (per serving: 2½ cups) 323 calories, 22 g protein, 25 g carbs, 16 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 541 mg sodiu 

Asian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups with Peanut Sauce

Sriracha, a Thai sun-ripened chile sauce with garlic, adds heat and flavor to the salty-sweet peanut dip and can be found in large supermarkets and Asian markets. Regular hot sauce, such as Tabasco, may be substituted.


PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES / TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES / SERVES: 4








 
Ingredients
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
5 tablespoons light coconut milk
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Sriracha or hot sauce
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1¼ cups)
½ large red onion, chopped (about 3⁄4 cup)
1½ pounds ground chicken breast
2 fresh jalapeños, seeded amd chopped (about 1⁄3 cup)
2 tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger (2″ piece)
2 cups shredded carrot Juice of 2 limes (about ¼ cup)
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 small heads Bibb lettuce, stem ends trimmed, leaves separated

1 COMBINE the peanut butter, coconut milk, vinegar, honey, Sriracha, and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce in a small bowl. Finely chop ¼ cup of the peanuts and stir into the sauce. Coarsely chop the remaining peanuts for filling.

2 HEAT the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the chicken, jalapeños, and ginger and cook, crumbling the chicken as you stir, until it is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add the carrot, lime juice, and the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Cook until the carrot is tender and the liquid is reduced by about half, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and the coarsely chopped peanuts. Remove from the heat.

3 DIVIDE the lettuce leaves and chicken mixture among 4 plates. Serve with the sauce.

NUTRITION (per serving: 13⁄4 cups chicken and 2½ tablespoons sauce) 586 calories, 52 g protein, 30 g carbs, 32 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 707 mg sodium

 

BEET-GREEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS
6 beets

sea salt

1 tbsp/15 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Leaves from 2 bunches of beets, roughly chopped

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:

1 tbsp/15 g shallot, finely chopped

2 tbsp/30 ml champagne vinegar

2 tbsp/30 ml fresh orange juice

2 tbsp/30 ml fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp lemon zest

1 tsp/5 g stone-ground mustard

1 tsp/7 g raw honey

sea salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup/60 ml extra-virgin olive oil

2 tomatoes, sliced into 1-inch/2-cm wedges

1 cup/180 g cucumber, half peeled and chopped

SERVES 4

If you include any dairy in your diet, the addition of burrata, a creamy, fresh Italian cheese, elevates this salad to the next level.

 

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F/204°C. Wash, dry and trim beets. Reserve beet greens. Place beets in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 40 minutes. Let the cooked beets cool for 5 minutes. Place a steamer basket in a large pot. Bring a small amount of water to a boil. The water should not come into the basket. Place beet leaves in the basket and steam for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft. Peel the beets by using a paper towel to slide the skin right off. Cut each beet into quarters and set aside.

Make the citrus vinaigrette by mixing all ingredients except olive oil in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Arrange beets, beet greens, tomatoes and cucumbers on 4 separate plates. Sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with citrus vinaigrette.

 /400 Calorie/

Creamy Asian Salad Dressing

 

Asian-inspired salads are a great deal for diets. Many Asian vegetables are very low in calories and this creamy salad dressing with Asian flavorings complements them well

8 ounces (225 g) tofu

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

3 tablespoons (45 ml) balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons (28 ml) low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup (25 g) green onion, chopped

2 tablespoons (28 ml) lemon juice

1/4 cup (60 ml) water

Place tofu slices in a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add remaining ingredients and only as much water as needed to make desired consistency. Process until smooth.

16 SERVINGS

Each with: 11 Calories (31% from Fat, 30% from Protein, 39% from Carb); 1 g Protein; 0 g Total Fat; 0 g Saturated Fat; 0 g Monounsaturated Fat; 0 g Polyunsaturated Fat; 1 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 0 g Sugar; 12 mg Phosphorus; 7 mg Calcium; 68 mg Sodium; 40 mg Potassium; 18 IU Vitamin A; 0 mg ATE Vitamin E; 1 mg Vitamin C; 0 mg Cholesterol