salad recipe

Summer Entertaining Salads

May 21, 2013 at 12:25 pm
By Guest Blogger

By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD

You know the usual suspects at all the backyard barbeque: burgers, chicken, potato salad, chips and dip. Add a pop of creativity—and health—to your next summer soiree by throwing together a colorful veggie-inspired salad.

With the help of The Dole Taste of Spain Salads, I am posting 31 salad recipes throughout the month of May—enough for a different salad every day. This week, the 7 featured recipes are perfect for summer entertaining and sharing with friends.

Below are salad recipes and some healthy entertaining tips to give your party a punch of flavor, creativity and nutrition. Enjoy!

Spinach Salad with Grilled Peaches & Goat Cheese

ENTERTAINING TIP: Serve grilled fruit in a salad and/or as a dessert with a scoop of fro-yo. Fruits that grill well include peaches, plums, nectarines, pineapple and bananas.
INGREDIENTS

• 3 peaches, halved and pitted
• Cooking spray
• 1 package (6 ounces) DOLE Baby Spinach
• 6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill (or grill pan) over medium heat.
2. Mist peaches with cooking spray.
3. Grill peaches flesh side down for 4 minutes (until grill marks appear & they easily come off grill grates).
4. Flip and grill another 3 minutes (until tender).
5. Let peaches cool and then cut each peach half into 6 slices.
6. Toss spinach with vinegar, salt and pepper. Top with peaches, goat cheese and pecans.

Serves 6. Serving size: 1.5 cups. 110 calories and 6g fat per serving.

Here are  more Summer Entertaining Salad recipes. Check back next week for a new round of salads!

Toasted Pita & Bean Salad
ENTERTAINING TIP: Have a vegetarian option for those with special dietary needs. This is a filling veggie-friendly salad for your non-meat eating guests.

Mexican Coleslaw
ENTERTAINING TIP: Serve slaw as a side on its own or as a nutritious & crunchy burger or fish taco topper.

Grilled Smokey Eggplant Salad 
ENTERTAINING TIP: Get your veggies party-ready by dressing them up with flavorful herbs & spices – this salad uses smoky paprika for a Spanish-flare.

Banh Mi Chopped Salad 
ENTERTAINING TIP: Entertain guests with an Asian inspired salad – have chopsticks available for those who want a more interactive & authentic experience.

Tempeh Taco Salad 
ENTERTAINING TIP: Lighten up your fiesta by serving a taco salad instead of tacos. Tempeh is a simple & healthy vegetarian swap for ground beef.

Orzo Salad with Artichoke, Tomato, Red Onion & Capers
ENTERTAINING TIP: Change up your standard pasta salad by swapping to a different pasta shape & vary your veggies. This recipe uses orzo pasta tossed with Mediterranean flavors.

About the Author: Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports nutrition based in Chicago. She is the author of The Flexitarian Diet. Dawn is working with Dole throughout the month of May to inspire more salad eating.

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Superfood Salads

May 13, 2013 at 4:00 pm
By Guest Blogger

By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD

Superfoods help keep us healthy and youthful. They potentially fight diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease and may even help slow the aging process. So what better foods to toss into your salads?

With the help of The Dole Taste of Spain Salads, I am posting 31 salad recipes throughout the month of May — enough for a different salad every day. This week, the 7 featured recipes have a Mediterranean vibe and are packed with suprfoods.

These salads are high in flavor, easy on the waistline and will supercharge your health and energy so you can enjoy all the activities summer has to offer from volleyball to paddle boarding to playing frisbee on the beach.

Southern Spanish Market Salad

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Avocado. Avocados are worshiped for their heart healthy unsaturated fat, filling fiber (14 grams per avocado!) and essential nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K and folate.

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 package (11.3 oz.) DOLE All-Natural Ultimate Caesar Kit
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1 avocado, peeled, and cut into chunks
• 1 medium bell pepper, cut into short thin strips
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 anchovy fillets (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine all DOLE® All-Natural Ultimate Caesar Kit ingredients except Caesar Dressing. Add olives, avocado, bell pepper, balsamic vinegar and toss with dressing.
2. Transfer salad to shallow bowls or plates and garnish each with an anchovy fillet, if desired.
3. Family Friendly Suggestion: So you’re a poultry person…no problem! Try swapping anchovies for a half-cup of pulled or diced cooked chicken to add extra protein that pairs just as easily with olives, cheery bell peppers and balsamic.

Serves 4. Serving size: 1/4 salad. 252 calories and 19g fat per serving.

Here are  more Superfood Salad recipes. Check back next week for a new round of salads!

Seville Potato Verde

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Potatoes. Potatoes contain resistant starch, which is a compound that works overtime to help you feel fuller longer. Also, potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium.

Raspberry Avocado & Mango 

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Raspberries. Raspberries are loaded with anti-cancer and anti-inflammation compounds. Plus they are a low-cal, high nutrition way to curb a sweet tooth.

Beet Salad w/ Citrus Goat Cheese

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Beets. Thanks to a unique pigment, called betalain, biting into a beet provides antioxidants, reduces inflammation and may help flush toxins out of the body. Beets are also rich in blood pressure lowering nitrates.

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Broccoli. Raw broccoli provides high amounts of immune-boosting vitamin C and bone-beneficial vitamin K.

Endless Summer 3-Bean Salad

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Beans. Beans provide protein, heart smart fiber and energy enhancing iron. Beans also help keep cholesterol in check and blood sugar balanced.

Caprese Chopped Salad 

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Tomatoes. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants (particularly the trifecta of carotinoids: lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin) which may improve the health of particularly your eyes and heart.

About the Author: Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports nutrition based in Chicago. She is the author of The Flexitarian Diet. Dawn is working with Dole throughout the month of May to inspire more salad eating.

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Super-Satisfying Salads

May 7, 2013 at 9:55 am
By Guest Blogger

By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD

As summer approaches, we start craving fresh foods. Hello healthy salad season—and just in time to help us slim down for summer!

With the help of Dole Salads, I am posting 31 delicious and simple salad recipes throughout the month of May—enough for a different salad every day.

Here’s the thing about salad: If you make one that’s too light, you’ll be hungry in an hour. But add the wrong ingredients, and your salad can have more calories and fat than a burger and fries. The trick to making a healthy salad that’s a satisfying meal is in the ratio of ingredients.

This the general equation for the perfect entrée salad:

2-3 cups veggies
+
3/4 cup or 3 ounces cooked protein
(~150 calories; beans, egg, turkey, tuna, etc.)
+
3/4 cup cooked grain or starchy carb
(~150 calories; brown rice, whole grain pita, quinoa, baguette, etc.)
+
2-3 Tablespoons fat
(~100 calories; dressing, cheese, nuts, etc.)

Each of this week’s salads has the perfect ratio of ingredients to fill you up without weighing you down. Try one for dinner tonight!

Garden Tapas with Tuna
Who says a salad has to be served in a bowl? This one is served on top of thinly sliced baguette pieces…

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package (6 oz.) DOLE Tender Garden, coarsely chopped
• 2 (2.6 oz.) pouches chunk tuna or 1 (5 oz.) can chunk light tuna in water, drained
• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped pimento
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons bottled capers, drained
• 1 hard-boiled egg, coarsely chopped
• Juice from 1 medium lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 (8 oz.) baguette French bread, cut into 12 slices, toasted
• Salt and pepper, to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, mix and toss all ingredients together thoroughly, except baguette. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.
2. Top bread slices with salad mixture.
3. Transfer to plates and season with fresh pepper, if desired.

Serves 4. Serving size: 1/4 salad. 317 calories and 7g fat per serving.

Here are  more Super-Satisfying Salad recipes. Check back next week for a new round of salads!

• Mediterranean Salad with Grapes and Sausage
• Miso-Garlic-Roasted Tofu Caesar Salad
• Quinoa Salad with Shrimp, Mango and Butter Lettuce
• Bulgur, Chickpea, Pistachio Salad
• Peanut Tempeh Thai Salad
• Grains & Greens Salad with Hummus Dressing

About the Author: Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports nutrition based in Chicago. She is the author of The Flexitarian Diet. Dawn is working with Dole throughout the month of May to inspire more salad eating.

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Flat-Belly Salads

May 1, 2013 at 11:30 am
By Guest Blogger

By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD

Happy May! Beach season is right around the corner, so now’s the time to get bikini ready with some delicious and nutritious salad recipes. That’s right—you can eat your way to flatter abs!

With the help of Dole salads and in honor of National Salad Month, I am going to give you yummy, healthy and simple salad recipes every week this month for a total of 31 recipes—enough for a different salad every day. You’ll give your taste buds a treat (no boring salads here!), get more veggies and reach your better-body goals.

Each of the salads below has ingredients proven to help you slim down and fight belly fat. Dig in and you’ll be rocking a two-piece on the beach in no time!

Blue Watermelon Feta Salad
Flat-Belly Ingredient Spotlight: Watermelon
Watermelon has high water content and research shows foods with high water content may help you naturally eat hundreds less calories per meal.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 bag (5oz) Dole arugula
• 1 cup cubed watermelon
• 1/2 cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix lime juice, onion and feta until combined.
2. Toss with arugula.
3. Top with watermelon and blueberries.
4. Culinary Notes: Mixing the lime juice with the onions mellows the onions’ flavor. For a quick dressing anytime, mix your favorite citrus juice with your favorite shredded/crumbled cheese.

Serves 2. Serving size: 3 cups. 130 calories and 5g fat per serving.

Here are  four more Flat-Belly Salad recipes. Check back next week for a new round of salads!

Mango Salad with Ginger Raisin Vinaigrette
Flat-Belly Ingredient Spotlight: Red Wine Vinegar
Vinegar at meals may help increase feelings of fullness, decrease calorie intake by about 70 calories per meal, improve blood sugars after meals and lead to less body fat over time.

Fresh Fruit Salad with Baby Spinach and Yogurt Poppy Seed Dressing
Flat-Belly Ingredient Spotlight: Pineapple
Pineapple contains bromelain, which improves digestion and decreases post-meal bloating.

Granada Seafood Salad
Flat-Belly Ingredient Spotlight: Sardines
Sardines contain omega-3 fat which may control appetite, increase calorie burning and decrease the amount of fat your body stores.

Spinach Salad w/ Thousand Island Yogurt Dressing
Flat-Belly Ingredient Spotlight: Mushrooms
Mushrooms are the only plant-based source of vitamin D, which research suggests may aid in the loss of belly fat.

About the Author: Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports nutrition based in Chicago. She is the author of The Flexitarian Diet. Dawn is working with Dole throughout the month of May to inspire more salad eating.

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The Stiletto Chef’s Recipes are Healthy and “Pretty Delicious”

August 17, 2011 at 10:48 am
By FITNESS Intern

Skip diet food and still look slim? Yes, please! Candice Kumai, a past Top Chef contestant and current co-host of Lifetime’s Cook Yourself Thin, brought her guilt-free culinary creations to life in her new cookbook for a “healthy, happy new you.”

While thumbing through the gorgeous pages of Pretty Delicious, you’ll find more than just drool-worthy photos. You’ll learn from the former-model-turned-chef about foods with benefits (or FWBs, as Candice calls them), skinny ingredient swaps and frugal tips. Her insight is easy on your waist and wallet—can’t beat that!

We put a few of her mouthwatering recipes to the test and had to share one of our favorites with you.

Asparagus Ribbon, Sweet Corn and Cress with Pom Vinaigrette

Serves 4

For vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup pure pomegranate juice
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

For salad:

• 1 bunch watercress, thick stems discarded
• 1 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off
• ¼ cup corn kernels—fresh, frozen (thawed) or canned (rinsed)

To make vinaigrette, whisk the vinegar, mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Add the pomegranate juice and olive oil and whisk to combine. Set aside.

To make the salads, divide the watercress among plates. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus spears into thin ribbons and add some to each serving. Top with the corn and sprinkle lightly with some of the vinaigrette (save some to pass at the table).

Nutriton Information Per Serving: 65 calories, 3 g fat (0.5 saturated), 3 g protein, 2 g fiber, 5 g sugars, 239 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrates, 0 mg cholesterol

For six more recipes from Candice, check out “Fast Food” in our September issue—on newsstands now!

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Guilt-Free (and Delicious!) Salad Dressing Recipes

June 27, 2011 at 11:14 am
By Karla Walsh

So when I met with the Whole Foods Market “Health Starts Here” team last week and heard about their oil-free dressings, I of course had to ask for a recipe or two to try—and share with all of you!

Strawberry Balsamic
Serves 8

Strawberries are in season and tasting great. Add them to your salad, then drizzle some of this on top for additional berry flavor!

• 2/3 cup sliced strawberries
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 shallot, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender with 1/4 cup water. Mix until smooth.

Nutrition facts per serving (about 2 tablespoons): 15 calories, 0 g. fat

Low-Fat Caesar
Serves 8

One serving of the average Caesar dressing has at least 150 calories and 15 grams of fat per serving. Swapping this salad dressing for the typical one everyday for a month? A simple way to drop a full pound.

• 2/3 cup (about 5 oz.) firm silken tofu
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons light soy or chickpea miso
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Mix until smooth.

Nutrition facts per serving (about 2 tablespoons): 25 calories, 0.5 g. fat (0 g. saturated fat)

Now tell us: What salad ingredients do you love to add to your bowl to fill you up without filling you out?

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Celebrate May’s Most Nutritious Recipes

May 18, 2011 at 2:23 pm
By Karla Walsh

May is the proud to host holidays such as Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day, but there are plenty of other lesser-known (but perfectly legitimate) reasons to celebrate. Did you know that May is National Salad, Hamburger and Strawberry Month? Well now you do!

To mark each of these occasions, we’re rounding up our favorite recipes in each of those categories. Mix and match a few for a well-balanced meal—we’ve provided options for appetizers, main meals, desserts and beverages. (Note: We don’t recommend that you try mixing all of these themes into one dish with a strawberry salad-topped burger, however!)

Mix up your salads. . .

Flip for these hamburgers. . .

• Ultimate Burger: Lemon zest adds zing! (438 calories, 19 g. fat)
• Burger with Feta and Spinach: A fancy meat-free option. (389 calories, 12 g. fat)
• Thai Turkey Burgers: The American favorite gets an exotic twist. (389 calories, 13 g. fat)

Pick strawberries. . .

• Fresh Strawberry Dressing: Ideal as a sweet salad topper! (26 calories, 2 g. fat)
• Strawberry Coconut Daiquiri: A cool cocktail for the adults. (112 calories, 0 g.fat)
• Strawberries with Lemon Curd: Try berries as the center of your dessert, rather than custard or ice cream. (120 calories, 5 g. fat)

For more delicious seasonal recipes, check out “Summer Fare” in our June issue—on newsstands now!

Now tell us: What’s the best homemade meal you’ve whipped up lately?

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