Pretty Delicious Salad Recipes

The skinny caesar

Serves 4

croutons

1/2 whole wheat baguette

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Dressing

1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad

2 romaine lettuce hearts

1 can (14 ounces) hearts of palm, rinsed and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 Fuji apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Asian Almonds (page 55)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
To make the croutons: Preheat the oven to 375F. Slice the baguette on
the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place the bread slices on a rimmed
baking sheet and brush one side with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt
and garlic powder and bake until both sides are golden brown, about 12
minutes total, turning the croutons over midway through. Set aside to
cool.
To make the dressing: Whisk the yogurt, oil, mustard, vinegar, lemon
juice, garlic, pepper, and salt together in a large salad bowl.
To assemble the salad: Separate the romaine into individual leaves. Add
the lettuce, hearts of palm, and apple to the salad bowl and toss to coat
with the dressing. Top with the croutons and almonds and finish with the
Parmesan.

Asparagus Ribbon, Sweet Corn,

and Cress with Pom Vinaigrette
Serves 4

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup pure pomegranate juice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salad

1 bunch watercress, thick stems discarded

1 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1/4 cup corn kernels--fresh, frozen (thawed) or canned (rinsed)
To make the 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).
Per serving: 65 calories, 3 g fat (0.5 g saturated, 0 g trans), 3 g protein, 2 g
fiber, 5 g sugars, 239 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrates, 0 mg cholesterol
Asparagus can be pricey, but it's so high in folate, vitamin C, and
potassium that I love to add it to salads. Sometimes I'll just use the stalks
in salad and save the tips for a stir-fry or to add to a risotto. Voila--you
just doubled your investment, superstar!
Skinny, easy, and inexpensive--this is a win-win-win salad! I love this
served alongside Spring Rolls (page 44) or as a starter to Easy-Peasy
Peanut Noodles with Chicken (page 163). FWB: Cucumbers

Per serving: 414 calories, 18 g fat (3 g saturated, 0 g trans), 12 g protein, 8 g

fiber, 5 g sugars, 917 mg sodium, 55 g carbohydrates, 2 mg cholesterol
You know the bread ends and heels you're always throwing away?
They're perfect for turning into croutons and bread crumbs. So cube
leftover bread and save it in a gallon-size resealable freezer bag, toss
with a little oil and salt, and toast in the oven for a crunchy freebie.

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Roasted Beet and Granny Salad

Serves 4

Vinaigrette

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salad

1 1/2 pounds red or golden beets (about 6 medium)

4 cups arugula
1/2 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds
To make the vinaigrette: Whisk the vinegar and lemon juice together in a
small bowl. Add the olive oil and whisk to combine.
To make the salad: Preheat the oven to 400F. Wrap each beet in a
square of foil making sure the entire beet is enclosed. Place the wrapped
beets on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until a paring knife easily slides
into the center of the largest one, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (possibly
longer if you're using large beets). Set aside to cool, then unwrap, peel,
and cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds.
Place the arugula and apple in a medium bowl along with half of the
vinaigrette, the salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Divide the salad
mixture among 4 plates. Place the beets in the bowl along with half of the
remaining vinaigrette and toss to coat. Arrange the beets on top of the
greens and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds.

Grilled Nectarine Salad with Blue

Cheese Crumbles
Serves 4

Vinaigrette

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salad

Extra-virgin olive oil

3 nectarines, halved
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups salad greens (torn red leaf, baby spinach, or baby arugula)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese
To make the vinaigrette: Whisk the vinegar, orange juice, mustard, and salt
together in a small bowl. Add the olive oil and whisk to combine.
To make the salad: Heat a ridged cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat
(or heat a grill to medium-high). Using tongs, dip a paper towel into a little
olive oil and use it to oil the grill pan (or grill grates). Brush the cut-side of
the nectarine halves lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt. Grill cutside down until they have grill marks and take on a juicy, golden look, about
3 minutes. Remove from the grill and set aside to cool, then thinly slice.
Toss the salad greens with the sliced nectarines. Add three-fourths of the
vinaigrette and toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 plates, sprinkle with
the cheese, and serve the remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Per serving: 227 calories, 15 g fat (2 g saturated, 0 g trans), 5 g protein, 6 g

fiber, 14 g sugars, 238 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrates, 0 mg cholesterol

Per serving: 141 calories, 8 g fat (2 g saturated, 0 g trans), 4 g protein, 3 g

fiber, 9 g sugars, 373 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrates, 6 mg cholesterol

Don't you think for one second about throwing away those gorgeous
leafy green beet tops! Saute them with a few splashes of olive oil, some
thinly sliced garlic, salt, and pepper, or pack the chopped raw greens
with rice vinegar and salt and pepper overnight in the fridge.

At 5 measly calories per teaspoon, you can't beat Dijon mustard! It adds
a great creaminess to thin vinaigrettes and a wonderful spicy tang with
hardly any calories or fat, so stock up.

Whenever I fall into a salad rut, I grill some fruit, drop it on top of
the greens, and just like that, my salad goes from tired to amazing!
Try swapping out your tomatoes or cucumbers for some nectarines,
peaches, or plums; or toss in a handful of sliced strawberries or
blueberries instead of cheese or deli ham or turkey. Candied Walnuts
(page 74) are decadently delicious sprinkled on top (in moderation of
course). FWB: Nectarines

When flavors come together in such perfect harmony as these do,

I fall in love from the very first bite. The combo of tart strawberries,
crunchy walnuts, and salty cheese just does it for me! It's even more
fabulous when tossed with my homemade zero-fat (yep, zero) balsamic
vinaigrette. FWB: Walnuts, spinach

w o m e n s h e a l t h / WomensHealthMag.com

Spinach Salad with Walnuts

and Strawberries
Serves 4

1/2 cup walnuts

4 cups fresh baby spinach, stems trimmed, coarsely chopped
8 large strawberries, thinly sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet
and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate
to cool.
Toss the spinach with the strawberries in a large bowl. Whisk together the
vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt in a small bowl. Drizzle three-fourths
of the dressing over the salad and sprinkle the walnuts on top. Serve
sprinkled with cheese, if desired, and with the remaining dressing on the
side.
Per serving: 172 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated, 0 g trans), 3 g protein, 3 g
fiber, 17 g sugars, 217 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrates, 0 mg cholesterol
As a kid, biting into a giant smiley wedge of watermelon always
managed to turn an ordinary day into something special. While my
carefree days of watermelon juice dripping from my chin might be
behind me, I still get that watermelon face smile every time I make this
simple, easy, classy salad. FWB: Watermelon

BBQ-Ranch Chicken Chop Salad

Serves 4

1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil

2 links chicken sausage
1/4 cup store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce (page 176)
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 romaine lettuce heart, finely chopped
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 small red onion, very finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 large tomato (preferably beefsteak), finely chopped
1 Hass avocado, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
Heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet (or coat with cooking spray) over
medium heat for 1 minute. Add the chicken sausage and brown on all sides,
6 to 8 minutes total. Set aside to cool, then thinly slice.
Whisk the barbecue sauce and yogurt together in a small bowl.
Toss the lettuce, chickpeas, red onion, and cilantro together in a large
bowl. Add three-fourths of the yogurt dressing and toss to coat. Turn the
chickpea mixture out onto a large platter and spread out evenly. Arrange
the chicken sausage, avocado, and tomato in 3 stripes over the lettuce
mixture (like a Cobb). Sprinkle with the salt, if desired, and serve.
Per serving: 230 calories, 12 g fat (2 g saturated, 0 g trans), 11 g protein, 7 g
fiber, 8 g sugars, 636 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrates, 33 mg cholesterol
When I was a kid, I spent a few months in Japan and always thought it was
so cool how we ate miso soup for breakfast! It was warm and comforting
and felt so good to sip first thing in the morning. My love affair with miso
paste has been going strong ever since. I use it as a condiment to give
body and a savory umami quality to all kinds of sauces and dressings.
FWB: Miso

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