The Everything Salad Book (16 page)

PER SERVING

Calories:..........561

Fat:..........38 g

Protein:..........14 g

Sodium:..........521 mg

Fiber:..........2 g

Carbohydrate:..........21 g

This is a hearty salad and an excellent use for leftover chicken. Serve on a bed of baby greens with a drizzle of the extra dressing on the side.

1. Place the bean sprouts in a bowl of ice water to cover. Soak for 3–5 minutes.
   

2. Combine the vinegar, oil, soy sauce, hoisin, and ginger in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Remove ½ cup dressing from the bowl and set aside.
   

3. Add the chicken, cabbage, scallions, and water chestnuts to the large bowl and mix to combine. Add more dressing as needed to achieve desired consistency.
   

4. Transfer the bean sprouts to paper towels to drain. To serve, divide the chicken salad among 4 salad plates. Garnish with bean sprouts and chopped peanuts. Serve any extra dressing on the side.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........325

Fat:..........22 g

Protein:..........21 g

Sodium:..........431 mg

Fiber:..........2 g

Carbohydrate:..........11 g

Consider adding a tablespoon of toasted sunflower seeds on top of your salad in place of croutons. One tablespoon of sunflower seeds is worth 1 g of carbohydrates. Roasted pumpkin seeds are worth 2 g of carbohydrates for a 1-tablespoon serving.

Because of the smoked turkey, this salad is high in sodium. If you're on a sodium-restricted diet, consider substituting regular cooked turkey or chicken breast.

1. Combine the broccoli, cauliflower, and shallots in a large bowl and stir in the raisins.
   

2. In a blender or food processor, combine the cottage cheese, mayonnaise, tofu, vinegars, brown sugar, and pepper and blend until smooth.
   

3. Toss the dressing over the broccoli, cauliflower, raisins, shallots, and turkey. Chill until ready to serve. Serve over salad greens.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........457

Fat:..........13 g

Protein:..........20 g

Sodium:..........721 mg

Fiber:..........7 g

Carbohydrate:..........72 g

For ease and convenience, this recipe uses a commercial Caesar dressing. You can substitute your favorite homemade dressing if you desire.

1. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Wrap a slice of bacon around each steak. Lightly season the steaks with salt and pepper. Heat an indoor grill pan or a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook the steaks and bacon to desired doneness, 4–6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the filets to a plate and tent with tinfoil to keep warm.
   

2. Toss together the lettuce, half of the dressing, and the Parmesan cheese. Add additional dressing to achieve desired consistency. To serve, divide the salad between 2 dinner plates. Add a hot filet and 3 of the anchovies to each plate.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........722

Fat:..........56 g

Protein:..........50 g

Sodium:..........1,315 mg

Fiber:..........1 g

Carbohydrate:..........3 g

There are a number of great bottled dressings available in the refrigerated section of your grocer. Read the labels. Many of the dressings are loaded with unnecessary saturated fats and many are packed with sugars and salt. It's worth experimenting with your own homemade vinaigrettes to come up with your personal healthy favorite.

Increase the amount of steak if you have larger appetites at the table. Use a stovetop grill pan for great results for the steak and vegetables.

1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steak with salt and pepper.
   

2. Place meat, scallions, and red peppers in the hot skillet and cook until the vegetables begin to brown and the steak is medium-rare, about 10 minutes total, turning the steak once and stirring the vegetables occasionally. Transfer cooked meat and vegetables to a plate and tent with tinfoil to keep warm. Let meat rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to reabsorb.
   

3. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and kosher salt in a salad bowl and whisk to combine. Add the greens and toss with the dressing. Divide between 2 large dinner plates.
   

4. Slice the meat against the grain into very thin slices. Fan the meat over the salad greens and arrange the cooked scallions and peppers alongside the meat.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........369

Fat:..........27 g

Protein:..........26 g

Sodium:..........1,124 mg

Fiber:..........2 g

Carbohydrate:..........5.5 g

There is a variety of fruit and herb vinegars available, including raspberry, tarragon, dill, hot chili, and other specialty blends. These flavored vinegars are generally used for specific applications.

This salad is naturally just a bit sweet but not overpowering, and the mayonnaise-lemon juice combo is delicious.

1. Arrange the spinach on 4 plates. Sprinkle the diced pears over the spinach and add the ham.
   

2. Mix the mayonnaise and lemon juice together and drizzle over the salad. Garnish with toasted pecan pieces.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........381

Fat:..........32 g

Protein:..........8 g

Sodium:..........516 mg

Fiber:..........5 g

Carbohydrate:..........20 g

Chinese barbecued pork, also known as
char sui,
is a popular appetizer in many American-Chinese restaurants. The thinly sliced pork is usually served with mustard and sesame seeds.

1. Whisk dressing, mustard, and sesame seeds together in a medium bowl. Add sliced pork to bowl and toss to coat. Set bowl aside. Drain water from shoots and add to a medium bowl filled with ice water. Soak shoots for 5 minutes to lightly crisp, drain again, and roughly chop with a sharp knife.
   

2. Combine diced shoots, water chestnuts, iceberg lettuce, escarole leaves, and bell pepper in a large mixing bowl. Toss well to mix. Pour meat and sauce into salad. Toss gently to mix and coat fully. Serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........245

Fat:..........8.5 g

Protein:..........27 g

Sodium:..........64 mg

Fiber:..........3 g

Carbohydrate:..........15 g

If you find the grapefruit too tart for your taste, add more Splenda.

1. Whisk the grapefruit juice, olive oil, Splenda, rosemary, salt, and pepper together in a bowl to make dressing. Arrange the greens on serving plates.
   

2. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of dressing on the chicken. Grill the chicken over medium heat.
   

3. Slice the chicken and arrange it over the greens. Add the grapefruit sections and drizzle the rest of the dressing over the dish.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........219

Fat:..........8 g

Protein:..........22 g

Sodium:..........166 mg

Fiber:..........3 g

Carbohydrate:..........18 g

Don't rely on a grapefruit's color to gauge its ripeness; grapefruit skins can have a greenish tint yet still be perfect on the inside. Pick a grapefruit that feels heavy for its size. The extra weight translates into extra juice. Avoid lumpy fruit; it's usually overripe.

Stick with a mild curry for this recipe, as a hot curry will overwhelm the other flavors and taste odd when mixed with the mayonnaise.

1. Combine chicken, mango, celery, onions, and apple in a large mixing bowl.
   

2. Stir mayonnaise, soy sauce, curry powder, and ginger together in a small bowl. Mix well. Stir water and sugar together in a small bowl. Mix until sugar dissolves completely. Pour sugar water into dressing and mix well.
   

3. Pour dressing over salad and mix well to coat. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately, or chill for up to 2 hours before serving. Mix well before serving.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........208

Fat:..........14 g

Protein:..........12 g

Sodium:..........283 mg

Fiber:..........1.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........10 g

The best way to retain moisture and flavor when cooking chicken is to cook the whole breast, let it cool for 5–10 minutes, and then cut the cooked meat as the recipe requires. However, this technique also takes more time and effort, which is why cubing the chicken before cooking is such a popular practice.

This salad is a meal in itself. Serve with Cherries Jubilee or cherry pie for dessert.

1. Wash the green beans. Remove the ends and strings and cut in half lengthwise. Cook the beans, covered, in boiling water in a medium-sized saucepan for 5 minutes.
   

2. Add the carrots and cook for 10–15 more minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Drain. Cover and chill the vegetables for 4–24 hours.
   

3. Remove broiler pan from the oven. Preheat broiler.
   

4. Place the steak on unheated rack of broiler pan. Broil 3 inches from the heat for 13–15 minutes for medium, turning once.
   

5. In the meantime, combine the cream cheese, horseradish sauce, and milk in a small container with a cover. Cover and shake until well mixed.
   

6. Arrange the torn lettuce and beets on plates. Top with steak. Drizzle with dressing.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........301

Fat:..........12 g

Protein:..........30 g

Sodium:..........385 mg

Fiber:..........5 g

Carbohydrate:..........18 g

A great way to use up leftover pot roast, this salad is fancy enough to come out of a restaurant, but easy enough to whip together in minutes.