Tomato, Mozzarella and Avocado Salad

Serves about 4-5

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed
1 large ripe tomato, diced
½ cucumber, diced
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 avocado, diced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine all vegetables and the mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with olive oil, add salt. Toss well. Serve immediately with delicious crusty bread.

If you are not eating the salad right away, omit the avocado and only add it last minute to prevent it from turning brown.

Nutty Apple and Carrot Salad

Ingredients:
4 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
2 medium apples, cored and cubed
½ cup walnuts, chopped
½ cup raisins
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup natural yogurt
Salt and pepper

Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice and natural yogurt. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the remaining ingredients into a large salad bowl, mix in the dressing and gently toss. Chill for a while to allow the flavors to develop.

A great picnic salad.

Five tips to build a better salad. Easy Tangy Taco Salad Recipe

(ARA) - Salads are a staple for people trying to eat well or save on fat and calories, but not all salads are created equal. While all greens are low in calories, many people sabotage what could be a nutritious dish by adding heavy toppings like fried chicken, croutons or a higher fat cheese. Tasty toppers don't have to be loaded with calories and fat. With a few new ideas and simple switches, a salad can be revitalized and turned into an even better meal.

Refreshing Cucumber Salad Recipe

Ingredients:
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup cold water

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, then chill well before serving.

Easy Summer Chicken Salad Recipes

Summer is a great time to make chicken salads. They are light,
easy to make, and make a great addition to summer picnics and
family barbecues. I like to keep extra frozen chicken fillets on
hand for easy spur of the moment dinners like these. At Costco,
you can buy a large package of individually frozen chicken
fillets for a very reasonable price. You can just take out what
you need for your recipe and leave the rest in the freezer.

Chicken Salad

5 c. cooked chicken, cubed
2 tbsp. salad oil
2 tbsp. orange juice
2 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
3 c. cooked rice
1 1/2 c. green grapes
1 1/2 c. sliced celery
1 (13 oz.) can pineapple tidbits
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 c. slivered almonds
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise

Combine chicken, salad oil, orange juice, vinegar, and salt. Let
stand while preparing other ingredients. Gently toss all ingredients
together.

Brown Rice Salad With Herbs

Serves 4

Ingredients:
8 oz brown rice, washed
4 tbsp extra virgin oil
18 fl oz water
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Instructions:
Cook the brown rice according to instructions.

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper and stir into the rice, while it is still warm. Set aside to cool. Once the rice is cool, stir in the parsley and basil, mix well.

Enjoy with grilled tofu!

Chicken Baguette Salad

Ingredients:
(Serves 2)

1 large chicken breast, cut into bite-sizes pieces
Half a baguette, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large tomato, cut into bite-size pieces
Olive oil
Handful of arugula or other lettuce leaves
½ packet feta cheese, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375F.

Put the chicken pieces, baguette and tomato pieces in a roasting dish and drizzle with a good amount of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the chicken pieces are no longer pink.

Divide the lettuce leaves on two dinner plates and place the warm chicken and tomato salad on top. Sprinkle with feta cheese and enjoy!

This warm chicken salad makes a very tasty and light lunch.

Big, Bountiful Salads That Satisfy

(ARA) - The days when salads were strictly a side dish to something more important -- they’re so over. A big, bountiful salad deserves to be the center of attention.

Whether you’re on a special diet or just looking to eat in an interesting, healthful way, there’s no reason to settle for boring combos. A well-made salad should deliver a lively interplay of flavors and textures. What’s more, the salad needs to be substantial enough that you don’t get hungry an hour later. On both scores, ingredients such as avocados, nuts and hard-cooked eggs qualify as great salad builders. Each contributes a distinctive flavor and texture, while satisfying hunger pangs for hours.

Take “Avocado Beef Salad with Asian Dressing,” for instance. Thick avocado slices take the lead in a main-course salad that also features grilled beef strips -- all presented on a bed of greens and dressed with a brightly flavored Asian dressing.

This inspired combination not only delights the eye and appetite, but equals a well-balanced meal. The beef provides protein, of course, but many people don’t realize that avocados supply nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. In addition, these rich-tasting fruits contain "good fats" -- the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated kinds that are considered good substitutes for foods high in saturated fat. Also worth noting: Avocados can help the body absorb higher levels of fat-soluble nutrients, such as beta-carotene, that might be found in other salad ingredients.

You may think that a salad with exotic flair, like this one, is hard to shop for. Not true! The beef, greens and dressing ingredients are easy to find -- and Hass avocados are always in season because they grow year-round in Mexico’s rich volcanic soil, with just the right mix of rain and warm sun.

Buy avocados from Mexico ripe for immediate use, or firm for salad making later in the week. Firm avocados will ripen to perfection when held at room temperature for one to three days. When soft to the touch, they’re ready for the big salad toss.

Avocado Beef Salad with Asian Dressing

8 ounce flank or round steak, grilled
3 cups mixed salad greens
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (green onions)
3/4 cup snow peas
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2/3 cup bottled or homemade Asian salad dressing (recipe below), divided
1 fully ripened avocado from Mexico, halved, pitted, peeled and diced

Slice steak thinly across the grain; set aside. In large bowl, combine salad greens, red pepper, scallions, snow peas, cilantro and 1/2 cup salad dressing; toss gently. Place on four serving dishes, dividing equally. Top with sliced steak and avocado, drizzle with remaining dressing. Garnish with cilantro or parsley leaves, if desired.

Asian Salad Dressing: In measuring cup, whisk together 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger), 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil until well combined. Makes about 2/3 cup. Serves 4.

For more information and great recipes, visit http://www.theamazingavocado.com/.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Southwest Salad With Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 egg
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup water
1 can red beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
¾ cup grilled chicken, sliced into strips
¾ cup finely chopped green onions
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
¾ cup salad dressing, Italian or balsamic vinegar
Lettuce, iceberg or romaine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a square baking pan with non-stick spray. Mix cornmeal, baking powder, salt and chicken bouillon. Beat egg and oil together, slowly add water. Blend dry ingredients with egg, oil and water. Pour into baking pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. At this point, either cut into serving-sized squares and serve on the side, or cut and return to cooling oven for toasting into croutons. As the bread toasts or cools, prepare salad. Mix remaining ingredients and then add croutons, or serve with hot corn bread slices. Tortilla chip slices can also garnish salad for presentation.

Easy Summer Salads, Lighter Foods For A Brighter Summer

Easy summer salads are the way to go, now that the winter blues are fading into the distance and salad days are here. The best salads are light, bright and easy to prepare.

Who wants to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen when friends are round for lunch, the garden is in bloom and the wine is chilled and ready to pour. But before you start to cook you can save a lot of energy by buying the right ingredients. That way you don’t need the heavy bottled sauces and dressings to make a great flavor. After all you don't want to take a beautiful crisp summer salad and soak it in a mixture of fat, sugar, salt and chemicals do you?

If you start off with great food and don’t do too much to them you don’t need all these strong tastes. All you need is to combine it well so that the flavors work together, have a nice crunchy texture and add a little light dressing to set it all off. Let the taste buds do the rest Freshness is, as in all cooking, the way to a good salad.

Don’t take what the supermarkets give you. Although it’s easier to pick up the ready packed tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, bell peppers etc. To make sure you get the best, take a minute or two and pick over the vegetables, choose what is firm ripe and ready to use. The same of course applies with meat and fish. There is a reason why supermarkets prepackage, and it’s not always convenience. So choose well, cook quickly and simply and your friends won’t have finished the wine by the time you get there! Enjoy a little bit of summer now with this easy poached chicken salad.

Easy poached chicken salad
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (skinless)
1 finely sliced red onion
1 whole half onion
4 good ripe tomatoes sliced thickly
250 grams/4ozs salad leaves mixed
4ozs raisins soaked in hot water for ten minutes
1 half lemon
2 fresh or dry bay leaves
1 teaspoon peppercorns black
1 small French, stick loaf or similar sliced at an angle into 1/2 inch slices

For the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1clove garlic crushed
1/2 dessert spoon Dijon or other mild mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

To make the dressing:
Whisk the vinegar and mustard together with the garlic, slowly add the olive oil while whisking and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the salad:
Bring a pan of water to the boil with the bay leaves, 1/2 white onion, lemon and peppercorns. Carefully add the chicken and simmer gently until cooked, if you are unsure it is worth investing a few dollars in a meat thermometer. The temperature should be at least 75 celcius/167 Fahrenheit, put the sliced bread on a baking tray and drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt. Bake in a medium oven until crisp but soft in the middle.

Mix the leaves together with the onions and raisins. Turn in the salad dressing and put into 4 good-sized bowls. Place slices of tomato and bread alternatly around the edge. Slice the warm chicken at an angle and put attractively on top of the salad. Sit back, enjoy and get someone else to do the washing up.

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