Salmon Rice Salad

May. June. Those are the months I start wanting cool main dishes. No more oven, no more standing over hot skillets. This salad is a huge hit with my family.
 
Salmon Rice Salad

1 can salmon, skin and bones removed
1 cup uncooked rice, prepared according to directions on  package
20 black olives, halved
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix all ingredients well in bowl.


Stir together:


2 Tbs olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Pour dressing over mixture until well coated. Chill at least an hour to let flavors meld.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad & a Contest

That's right people - the sweet potatoes are sick of being covered in sickeningly sweet little white puffs of air with zero nutritional qualities. It's time for change! 

Let us also break away from traditional potato salads that are coated in fattening white mayo. Yuck. 

Bring in some color to your life!

Try my recipe for Roasted Sweet & Yukon Potato Salad with Honey-Lime & Cumin Dressing!

It's a little spicy, a little sweet, good warm, good cold and really good for you.
Low in fat
NO cholesterol
High in fiber
High in potassium
High in vitaminB6
Very High in vitamin C

Ingredients:

1 lb. Sweet Potatoes, peeled

1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. light tasting olive oil

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. coarse salt

2 c. fresh green beans

1 roasted red pepper (I used jarred)

small bunch or about 1/4 c. packed fresh cilantro

1 T. honey

2 tsp. cumin

1 T. cider vinegar

2 T. lime juice

To Make:

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cube the sweet potatoes  & Yukon potatoes into roughly 1-inch pieces. Combine with the garlic and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out in a large baking dish and roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time, until golden and easily pierced with a fork. 

Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil and cook the green beans for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

In a large serving bowl combine the remaining ingredients.

When potatoes are done, turn out into the serving bowl and toss gently with the dressing. Let stand for 5 minutes for the flavors to be absorbed. Gently mix in the green beans and serve.   

I am posting this recipe as an entry into the  No More ‘Mallows! Blogger Recipe Contest 

I created this amazing salad tonight and my husband, who is NOT a sweet potato or green bean man, loved it. I'm always proud when I get him to eat his veggies. Especially sweet potatoes - for they are so nutrient packed and extremely versatile, not to mention easy on the wallet.  

6 Servings

232 calories

5g total fat

44.6g total carbs

6.3g fiber

5.3g sugars

4.1g protein

approx . using caloriecount

Five Pepper Spaghetti with Cilantro & Queso Cotija

 

13.25 oz. pkg. Dreamfields spaghetti or whole wheat spaghetti
3 T. light olive oil
2 cubanelle peppers
1 sweet red pepper 
1 sweet orange pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 medium onion
3 large cloves garlic
1 tsp. whole fennel seed, crushed
1 c. dry white wine
salt & pepper to taste
1 c. part-skim Cotija cheese, divided
1/2 c. chopped, fresh cilantro

Cook the pasts according to package directions and drain. Toss with 1 T. of olive oil and set aside.
While pasta in cooking, halve and thinly slice the peppers and onion. 
Mince the garlic.
In a large skillet (or use the same pot you cooked the pasta in, like I did), heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Saute the peppers, onion, garlic and fennel seed in the oil until almost tender. Add the white wine and let bubble away until absorbed by the vegetables. Salt and pepper to your taste. Turn off the heat.
Add the spaghetti and 1/2 c. of the Cotija. Toss, toss, mix, mix well to combine. 
Dump pasta into a large serving bowl and top with chopped cilantro and remaining Cotija cheese. 

*This recipe is good hot or cold!
** I used the fennel seed to create the illusion of "sausage" in this dish. 

6 servings

311 calories

15.5 g. fat

25.9g total carbs

5.3g fiber

5.6g sugars

11.8g protein

approx. using caloriecount

Bacon Walnut Chicken Salad

Bacon Walnut Chicken Salad

Whisk together in large bowl:

1/2 c low-fat sour cream
4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp black pepper

Add:

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 large carrot, shredded on large box grater
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 small can sliced water chestnuts
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Stir until well combined. Chill under ready to serve. Toss before serving.


Nutritional Information

Servings: 8

Calories per serving: 274

Total Fat: 16.0g

Cholesterol: 67mg

Sodium: 572mg

Total Carbohydrates: 9.3g

Dietary Fiber: 0.9g

Sugars: 2.1g

Protein: 22.8g