Summer Salad Diet Solutions

Super, Sensational, Simple Summer Salad Solutions

These are terrific diet and weight watcher’s recipes that will add some zip to any healthy living program. A diet really means eating to sustain life, not avoiding food to lose weight. So these recipes are my Summer favorites to add to my diet program. As a matter of fact, they are so much my favorites that I put a whole show on about super, sensational, simple Summer salad solutions. When you focus on what you want… to be healthy, by eating good-for-you foods, you will maintain your ideal weight. Yes, I can say super, sensational, simple Summer salad solutions three times fast,  and I do so on Now We’re Cooking!

Colossal Chopped Salad

(4 weight watchers exchanges)
1 pkg. (¾-1 pound) whole wheat pasta-cooked
1 sm. red onion-diced
1 lg. carrot-chopped
1 sm. yellow squash-chopped
1 sm. zucchini-chopped
3 plum tomatoes-cubed

1 tsp. Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning Mix
2 cloves garlic-pressed
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup olive oil

4 oz fresh Parmesan cheese-grated
1 head red tip leaf lettuce-washed and cut into 1-inch pieces.

1. Combine first 6 ingredients.
2. Combine next 4 ingredients.
3. Toss pasta mixture, dressing and Parmesan cheese thoroughly. Serve over lettuce.

Chicken Bleu Cheese Slaw

Serves 6 luncheon sized portions or 8-10 side dishes.

6 cup shredded cabbage
1 carrot-peeled and shredded
¼ cup slivered red onion

½ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup orange concentrate
¼ cup water
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. sea salt

6 oz. bleu cheese crumbled
1 lb. chicken breast-cooked, shredded
1/3 cup red grapes-cut in half (optional)

1 head bibb lettuce-washed and removed into cups

1. Combine first 3 ingredients.
2. Combine next 4 ingredients. Allow to sit overnight or several hours.
3. Before service: toss with chicken, grapes and bleu cheese and serve over lettuce cups.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2 lemons-zest of one and juice of both
4 Tbs. white wine vinegar
2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds

1/4 cup sliced almonds-toasted
1 pt. blueberries-washed
½ small red onion-slivered
1-2 packages baby spinach (washed and stems removed)

1. Combine first 5 ingredients.
2. Combine next 3 in a bowl add dressing and toss. Top with almonds and serve immediately.