Mango and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

*Note: The recipe calls for cooked quinoa. I used about 3/4 cup dry quinoa and cooked it in chicken broth to get the 2 cups cooked (I measured out the two cups cooked and had a bit leftover in the pot).

*Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cooked quinoa, cooked in vegetable or chicken broth, at room temperature or chilled
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium mango, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Place the cooked quinoa in a large bowl.

Add mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans, and cilantro.
In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice. 

Whisk until the dressing is smooth and pour on top of salad.

Toss to combine and add salt and pepper (add more to taste if desired). 

Chill the salad for at least one hour before serving.

from Mel's Kitchen

STUFT MAMA BREAKFAST

Mama’s Breakfast STUFTwich

1/2 cup egg substitute or egg whites

sugar free jam

bread of choice

*I microwave the egg whites in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray for 3min. Put them and some sugar free jam on the bread. Then if I have time I put it in the sandwich maker to make it a little crispy

Variations:

(1) adding a little Smart Balance, Splenda and cinnamon to one half 

***

Mama’s Savory Breakfast STUFTwich

- 1 egg and 2-3 additional egg whites

seasoning of choice (I used Bagel Spice, crushed red pepper, ghost chili sea salt, sea salt and trader - Joe’s mixed peppercorns)

- spinach

- hot sauce (I used Scotty B’s)

- Brewer’s Yeast

- 2 slices whole grain bread

Cook the egg and whites with the seasonings and spices. 

Toast the bread. Add all the fixings. Viola.

__

STUFT Sweet Potato Breakfast Salad

fresh spinach drizzled with coconut oil

scrambled egg whites with cinnamon (optional sweetener if needed)

roasted sweet potato with low calorie peanut butter frosting (made with PB2), peanut butter andArtisana Cocoa Bliss




1.  I prepped the sweet potato (microwaved for about 6 minutes and then roasted at 375 convection for about 10 to get it crispy).

2.  Then I added the toppings and set it in the freezer for a bit to let it chill and let the peanut butter/cocoa goodness harden up a little. 

3.  I scrambled the egg whites with some cinnamon (from my new jugs) and put them in the fridge to chill a bit also. I wanted my salad cold. 

4.  Then I put it all together on some spinach with coconut oil and some extra cinnamon.

Um yeah.

_____

 like to top mine with mixed berries or cherries,
 a tablespoon of SunButter and a little sugar free syrup.

Green Eggs and Oats Bowl

40g oats of choice (I like Coach’s Oats)
1- 1.5 cups water or nondairy milk
1/2 cup egg substitute
handful of fresh spinach
cinnamon to taste
sweetener of choice
about 1/2tsp. vanilla or almond extract to taste




Prepare oats on the stove as directed. Adding extra liquid (like the yo-oat bowl) if desired.
Blend together egg substitute and spinach. (I use the Magic Bullet.)
After oatmeal has cooked, add in egg substitute mixture, sweetener, cinnamon and vanilla.
Continue to cook until eggs are cooked thoroughly.
Scoop into cute, festive bowl.

Chicken or Turkey Salad with Cranberries & Pecans

I adapted my favorite chicken salad recipe from Ina Garten by swapping out most of the mayo with Greek yogurt to dial down the calories and increase the nutrition. A hint of honey balances the tartness of the yogurt. Cranberries and pecans are added for some flavor and crunch. Fresh tarragon is my favorite herb to add to chicken salad. It's the finishing touch in this recipe.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Use as a sandwich filling with lettuce.
Serve a scoop over a bed of lettuce or mixed greens.
Add a small dollop to crackers for a quick appetizer.


EASY VARIATIONS:
Plain chicken salad -- omit the cranberries and pecans
Swap out the fruit -- in place of the cranberries, try grapes or apples
Swap out the nuts -- in place of pecans, try sliced almonds, walnuts or pine nuts

Step 1.      Assemble the ingredients: 

      cooked chicken or turkey breast, chopped or shredded

      greek yogurt 

      fresh tarragon leaves

      celery  

      dried cranberries 

      chopped pecans 

      salt & pepper

      honey      

Step 2. Chop the tarragon & celery.

Step 3. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and stir until combined.
DONE! Serve the chicken salad on a bed of lettuce or use it as a sandwich filling.

via The Yummy Life

* Note about the chicken or turkey: Use leftover chicken or turkey, buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, or cook your own chicken.   

Click to view recipe for chopped, roasted chicken

   

Grilled Pork with Garlic Oil and a Little Salad

Chopped salad is a colorful accompaniment to this lean and lovely dish. Fold the leftovers into a whole grain wrap for a quick and easy lunch. Pork tenderloin, an especially lean cut with less than 5 grams of fat per serving, also provides 62 percent of the daily value for thiamin, a B vitamin that helps cells convert carbohydrates into energy.

Serves: Prep: 2hr 20min Cook: 20min Total: 2hr 40min
INGREDIENTS

PORK:
1/4 cup garlic-infused oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed

SALAD:
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 hothouse cucumber, chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley


DIRECTIONSTo prepare the pork: Combine the oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Coat the pork with 2 tablespoons of the mixture and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
To prepare the salad: Combine the bell pepper, cucumber, scallions, and parsley with the remaining oil mixture in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat a barbecue grill to medium-hot. Add the pork and brush with its marinade. Grill, turning 2 or 3 times, for 20 minutes or until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 155°F. Remove from the grill and let stand for 10 minutes.
Carve the pork into slices and serve with the salad.


NUTRITIONAL FACTS PER SERVING
CALORIES 219.6 CAL
FAT 11.2 G
SATURATED FAT 2.4 G
SODIUM 364.1 MG
CARBOHYDRATES 4.5 G
TOTAL SUGARS 2 G
DIETARY FIBER 1.4 G
PROTEIN 24.7 G

from The Flat Belly Diet Cookbook

ROASTED SWEET POTATO AND SPINACH SALAD

Servings: 6 x 1 cup
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Sweet potatoes are big on taste and offer low-glycemic-index healthy carbs to boot. Their sweetness, combined with the heat of the cayenne and the sourness of the vinaigrette makes a perfectly balanced flavor.


SALAD INGREDIENTS:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups / 960 ml)

1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

¼ tsp ground cumin

Pinch cayenne pepper

¼ tsp sea salt

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 cups baby spinach, lightly packed



VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp white balsamic vinegar

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, finely grated

½ tsp ginger, finely grated

½ tsp honey

¼ tsp ml ground cumin

¼ tsp ml sea salt

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil



METHOD :
1. Preheat oven to 450°F / 230°C.

2. Place sweet potato and red pepper on two baking sheets in a single layer. Drizzle 2 tsp olive oil over potatoes and 1 tsp olive oil over red pepper, and sprinkle salt and pepper over top of both. Sprinkle cumin and cayenne over top of potatoes. Place in oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until soft and caramelized.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients except olive oil. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking again.

4. Place spinach in a large serving bowl. Add roasted sweet potato and red pepper. Drizzle vinaigrette over top and toss to combine. Divide among six plates and serve.



NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER SERVING:
Calories: 139 |

Calories from Fat: 22 |

Protein: 2 g |

Carbs: 26 g |

Total Fat: 3 g |

Saturated Fat: 0.5 g |

Trans Fat: 0 g |

Fiber: 0 g |

Sodium: 78 mg |

Cholesterol: 0 mg



Reno, Tosca (2011-05-17). The EAT-CLEAN DIET Cookbook 2

Peach and Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad

1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp EVOO
1/8 sea salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 large ripe heirloom tomatoes, divided
2 large ripe peaches, pits removed and sliced
2 fresh mozzarella balls, ovolini-shaped (egg shaped), sliced
small handful fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, EVOO, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. To assemble salad, layer sliced tomatoes, peaches and mozzarella across a serving platter. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with thinly sliced basil.

Servings: 4 x 1 cup
Calories: 207
Protein: 14g
Fat: 13g

Sonoma Diet Salads [4 recipes]

Chicken Orange Salad

10 ounce mixed salad greens
8 ounces cooked chicken breast, sliced
1/3 cup bottled vinaigrette salad dressing
11 ounce can mandarin orange sections, drained
3 Tbsp sliced almonds, toasted

Calories: 230
---

Chicken Tossed Salad

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1.25lb total)
2 Tbsp EVOO
1/4 tsp garlic-pepper seasoning
8 cups mixed salad greens, torn
1 medium yellow or red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
1/2 cup bottled reduced-calorie berry or roasted garlic vinaigrette salad dressing
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (1 ounce)
1/4 cup whole wheat croutons (optional)

1. Brush chicken breasts with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic-pepper.
    Cook in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, turning once.
    Cut up the chicken into pieces, set aside

2. Combine salad greens, bell pepper and tomato in large serving bowl. Pour salad dressing over and toss.
    Top with chicken, feta, and, if desired, croutons.
----

Steak Salad

1/2 cup bottled red wine vinaigrette
1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 heads Boston lettuce
8 ounces lean cooked beef, cut into bite sized strips
1 cup red or yellow baby pear tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 medium red onion, thinly slices
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (1 ounce)
1/2 cup whole wheat croutons

1. For dressing, combine salad dressing, tarragon and pepper, set aside.
2. Line four dinner plates with lettuce leaves. Arrange beef, tomatoes, broccoli, and red onion on lettuce.
3. Sprinkle with blue cheese, drizzle with salad dressing, and top with croutons.

Calories: 292
----

Mediterranean Beef Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

1 pound beef sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
salt and pepper
4 cups romaine, torn
1 small cucumber, sliced
1/2 of a small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ounces)
1 recipe lemon vinaigrette

1. Cook beef sirloin however you prefer. Thinly slice meat.
2. Divide torn romain among four dinner plates.
   Top with sliced meat, cucumber slices, red onion, tomatoes, cannellini beans, and feta cheese.
    Drizzle with Lemon Vinaigrette. If desired, garnish with parsley.

Calories: 370

Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing: (makes about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup EVOO
1/2 tsp. shredded lemon peel
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tsp minced garlic)

Combine all ingredients in a screw top jar & shake!
Season to taste with salt and pepper

The Flat Belly Diet - DINNER

California Turkey Salad = 408 calories
2c. mixed baby greens (15)
2T. light Balsamic Vinaigrette (45)
3oz. browned ground turkey (130)
2T. crumbled gorgonzola (50)
2T. walnuts (82)
1 small pear (86)

Chicken Caprese = 421
2oz. grilled chicken breast (60)
1/2 c. steamed rice (150)
- serve with salad-
1 plum tomatoe, sliced (12)
1oz Polly-O part-skim Mozzarella (70)
2 fresh basil leaves (0)
1 T. EVOO (124)
1T. balsamic vinegar (5)
cracked black pepper

Grilled Chicken Salad = 385
2c. mixed baby greens (15)
2T. balsamic vinegar (10)
1T. EVOO (119)
3oz. organic grilled chicken breast (30)
1/2 c. broccoli (20)
3/4c. shredded carrots (38)
1/4c. sliced red onion (23)
3/4 c. Cascadian Farm Organic Sweet Corn, thawed (70)
pepper, to taste

Mexicali Salad = 374
2 c. mixed baby greens
1/2 c. Amy's Organic Refried Beans with Green Chiles
3/4 c. Sweet corn
1/4 c. sliced red onion
1/4c. salsa
1/4 c. avocado

Pepperoni Pizza = 374
1 flat Thomas Multigrain Pita (140)
1 T. evoo (brushed on one side of pita)
1/4c. Newman's Own Marinara Pasta Sauce (30)
13 slices LightLife Smart Deli Pepperoni (40)
2T. Shredded Italian Cheese blend (45)
- warm under broiler

Pineapple Ham Pizza - 429 

1 flat Thomas Multigrain Pita (140)
1 T. evoo (brushed on one side of pita)
1/4c. Newman's Own Marinara Pasta Sauce (30)
1/4 c. drained pineapple bits
1/4 c. red bell peppers, chopped
2oz. uncured BlackForest Ham, chopped (50)
2T. crumbled gorgonzola
- warm under broiler

Pork with Szechuan Vegetables = 399
2c Cascadian Farm Organic Chinese Stir-Fry Vegetables (50)
1T. EVOO
Ground Szechuan Peppercorns
3oz pork tenderloin, sliced (115)
1/2 c brown rice (110)

Ricotta Calzone = 399 calories
1/4 c. nonfat ricotta cheese (50)
2 sundried tomatoes jarred in evoo, diced (20)
1T. evoo
1 tsp. minced garlic
4 fresh basil leaves, sliced
- stuff all of this into-
1 Thomas Multigrain Pita (140)
- warm under broiler until pita is golden and cheeses are bubbly
- serve with 1/2 c. Newman's Own Marinara Pasta Sauce (60) for dipping.

Salmon Steak Almondine = 384
4oz. grilled wild Alaskan salmon (215)
1 1/2 c. green beans, steamed
pepper
2T. sliced almonds

Turkey Quesadilla = 346
1 Laughing Cow Light Garlic & Herb Wedge (35), spread on
1 Thomas Whole Wheat Sahara warp (170)
2oz. Applegate Farms Antibiotic-free Honey Maple Turkey (50)
1/3 c. spinach leaves
2T. crumbed feta (40)
10 sliced large black olives
- fold over and heat on a nonstick pan over medium heat

Turkey Tacos = 424
1/4c. chopped red bell pepper, sauted
2T. sliced red onion, sauted
in 1 T. EVOO
3oz. ground turkey (130), browned
    spread evenly among:
3 6inch corn tortillas (135)
    top with:
2 T. chopped green onions
1/4c. shredded carrots

Wild Salmon Cashew Salad = 201
2 c. mixed baby greens (20)
1T. Dressing (45)
2oz. TJs canned wild Alaskan salmon (60)
2T. cashews (85)
2T. Red Onion (11)
1/2 Clementine (25)

Black Bean, Quinoa & Citrus Salad

Ingredients (serves 3-4)
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons water
1/4 small red onion, minced
1 grapefruit, peeled & diced
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 ears of corn, kernels cut off cob (1 1/2 cups)
1 avocado, diced
1/3 cup cilantro, choppedFor the 

Lime Vinaigrette:
1 1/2 limes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste


Instructions

Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer. Add to a small saucepan with the water, then bring to a boil.

Put a lid on the pan, turn the heat down to medium-low, then simmer for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water.

Remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fluff quinoa with a fork.

Combine red onion, grapefruit, black beans, cranberries, corn, avocado, cilantro and cooked quinoa into a large bowl.

Toss with lime vinaigrette, sprinkle with additional salt & pepper to taste, then serve.

For Lime Vinaigrette:juice 1 1/2 limes into a small bowl, then whisk in extra virgin olive oil and season with salt & pepper to taste.

This nearly no-cook summer supper is packed with yummy flavors and textures!
From Iowa Girl Eats   --   Adapted from Eat Live Run.

Crunchy Chopped Salad with Gorgonzola and Radishes

Makes 2 large lunch salads or four side dish salads

Ingredients:

1 large handful (about 2 cups) chopped romaine lettuce
1 large handful (about 2 cups) chopped arugula or spinach
1 cup celery, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
1 cup radishes, cut in fourths lengthwise
2/3 cup carrots, cut in 1/2 inch slices
2 small cucumbers, chopped
3-4 T your favorite salad dressing
1 Tbsp. (per salad) of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
fresh ground pepper to taste

*These Ingredients + 1 pear = 2 servings at 170 calories each, 28 carbs, 5g Fat, 7g protein

Options:           other veggies -- chopped broccoli or cauliflower, red bell pepper, or fennel.
                         add a protein like tuna or tilapia
                         1 medium pear, chopped

Instructions:
Chop arugula and romaine, wash in salad spinner, and spin dry. (Or wash by hand and pat dry with paper towels. Chop radishes, celery, carrots, and cucumbers.

Put romaine, arugula, cucumbers, celery, radishes, and carrots into large bowl and toss with blue cheese dressing. 

Arrange on two plates (or four small plates for side dish salads), sprinkle Gorgonzola cheese over, and season with pepper.

Grilled Mexican Chicken Salad with Cumin Lime Vinaigrette

For the salad:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 package (10 ounces) torn romaine lettuce
1 c. canned black beans, drained and rinsed
2 c. halved cherry tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4″ slices
2 c. cooked sweet corn, cut from the cob
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

For the vinaigrette:
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. cider vinegar
2 tsp. grated lime peel
1 T. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. chopped cilantro leaves
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Make sure your grill grates are clean.

Coat chicken with the tablespoon of olive oil. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle chicken evenly with this mixture. Grill chicken until done, then remove to a plate to cool. Once cooled, slice into thin strips.

Spread the lettuce on a large serving platter. Arrange chicken, black beans, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, sweet corn, and cheese over the lettuce.

For the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a small bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Makes about 1 cup.

Serve with tortilla chips and guacamole.

Source: The vinaigrette was adapted from Cat Cora for McCormick.

Garbanzo, Tomato, and Cilantro Salad with Lime and Chile Dressing (with or without avocado)

(4 servings, recipe created by Kalyn with inspiration from a blog that no longer exists)

Ingredients:
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed well and drained
4-5 tomatoes or 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, diced in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
1 cup (1 large bunch) cilantro, washed, dried, and chopped coarsely with chef's knife or food processor
1 avocado, diced (optional, but good)

Dressing Ingredients:
2 T fresh lime juice (plus 2 tsp. more for avocado, if using)
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle chile powder (I used Penzeys, you could substitute hot sauce if you don't have ground Chipotle)
1/2 tsp. chile powder (mild)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
zest from one lime
salt, fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

Drain beans into colander and rinse until no foam remains. Let drain well. Mix together the lime juice, olive oil, ground Chipotle powder (or hot sauce), chile powder, ground cumin, onion powder, and lime zest to make the dressing, then put beans and dressing into a plastic container with a snap-on lid and shake a few times to combine. (Use a bowl that's big enough to hold all the salad ingredients.) Let beans marinate in dressing one hour or longer.

If using avocado, peel and dice the avocado and toss it with 2 teaspoons of lime juice. Dice tomatoes, place in colander with a small amount of salt and let tomatoes drain 10 minutes while you dice onions and chop cilantro. (You can skip that step if using cherry tomatoes or if your tomatoes aren't that juicy.) Thinly slice the green onions and wash, dry, and chop the cilantro.

Combine marinated beans with dressing, tomatoes, green onion, and cilantro and stir gently until well combined, then gently stir in the avocado (if using.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Persian Rice and Cashew Salad

Persian Brown Rice and Cashew Salad

Makes 6 to 8 side-dish servings

1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp fine sea salt

2 tsp finely grated lime zest

3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp liquid honey or brown rice syrup

3 cups cooked brown basmati rice or other long-grain brown rice, cooled

1/2 cup chopped pitted dates

3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

3/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped

1/2 cup lightly salted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

1. In a small bowl, whisk together cinnamon, salt, lime zest, lime juice, oil and honey.

2. In a large bowl, combine rice and dates. Add dressing and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until chilled, or for up to 24 hours. Just before serving, add green onions, mint and cashews, gently tossing to combine.

White Bean Salad with Roasted Red Pepper, Arugula, and Parsley

Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 cans white beans (about 2 cups cooked beans)
1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, chopped (one jar is about 2/3 cup chopped roasted red peppers)
2 cups chopped arugula, about 4 oz. (arugula is also called rocket or rucola)
1/4 cup sliced green onion (scallions)
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Dressing Ingredients:
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. Spike Seasoning (optional but highly recommended)
4 T extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Drain beans into colander and rinse well with cold water until no more foam appears, then let beans drain at least 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels if they still look wet when you're ready to put the salad together.

Drain red peppers and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Chop parsley, green onions, and arugula and put into large bowl with the red peppers, then gently mix in beans.

Whisk Spike Seasoning into the balsamic vinegar, then slowly whisk in olive oil. Toss dressing with salad ingredients, season to taste with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper and serve. This will keep in the refrigerator for a day, although the arugula will get pretty wilted after that.

from Kalyn's Kitchen, check out the recipes,

Recipes: South Beach Diet Phase One Round-Up

(Pinto Bean and Beef Stew with Cumin and Cilantro)

Click here to visit Kalyn's Kitchen and discover all kinds of South Beach Diet, Phase 1 Recipes

Pear Walnut Gorgonzola Salad

*6-8oz Mixed greens-lettuce-baby spinach

1 pear-julienne sliced

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

2 oz Crumbled Gorgonzola

Honey-Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 TBSP Honey

2 tsp minced shallot

3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pinch of salt

Few grinds of fresh pepper

Directions:

Heat a dry pan on medium and add the walnuts to toast. Stir often, and keep your eye on these, they will toast quickly (about 4-5 min).

Remove the walnuts from the heat once the walnuts are a light golden brown. Pour walnuts on a cutting board to cool.

Mix all the vinaigrette ingredients except olive oil together in a glass jar. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking, this will immerse the ingredients together.

Wash the pear, and slice into thin julienne strips.

Crumble the Gorgonzola cheese.

Toss the mixed greens with half the dressing. Add the dressing to the salad and toss again.

Top with pear, walnuts, and crumbled Gorgonzola and enjoy!

check out this recipe and more from the Midwest Vegetarian here

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1⁄3; cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley

2⁄3; cup vegetable oil

Directions:

Whisk the mustard, sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar and chopped parsley together in a bowl.

Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly, until thickened.

Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Bring to room temperature before using.

Here's the link

Spinach Strawberry Salad

For The Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/4 cup White Sugar

1 teaspoon Poppy Seeds

1/4 teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/4 teaspoon Dry Mustard

A pinch of cayenne pepper {don't worry it's not spicy!}

Kosher Salt, to taste

Combine the sugar and red wine vinegar in a mini food processor or a glass jar. Add all the seasonings and pulse {or shake}, while the food processor is running drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream. Toss in the poppy seeds and give it a quick pulse. Season with Salt to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For The Salad:

10 ounces of baby spinach leaves

A small handful of fresh dill, chopped

1 pint of strawberries, quartered {or more}

2 oz. package of pecan halves, toasted

2-4 grilled chicken breast halves *Optional*

Toast pecans over medium heat, tossing around until fragrant. Toss the spinach with the chopped dill, add the toasted pecans halves and the quartered strawberries, toss some more. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Optional:

Serve with sliced grilled chicken breast halves and then top with the vinaigrette.

I halved {butterflied} my chicken breasts and drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled them with lemon pepper and grilled them on my grill pan, about 6 minutes per side, or until done. One chicken breast halve per serving.

Here's the link

Strawberry Feta Salad with Balsamic-Honey Vinaigrette

Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup – balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup – honey
1/8 teaspoon – garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon – salt
3 tablespoons – oil

Salad:
6 cups – mixed baby salad greens
2 cups – fresh strawberries, stemmed and quartered
1 medium – red onion, thin sliced, and separated into rings
1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/3 cup – chopped walnuts

Directions:

Place all Dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until well combined.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with enough prepared vinaigrette to coat (about 1/3 cup).

Here's the link