Homemade Salad Dressing

You have probably realized by now, I eat a lot of salads.  Typically one of my meals each day is a main course salad...nothing boring of course!

You may have also noticed, I don't buy salad dressing from the store…ever…I always make my own. It's so easy! This way I don't get stuck with a whole bottle of dressing that I may or may not like, I can change the flavor with each salad (which I think makes eating salads more interesting and delicious), and I get to decide what ingredients get used.  And did I mention it's easy?

I mostly make vinaigrettes (with oil, vinegar, and seasonings) ...sometimes I replace the vinegar with another acid (lemon, lime, or orange juice). The type of oil, vinegar (or citrus juice), and seasonings I use varies depending on the type of salad that I am making.  For example:

Mediterranean - olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper
Asian - canola oil and peanut/sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, honey, salt or soy sauce, cilantro, ginger
Mexican - lime juice, canola oil, cumin, cilantro, salt and pepper

   

The possibilities are endless.  Some of my favorites from DG include:

Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette
Strawberry Vinaigrette
Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette
Creamy Feta-Red Wine Vinegar Dressing …one of my FAVES!
Lemon-Oregano Vinaigrette

Most chefs would recommend using a 3:1 or 2:1 ratio of oil to vinegar...that would make for a dressing that is higher in calories and fat than I want on a daily basis. I use a 1:1 ratio...if I use 1/4 cup of vinegar I also use 1/4 cup of oil.  And I try to only use 2-3 tablespoons of dressing or less for a good sized salad (per person).

For a basic dressing made with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard (plus salt and pepper) the nutrition info would look like this:

Per 2 tablespoons - 112 cal, 12 g fat (2 g saturated); counted as 2.5 fat exchanges

It may seem like a lot of fat, but its healthy (unsaturated) fat and this is where I choose to get my fat from each day (along with nuts/nut butter, fish, avocado, eggs, and some dairy). We all need fat to stay healthy. If you buy fat-free everything you may not be getting enough fat in your diet and your body won't be able to function efficiently.
 
 

All of the following recipes are for salad dressings...a few are higher in fat/calories than others, but all are healthy. Some have several ingredients, some only have a few.

Honestly, I don't follow a recipe - I use the 1:1 ratio and then add what ever I feel like adding.  I typically make salad dressing by shaking all of the ingredients in a small jar (I save mustard jars or small jelly jars).

I keep on hand several oils (sesame, olive, canola, walnut), vinegars (red wine, white wine, balsamic, rice wine, apple cider, sherry) and mustards (Dijon and whole grain), plus lemons...this way I can make a variety of dressings all the time.

For some of the recipes I've provided a link to a salad that the dressing can be paired with, but you could easily create your own.

And if you do buy bottled dressing, read here for the best ones.

Dijon-Lemon Vinaigrette -

• Per 2 tablespoons - 50 calories, 4.8 g fat (0.6 g saturated), 2 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat)
• Notes - This is a great base for other vinaigrettes…experiment by adding other vinegars, juices, spices, herbs, etc
• Can be used with:
  - Seared Tuna Salad with Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette and Feta Quesadillas
  - Cheddar-Jalapeño Quesadilla Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
  - Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Quesadilla Salad with Shallot-Mustard Vinaigrette
  - Flank Steak-and-Blue Cheese Quesadilla Salad

Honey Vinaigrette -

• Per 2 tablespoons - 52 calories, 3.8 g fat (0.6 g saturated), 4.4 g carbohydrate, 0.4 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat)
• Can be used with:
  - Garden Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

Green Goddess Dressing -

• Per 2 tablespoons - 30 calories, 2 g fat, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein (exchanges: 1/2 fat)
• Can be used with:
  - Tomatoes with Green Goddess Dressing

Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette -

• Per 2 tablespoons - 19 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 1 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein (exchanges: free food)
• Notes - Use caution when blending hot mixtures…make sure you leave the lid slightly open to let hot air escape

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette -

• Per 2 tablespoons - 106 calories, 12 g fat (2 g saturated), 2 g carbohydrate, 0 g protein (exchanges: 2 1/2 fat)

Creamy Caesar Dressing -

• Per 2 tablespoons - 52 calories, 3.6 g fat (0.4 g saturated), 3.2 g carbohydrate, 1.6 g protein (exchanges: 1 fat)
• Can be used with:
  - Caesar Salad with Bagel Croutons

Balsamic Vinaigrette -

• Per 2 tablespoons - 37 calories, 1.7 g fat (0.2 g saturated), 5.8 g carbohydrate, 0.3 g protein (exchanges: 1/2 fat)
• Can be used with:
  - Balsamic Vinaigrette Chicken over Gourmet Greens

Lagniappe...

Here is an interesting article on the history of our relationship with fat.

Beach Day Tuna Salad

Yet another recipe from The Sprouted Kitchen cookbook I just bought(the other was Blueberry Corn Salsa…in case you missed it!).  The thing that caught my attention was the raisins!  I mean, raisins in tuna salad? Crazy?? DELICIOUS!

Tuna is standard in my lunch time meal repertoire and has been for most of my life.  My typical version would be tuna/mayo/celery/eggs.  That’s how my mom and Bernie made it growing up.  But I’ve also made curried tuna salad and this cilantro tuna salad…both really good!

The recipe in the book only makes 2 servings (it uses 2 cans of tuna).  I adjusted for more and used 5 5-ounce cans (chunk light for the lower mercury content…packed in water).  But I didn’t think it was necessary to increase the mayo/oil/mustard by much…I don’t like any of my salads (chicken, egg) overly creamy.  I left out the parsley too…I used the inner celery leaves instead.  This is something I always do, they have so much flavor! 

The sweetness from the raisins is subtle.  And just note, I couldn’t find golden raisins so I ended up using regular brown ones.  This salad works on whole grain toast for a sandwich option.  Or you could serve it over lettuce/spinach/some other green.  Make a big batch like I did.  I promise, you will wish you had more…especially if you have a roommate!!

Beach Day Tuna Salad
adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen

makes 4-5 servings

5 (5-ounce) cans water-packed tuna (I used chunk light)
1/3 cup raisins
3 celery stalks, diced…including some of the inner leaves
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise or extra-virgin olive oil…depending on how creamy you want it
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Drain tuna well and put into a mixing bowl. Soak raisins in warm water for 5 minutes to soften, then drain. Coarsely chop raisins and add them to the tuna.

Add celery, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise or olive oil to the bowl and stir well to combine, breaking up the larger chunks of tuna. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once, or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

Per serving (based on 5 servings…only the tuna salad…no bread/lettuce/etc): 262 calories, 8 g fat (1.3 g saturated), 10 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 37 g protein (1 1/2 fat, 5 protein, 1/2 fruit)…FYI…4 servings would make it 327cals…that’s probably what I end up eating

* The amounts in this recipe are completely up to you…less celery? Sure.  More lemon or mustard?  Why not!  You might fall in love with the raisins and decide to add more of those too.  Just don’t be tempted to add TOO much mayo/oil.  Here’s my opinion of mayo…you might be surprised!

Blueberry Corn Salsa

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it before, but I have a thing for cookbooks…every birthday, holiday, (or just any given day!) the collection grows!

The newest addition is The Sprouted Kitchen cookbook…from the blog of the same name.  And I am LOVING it!  Fresh ingredients, whole foods, delicious recipes…right up my alley.

I bought it with a birthday Anthropologie gift card on Saturday, and after flipping through it I immediately HAD to try this salsa (and some incredible tuna salad that I’ll share later). 

   

In the cookbook, the salsa is served over polenta squares…which I’m sure is delicious. But you know me, this was destined for a salad.  So I modified it a little to give it even more of a Mexican feel…lime juice and a extra cilantro! 

The salad I made included romaine, shredded carrot, chicken (that I marinated in lime juice, garlic, cumin, a little apple cider vinegar, and olive oil), queso fresco, and a lemon vinaigrette.  Topped with crushed tortilla chips.  I’m thinking it would work really well on fish tacos too.

Blueberry Corn Salsa

adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen cookbook

3 ears of corn (which will be about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of kernels)
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and diced (optional)
salt

Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels from corn cobs and put the kernels in a bowl (I cut the kernels off this way).

Cut the blueberries in half (some of the bigger ones I quartered) and add them to the corn along with the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, jalapeño (if using), and a pinch of two of salt.  Stir to combine. 

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, checking for seasoning before serving.

Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette

The other day I was wandering through Whole Foods waiting for a salad inspiration to hit me (sometimes I have a plan for my “salad of the week”…other times I let my shopping trip make the decision for me). 

There was fresh summer corn on sale…what could I do with that?!  I instantly thought of the roasted corn grits at Zea, not sure why…I hardly ever eat there! (I also thought about this sweet corn ice cream I’ve been eying…need to make that ASAP!). Both ideas were vetoed…I was going for something a little healthier : )

But it did lead me to thinking about Zea’s pepper jelly vinaigrette which I also love.  How perfect?  A salad topped with grilled corn and pepper jelly vinaigrette!  Inspiration!  I found an organic brand of pepper jelly, grabbed 2 ears of corn, got everything else on my list, and headed home. 

A quick Google search lead me to realize that John Besh has a recipe for pepper jelly vinaigrette in My New Orleans, which I have.  This recipe is loosely based on his…although I used less oil and swapped his red wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar (Zea’s version has AC vinegar).

The salad pictured has grilled corn, slow roasted tomatoes (minus the Italian seasoning), yellow bell pepper, romaine, chicken and feta.  I added shredded carrots and green onions on a different day. 

It’s summer in a bowl!  Make it soon though, before the sweet corn is gone!

Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette
adapted from John Besh’s My New Orleans*

makes 1 cup

1/4 cup pepper jelly, microwaved at 10 second intervals until melted
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (red wine would be fine)
1/2 cup oil (I used half EVOO and half sunflower**)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Add all ingredients to a jar and shake to combine.

Per serving (2 tbsp) – 145 calories, 13.5 g fat (1.4 g saturated), 6 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein (exchanges: 2.5 fats, 1/2 sugar/other carbohydrate)

* JB also added 1 teaspoon of sambal chile paste, which would make it spicier…I omitted it for 2 reasons…1) I don’t like things too spicy and 2) I didn’t have any

** sunflower oil is what I use for my neutral flavor oil (canola would be another option); it would be just as good with all olive or all neutral too

Wild Rice Cranberry Pecan Salad

When I first started this blog I didn’t have a camera to take pictures with…and then I had a camera but wasn’t very good at taking pics.  I’ve definitely gotten better over time (I’ve been at this for almost 3.5 years!) but have a lot to learn too…I’ve been thinking of a camera upgrade as well…Santa??

So I’m going to go back and start updating some old posts…with new pics!  Starting with this one.

 

I’ve served this salad twice…first to the senior dancers at Tari’s Christmas party.  And then again for Hilary's graduation/Christmas party for over 100 people. I had to make a lot for this one…recipe times 10?!

This was back in 2008, and I don’t know if I’ve made it since!  Both times it was a hit though!

I buy a wild rice and brown basmati rice blend in the bulk section of Whole Foods. Both are whole grains. If you can't find a blend, just substitute brown rice and wild rice in a 3:1 ratio (¾ cup brown and ¼ cup wild).

This salad is more of a method than a recipe...you could swap out any of the ingredients (a different grain, nut, fruit, vegetable...the sky's the limit.  Using orange zest and juice would be really good too! 

Today I ate it over lettuce and added turkey salad and broccoli crunch from Whole Foods…sooooo good!  Double the dressing for the rice and save half to dress the salad!

Wild Rice Cranberry Pecan Salad
adapted from simplyrecipes.com

Makes 10 ½-cup servings

1 cup brown rice wild rice mix
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped
½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Salt and pepper

Cook rice according to package instructions, omitting fat and adding 1/2 teaspoon salt. Here is the method I used:

Rinse rice. Put all ingredients (1 cup rice, 2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt) in pot with tight-fitting lid. Stir, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Do not remove lid. Remove from heat and allow to sit covered for 10 minutes. Then uncover, fluff with a fork, and let cool to almost room temperature.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the cooled rice, cranberries, pecans, and green onions.

In a separate jar, mix the lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste.

Combine dressing with the rice mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve warm, chilled, or room temperature.

Per serving - 168 calories, 10 g fat (1 g saturated), 19 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3g protein (exchanges: 2 fat, 1 starch)

Lettuce for Salads

I go through a lot of lettuce…3 romaine hearts a week…all by myself!  I don’t buy pre-chopped lettuce for several reasons…it goes bad fast, its more expensive, and I’d have to buy several bags to last me for a week. 

Romaine is my go-to…I buy spinach about once a month and eat spinach salads for that week (and drink green smoothies).  I hardly ever buy spring mix…it goes bad sooooo fast!  Sometimes I’ll do butter lettuce or arugula.

I also always wash my lettuce, but I don’t use a salad spinner…I’ve never owned one (never will either).  I use a trick my mom taught me! 

After chopping and washing my lettuce (when I’m serving salad to others, say for a party, I typically tear my lettuce…but chopping is good enough for just me), I drain it for a while in a large colander. 

Then I pour the lettuce into a pillow case (a clean one that I only use for lettuce drying), tie a knot at the opening, and put it in the washing machine on the end spin cycle!  Genius right?  Its like a giant salad spinner!

You have to make sure that you use the final spin cycle so that the lettuce doesn’t get “rinsed” again.  And note…I’m not talking about the dryer…I’ve shared this tip with someone before (Mel) who thought that I dried my lettuce in the dryer!

I store my lettuce in one of the large plastic container you can get spinach and mixed greens in at Whole Foods.  It holds 3 romaine hearts perfectly.  Happy salad making : )

Broccoli Crunch

One of my favorite prepared foods at Whole Foods is the broccoli crunch.  It is the perfect salad “topper”…nutrition from the broccoli, sweetness from the raisins, smokiness from the bacon, crunch from the cashews, creaminess from the dressing.  I chop it up and serve it over romaine with other veggies (red bell, shredded carrots), sometimes adding chicken.  I usually don’t have to add dressing because the broccoli crunch is already dressed.

Typical broccoli salad has a lot of fat (mayo, nuts, bacon), but honestly the one at WF’s is mostly broccoli and isn’t overly dressed with mayo.  Mine is on the lighter side too.  But NOT because I used light mayo (I can’t stand light mayo).  I used less bacon and swapped some of the mayo for Greek yogurt (I used 0% Fage). 

You could swap a purple onion for the shallot, but a shallot provides the perfect amount of onion (no leftovers to use up).  Broccolini was on sale at WF’s last week, so that’s what I used.  The stems are really thin (like asparagus), so I chopped them up right along with the florets.  If I were to use regular broccoli I might peel and chop some of the stem as well.

   

The salad needs to chill in the fridge for a while before serving to help soften the broccoli (which in my opinion makes it better).  Next time I’m going to add the cashews right before serving…they lost their crunch!

 

Broccoli Crunch

makes 6 servings

4-5 cups broccoli florets, chopped (stems if you want), 1 head*
1/2 cup raisins, chopped
1 shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup cashews, toasted and chopped
4 slices of bacon, cooked** and crumbled

3 tablespoons mayonnaise
5 tablespoons non-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients for the salad in a large bowl (broccoli through bacon).  If not serving right away, I recommend waiting to add the cashews.

In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients (mayo through pepper).  Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Per serving (a little less than a cup) – 190 calories, 11 g fat (2.3 g saturated), 19 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 7 g protein (exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 fat)…plus 115%DV vit C, 99%DV vit K, also a good source of vit A and folate

* If you wanted you could blanch the broccoli, as they did in this recipe.

** I cooked my bacon in the microwave.

Curried Tuna Salad

I know, I know…another salad recipe.  I can’t help it!  Its what I eat when I know I’m not going to have time to cook THE WHOLE WEEK.  For the past 8 days (Saturday to Saturday) I have been wrapped up with all things dance.  Extra rehearsals, privates, teaching class, choreography for Saintsations, Saintsation practice, 2 days of dress rehearsal, 3 recitals. 

And sure enough, I didn’t find time to cook (besides quickly grilling some zucchini to eat with pesto and mozzarella for a quick lunch…and making cookies for some deserving dancers).  So it was a good thing I found time to make this earlier in the week. 

The recipe was inspired by this and this.  I love curried chicken salad, so why not tuna?  And I haven’t had fish in a while (something I try to eat regularly), so it was a perfect solution.  I buy water-packed canned light (as opposed to albacore) tuna for the lower mercury levels.   

The biggest differences between my recipes for chicken and tuna salad and other traditional ones is that I try to add more veggies and use less mayo (swapping Greek yogurt for SOME of it…you can read my opinion of mayo here). 

And while I did have a tuna salad sandwich one day, the rest was eaten over romaine with cucumbers.  Love a salad on a salad!

Curried Tuna Salad

makes 5 servings

3 5-6 ounce cans light tuna packed in water, drained
4 celery stalks, diced finely
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup raisins, chopped
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt (I use Fage 0%)
1/2 - 1 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine, breaking up any large pieces of tuna.  Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or curry powder if needed.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Per serving (about a cup) – 258 calories, 11 g fat (2.4 g saturated), 10 g carbohydrate, 1.6 g fiber, 29 g protein (exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 fruit, 2 fat, 4 protein)

Strawberry Vinaigrette

I eat a lot of salad and am constantly in search of new salad inspirations.  One of my favorite blogs, Annie Eats, featured a strawberry spinach salad with a light strawberry vinaigrette.  I couldn’t wait to try it!

The dressing was originally fat free (no oil).  I’m always skeptical of fat free dressings…but I told myself that I’d try it first and then make a decision of whether or not I wanted a little extra virgin olive oil.  I added it :) but you can make your own decision. 

If you do go the fat free route, make sure there is SOME fat in your salad.  Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K…found the veg in the salad) need fat to be absorbed by your body. 

Like the original recipe suggested, I made a spinach salad and then topped it with toasted almonds, shredded carrots, diced red bell pepper, steamed asparagus, sliced strawberries, baked chicken, and little feta.  Goat cheese would be fabulous too.

Strawberry Vinaigrette
adapted from Annie Eats

makes about 1 cup of dressing

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons champagne*
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil**
1/2 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt

In a blender, combine the strawberries, vinegar, champagne, olive oil, sugar, and salt.  Blend until the mixture is well combined and completely smooth.  Transfer to an airtight bottle or container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Per serving (3 tablespoons) – 65 calories, 5.5 g fat (0.8 g saturated), 4 g carbohydrate, 2.6 g sugar (exchanges: 1 fat)

* I bought a mini bottle of champagne, rather than having to open a whole bottle for a couple tablespoons.  If you wanted you could use white wine or skip the separate vinegar and champagne, and instead use champagne vinegar (about 3 tablespoons).

** The dressing kept for a week in the fridge without separating…not sure if it was because of the oil I added or not. 

Mango Curry Chicken Salad

I have been waiting for this since last year…mango season!  The champagne mangos at Whole Foods are so good right now!!!  I can’t get enough of them.  I’ve been eating them plain and in my overnight oats…but this week they went in chicken salad. 

Chicken salad, as you probably know, is a staple in my diet.  And this version is delish!  So are both of these.

Mango Curry Chicken Salad
created by me

Makes 6 1-cup servings

3 cooked* boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
5 celery stalks, diced (I like to use some of the leaves too)
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
2 champagne mangos (or 1 large mango), diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
juice (and zest) from 1 lime
2 teaspoons curry powder
salt and pepper

* This is how I cook my chicken:  Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and place on baking sheet/dish.  Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and black pepper.  Cook for about 20 minutes until until juices run clear (not pink) when poked with a sharp knife.

Once the chicken is cooled, shred it with a fork and add to a large mixing bowl.  Add the celery, bell pepper, and mango, and stir to combine. 

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, lime juice and zest, and curry powder.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the dressing to the salad ingredients; stir to combine.  Re-season with salt and pepper if needed.  If not creamy enough, add more yogurt.

Per serving (1 cup) - 247 calories, 11 g fat (2 g saturated), 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 28g protein (exchanges: 2 fat, 1/2 vegetable, 1/2 fruit, 4 protein)

Busiest Time of the Year

For me, Spring and Fall are the busiest times of the year.  Obviously Football season occupies my life from August thru January.  Every weekend I’m at an LSU game, a Saints game, or both.  The weekdays are filled with teaching at the studio, running Saintsation rehearsals, choreographing, driving to and from Nola…

But I honestly think I’m busier in the Spring.  For me it’s “dance team tryout season” and everybody needs a private dance lesson, a solo, a tryout outfit, a weight loss plan…

I’ve choreographed 12+ audition solos, helped several girls lose weight, given countless hours of private lessons to make sure these girls are ready to make their dance team.  I love being able to do this for these girls.  I was on a dance team from 7th grade until I graduated from LSU (excluding my freshman year at LSU when I didn’t make Golden Girls)…11 years!  And then I lived vicariously through Hilary for 4 more years.  Then I stared working with the Saintsations.  So for the last 18 years I’ve been involved with a dance team in some way or another.

Tryouts start this week for me.  The first high school tryout that I’m helping girls prepare for is Friday.  Next weekend there is the second Saintsation workshop.  The first weekend of April are Saintsations auditions (which are a week long process Saturday – Thursday), the second weekend are Golden Girls, and the third Tiger Girls.  And all throughout that time are more high school auditions.  And I have students auditioning for all of them!

As you can imagine, I’m practically living at the dance studio right now.  And I don’t have much time to cook…I haven’t posted anything since February 8th.  But that doesn’t mean I’m eating out 3 meals a day!  When I can’t “cook” I find myself eating things that I can “assemble”…salads, sandwiches…or defrost from my freezer…soup. 

Going to the grocery store is my PRIORITY.  If there isn’t healthy food in my fridge I end up eating out more which equals spending more money and eating things I normally wouldn’t.  At the beginning of the week, usually Sunday night or Monday morning, I shop for groceries and then prep/cook for the week.

For the last couple of weeks I’ve made some sort of salad “topper” to eat over a green salad…chicken salad, tabbouleh, a cold bean salad.  I take a little help from Whole Foods too.  I love buying their Broccoli Crunch salad (broccoli, raisins, onions, a little bacon, and mayo) and chopping it up over lettuce.  Last week I added baked chicken breast, shredded carrots, bell pepper, Forte Grove crostini, and a little lemon vinaigrette (not too much though, because the mayo on the broccoli salad acts like dressing too).

Another recent menu item has been Chicken Feta Tabbouleh lettuce wraps.  Bibb/butter lettuce works the best for this. 

Sandwiches are convenient too.  I love all kinds of toppings, but I think bread can make or break a sandwich.  Whole Foods seeduction bread is one of my favorites.  Whole grain usually…but not always (I love French bread…reminds me of childhood sandwiches).

Some of my favorite combos:

- ham, cheddar, apple, tomato, lettuce, honey mustard
- turkey, Havarti, Dijon, tomato, cucumber
- turkey, avocado, tomato, cilantro
- turkey, green tomato relish (or another sweet pickle), Dijon, Havarti
- hummus, cucumber, shredded carrot, feta…love this one!

As you can see, I try to make my sandwiches have 3 things: a veg/fruit, a protein source, and some kind of fat.  I’m not opposed to mayo, but I would rather cheese or avocado!

I’m not going to lie though, I have been eating out more this past month…sandwiches from Jimmy John’s, chicken salad (over salad) from Maxwell’s, pimento cheese sandwich or hummus & salad plate from Zoe’s, salads from Whole Foods, and turkey melts from Counter Culture.  These have all been a little more frequent!  Still eating healthy though :)

What I Eat (Day 1)

It’s been a while since I’ve done this…and I’m officially starting my New Year’s resolutions today - was I really supposed to do that last week?  There was way too much football left to focus on new things :) But football is over for me, so no more excuses!

• Pre-run snack: 1/2 pear
• 4 mile run
• Breakfast: overnight oats (last night I combined 1 1/2 cups Oikos and 1 cup Magic Muesli; this morning to half of that I added a sprinkle of Kaia Foods buckwheat granola, 2 tsp maple syrup, splash of skim milk); 24 oz water; coffee (Cool Brew, 6 oz milk, 2 tsp half & half)
• Lunch: Salmon Nicoise Salad (inspired by this recipe) - broiled salmon, boiled potatoes and green beans, red peppers, 1 hard boiled egg, cherry tomatoes, dressing (I followed the recipe I linked to above but left out 1/4 cup of oil and used Italian Seasoning instead of the fresh herbs…can’t wait until I have an herb garden again); hummus and carrots; water
• Taught 3:30 – 9:00 (drank 24 oz of green tea mixed with water)
• Dinner: Green smoothie – 8 oz OJ, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup spinach, 1/2 of a small avocado, ice; 24 oz water; carrots and hummus

I almost didn’t run this morning…so cold!  But I bundled up and headed out and was glad I did.  Think I’m gonna do a little boot camp tomorrow!

I’ve been in a bit of a breakfast slump lately…can’t find anything that I really want to eat.  So I’ve been changing it up a bit from the usual “cold weather” oatmeal.  Last week I did toast with cashew butter.  This week it’s over-night oats with a little of this oh-so-crunchy granola I picked up at Whole Foods.  I’ve actually made buckwheat granola before from this recipe and really like it!

More water, less coffee!  And it was unsweetened!  And I drank green tea instead.  Did I meet all four of my resolutions?!?  Yep!  My plan is to drink at least 2 cups of water before my first coffee each day.

My salad for the week is based on two things…1) I haven’t had salmon in a while (I try to at least once a month) and 2) I need to “detox” from my weekend of football food (cheese burger, fries, M&M’s, roast beef poboy, chips, alcohol) which means I’m going to eat more like a vegetarian this week.  All of the salad ingredients are ready to go in the refrigerator…shopping/prepping ahead of time is so helpful/essential for healthy eating. 

 

And don’t let the smoothie scare you!  It tastes just like a banana-orange smoothie!  Promise!  The avocado makes it creamy and the spinach makes it more nutrient dense.  And you can’t taste either!

Night…Go Auburn (for tonight only!)

20 Salads Worse than a Whopper

I’m a huge salad lover…but when I order one at a restaurant I get the dressing on the side and sometimes ask for things to be taken off…usually 1 or 2 of the fats (eggs, bacon, cheese, buttery croutons, nuts, tortilla strips, avocado).  Not that fat is bad!  You just don’t want to add too many fats sources, ruining an otherwise healthy salad. 

Here’s proof of why you need to pay attention when ordering salads at restaurants, and why they might not always be the best choice!