Tag: salads

  • Goodness of a Salad

    Goodness of a Salad

     

    Salads the natural way of having nutrients with raw flavours. Salads can be simple easily from easily available veggies , nuts , pulses , cereals , fruits etc.Packed full of goodness, salads bring flavour to your diet plan each day. Eating salads is an easy way to eat your daily serving of vegetables and it is not so difficult. You can prepare a salad and take it to work with you or to an outing with family and friends. Why is it so important to have salads with each of your meal ? You can only answer this question once you have had addicted yourself to have salads each meal or each day . Its simple to prepare , easy to consume , jam-packed with nutrients , Highly fibrous which is another valid reason to addict yourself to salad. We often emphasis on fibre content in food and the reason being simple, eating a high-fibre diet can help lower cholesterol levels
    and prevent constipation, eating more fibre can help you feel fuller, eat less, and ultimately lose weight. Salads are full of fruits and vegetables , which increases your intake of nutrients and lowers your risk of getting ill fatally. Diabetes ,High Blood pressure, Low Blood pressure, Nausea , Weakness, Malnourishment these are fatal diseases you can avoid and prevent yourself from by consuming salads with your meals.If losing weight is your goal, you may want to start your meals with a green salad. That’s the best trick for a girl to move happily from XL to XS ( Why should I spare the boys from this joy ). Even if you team up your salad with a slice of fat its still okay rather than having a full fat mealand suffer the rest of your day as fat makes you lazy and dull ( Ugly too If I am being honest ). Raw vegetables and fruits are good source of water specially tropical fruits which help you get feel fuller and also charged up . If we talk more about goodness of fruits and vegetables so they are delicious, so mixing them in different combinations to create a salad ensures exciting meals.First, you eat food with your eyes. Salads have varied textures, shapes, sizes and colours which make them visually appealing and satisfying. We enjoy foods that are entice our eyes and also eat more of them.Eating a variety of textures keeps mealtime interesting. Salad ingredients can add a nice crunch which is much better for you than munching on cookies or potato chips.So by far I have given you enough of reasons to check out your diet plan and indulge yourself to healthy meals. It will not only give you reason to eat more also you can commit sin guilt-free by having junk sometimes. And moreover our gyms are running quiet well so admit yourself to a healthy regime.

    black-bean-salad

    Black Bean , Corn , Potato and Pepper Salad :

    Ingredients :

    For Salad: 1/2 cup kidney beans soaked overnight , 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme , 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano , 1/2 teaspoon salt , 1/2 cup boiled corn kernels , 1 onion finely chopped , 1 tomato finely chopped , 1/2 cup red pepper (red capsicum ) cubes , 1/2 cup green pepper(green capsicum )cubes , 100 g baby potatoes boiled and peeled , 100 g baby onions boiled and peeled .

    For dressing :1 tablespoon lemon juice , 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic , 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind ( the outer surface of lemon ), 1 teaspoon salt , 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon red chilly flakes , 1/2 teaspoon pepper , 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint , 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander, 1 tablespoon chopped green chillies ,5 to 6 tablespoon olive oil .To garnish you may use mint and coriander sprigs.

    Servings :  2

    Method : Boil the kidney beans with thyme , oregano and salt until soft but firm . drain the beans and set aside .Mix the remaining ingredients in the bowl.To prepare the dressing you need to blend all the ingredients listed above for it in a small bender jar .Toss the prepared veggies mixture in the dressing and lastly add the beans .Adjust the salt if you feel it doesn’t  suits your taste.Garnish it with mint or coriander sprigs and serve it at room temperature.

    Tip : Prepare this dish just before serving it else the nutrient value gets reduced and flavours do get mingled giving it a very liquid texture due to addition of salt before hand.

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    Carrot and almond Salad :

    Carrot being my favourite I always try and make different recipes which eventually turns out to be very tasty and nutrients. There is natural sweetness in carrots and we do get best of it during winter season . To sum up I would implement the richness of carrot in this recipe which is tasty , different and worth a try .

    Ingredients :

    For Salad :1/2 kg carrots peeled and coarsely grated, 2 small cucumber thinly sliced , 1/4 cup raisins soaked in water for 10 minutes , 1/2 cup sliced almonds without the skin ( to remove the skin just soak it overnight skin is peeled of easily ).

    For Dressing :
    I tablespoon lemon juice , 1 tablespoon honey,1 teaspoon dried ginger powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1/3 cup olive oil , salt to taste , Pepper to taste .To garnish finely chopped parsley. ( You may use dry parsley too)

    Servings : 4

    Method : Place carrots and cucumber in a glass bowl. Add raisins and toss to mix .

    For dressing :
    Add lemon juice , honey , ginger , cinnamon , olive oil , salt and pepper in a screw top jar . shake well to combine.Toast the almonds on a flat pan until they are golden brown in colour.Pour the dressing over the salad , and toss well .Sprinkle with almonds and garnish with parsley. Serve at room temperature.

    Yes ! I am slowly turning you all to health freaks which is why I am posting this article so that we all realise that health is a factor to be taken seriously . Today we all undergo a lot of stress and distress . Which gives us mental and physical fatigue. To avoid the same we all need to maintain a balanced diet , eat on time , and maintain a healthy lifestyle . It takes 15 minutes of our time to prepare such good recipes which are healthy and much better to eat than just plain oatmeal bowl. So do try them and Live Love Louder !!!

  • Foods which are best for skin

    Foods which are best for skin

    The nutritious and healthy food is all that you want to have a perfect and blushing skin. Not only it protects the inner body but also shields from the outside.  The better and more nutritious food stuff we take in results in more beautiful and vibrant skin. Now a day’s people spend a lot amount of money in buying skin products, but the results out of them are not found to be satisfactory. We can protect our skin by proper exercising, sleeping for adequate amount, avoiding damage from the sun and most importantly by eating healthy and nourishing food items.  The right kinds of food items can certainly shield the skin from the effect of environment, location and time. People have become less concerned of what they eat and hence they end up buying expensive cosmetics for their skin. Taking all the necessary nutrients in your diet definitely results in glowing, healthy looking skin. So if you really want the radiant and shining skin then you have to make sure the food items you take in.

    pinklips4

    Drink a lot:  In order to make your skin more flexible, drink a lot to provide it with moisture. Deficiency in the amount of moisture can lead to dry, dull and drained skin. It has been found out that it is necessary to drink around 6 to 8 glasses of water every day. If you are working or move out of your house, make it a habit to carry a bottle of water along with you. Consuming alcohol is damaging for the skin, so avoid extreme amount of it. Teas which do not contain caffeine are also good for the skin.

    Raw-Almonds

    Almonds: Almonds are rich in Vitamin E and because of that it helps in protecting the skin from the damage of the sun. It has been found out that the people who ingest about 20 almonds a day are more resistant from the exposure to the sun as compared to the people who do not consume almonds. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and hence it is quite beneficial for the skin.  So don’t forget to eat almonds every day to have a beautiful and vibrant skin.

    food-skin-health

    Fruits and Vegetables: Effective and necessary antioxidants are present in fruits and vegetables that provides shield to the skin from the cellular ravage that is triggered by the free radicals. These free radicals can lead to wrinkles and age marks on the skin. They are produced by contamination, effluence, smoking as well as sunlight.  Proper amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet are very important for healthy and fit skin. Try to include papaya, spinach, pumpkin and sweet potatoes in your diet as they rich in all the necessary nutrients which the skin wants.

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    Green Tea: Green tea has many benefits like it provides relaxing and soothing effect. Apart from that it contains antioxidants that fight with tenderness, swelling and inflammation. It is also studied that the consumption of green tea may diminish the danger of skin cancer as well. Because of the high amount of antioxidant present in the green tea, it helps in reducing the redness. So it is advised to consume 1 cup of green day every single day.

    Foods-For-Healthy-Skin

    Guava, Orange, papaya:  Vitamin C is considered as an excellent antioxidant. It is very essential for us and provides us with many benefits like it plays a vital role for the robust immune system. It makes the skin glowing, shining and healthy looking. It helps in the healing of the blemishes and the marks. There is wide range of vitamin c rich food items that you can consume. Some of the finest sources include guava, orange, papaya, kiwi and many more.  Hence, make your skin looks vibrant and lively as a result of vitamin c rich food stuff.

    chocolat

    Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate proves to be very valuable for the skin. The antioxidant present in the dark chocolate is ‘flavonols’ that helps in reducing the coarseness in the skin. It also provides protection from the sun. It acts as a sun blocker. The skin becomes more flexible and agile as the cocoa provides moisture to the skin. A little amount of it every day certainly improves the glow and shine on the skin. The person who consumes it has an advance texture of the skin and he or she is more resistant to the sun rays.

    Walnuts

    Walnuts: Omega -3 fatty acids are very important for us as it helps in improving the flexibility and agility of the skin. Walnut is very rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.  Apart from that walnut also contains copper, which is a useful mineral that increase the creation of collagen. So in order to get a better skin texture and to make the skin more refreshing eat walnuts every single day.

    best-foods-for-your-skin

    We all have various creams as well as skin treatments but the skin becomes more beautiful with the intake of nourishing and healthy food products. It is essential that we include the desirable nutrients in our everyday diet to make the skin radiant and fabulous. So make sure that you consume the vital nutrients every single day.

  • DETOX YOURSELF

    DETOX YOURSELF

    The connection between the body and mind is really strong, the way your body feels plays a great part in the functioning of your brain whether or not you experience a state of well being. Keeping your body free of toxins and other harmful nasty things will help you maintain a healthy living.

    DETOX

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Thinking of doing a detox and wondering how to start? Detoxing the body is effective for starting a new diet plan. Detoxing with various foods that is the best way to help give your body the nutrients required also helps your digestive system to take a break from having to break down and digest food.

    Are detox programs really good for your health?

    Along with recommendations for detoxing comes warning, which makes the would-be-detox dieter totally confused.

    1. Detoxing helps you boost energy

    By cutting out the sugar, fats, Trans fat, saturated fat, caffeine and replacing them by fruits and veggies gets you a natural energy boost.

    2. Help you get rid of excess waste

    One of the greatest benefits of detoxing is that it helps you get rid of excess waste that your body had stored earlier.

    3. Better immunity

    While you are on a detox program, it frees up the organs to function the way they should. Through this it gives your body a boost and absorbs nutrients better.

    4. Help to lose weight

    A detox program would help you reduce weight in a short term and get rid f unhealthy eating habits.

    5. Better breath

    One of the contributors to bad breath is backed up colon. When you cleanse it and get your digestive system function properly, you will find your breath improves.

    6. Glowing skin

    You can expect a glowing smoother radiant skin at the end of your detox program, you can add sauna to your detox plan to help the body sweat out additional toxins.

    7. Healthy living

    A detox program is like a bridge between your old habits and new ones towards a healthy living. Once if you quit eating your weakness foods and replace those with healthier choices, you will be moving towards a healthy life.

    8. Anti-aging benefit

    By reducing the toxins you will see long term benefits in an increased longevity.

    10 foods that will detox your body

    1. Beet
    DETOX YOURSELF

     

     

     

     

     

     

    It is mentioned as one of the super food. You should make an effort to include in your    regular meals and definitely have it if you are planning a detox diet. It helps in making sure    that the toxins you are getting out of your body are actually getting out.

    2. Broccoli

    DETOX YOURSELF

    Even though you are sick of seeing broccolis when health food is mentioned but actually it is a nutritional punch in a mini tree shaped veggie. It works with the enzymes in your liver to turn toxins into something your body can eliminate easily.

    3. Cabbage

    Cabbage helps your liver with the byproduct being lower cholesterol and also helping you expel the toxins getting them out of your system so you can start fresh.

    4. Garlic

    Garlic is of those crucial pieces in the puzzle of your detox plan. it helps you in boosting your immune system.

    5. Ginger

    DETOX YOURSELF

    Ginger has also been given the status of a virtual medicine chest, it has digestion friendly properties. It is considered as a staple in any health diet. It is one of the best detoxifying herbs as it stimulates digestion.

    6. Green tea

    DETOX YOURSELF It is great for cleansing the body from toxins and impurities. It purifies the whole to create a healthy circulation system and complexion as well. Adding a cup of green tea with each meal for daily detoxification will show improvements in health and physical appearance as well.

    7. Lemon 

    LEMON

    It is very common to hear to begin your day with warm water because it improves digestion. They help to detox your body.

    8. Olive oil

    DETOX YOURSELF

    It is used for cleansing the colon. It has a lot of health properties and makes a good choice than most other options.

    9. Turmeric

    DETOX YOURSELFIt is called the “detox diva”. Turmeric helps as liver cleanser and can rejuvenate the liver cells and recharge their capacity to break down the toxins. You can detox using a turmeric tea and substitute it for any other beverage to make the most of its health benefits.

    10. Water

    On a daily basis drinking water all by itself is one of the best ways to flush out the toxins. You can use any of the other detox foods along with water and get even more benefit from it.

    Make sure to avoid alcohol as it has a very toxic effect on the liver and will fail your detox program. Also avoid caffeinated beverages as it can have a dehydrating effect on the body. Cut out on sweets, chocolates and sweets as excess of sugar will cause excess stress on the liver and your cleansing efforts will be a waste. Also avoid overeating as it leads to accumulation of toxins.

  • Love For Salads

    Love For Salads

    For the ultimate in healthy and satisfying fare, there’s nothing better than a refreshing salad. Whether you yearn for a cool, crisp lettuce, sweet fruit salad or a savory potato salad, there is something for everyone on the list of salad recipes.

    fruit salad                                               Salad2026-thumb-596x350-136535

    Salad, a popular ready- to eat dish often contains leafy vegetables or fruits, often served with dressings usually served at a chilled or at a moderate
    temperature. Salads may sometimes additionally contain grain, meat, tuna or other seafood.

    Leafy vegetables are generally served with dressings, as well as with garnishes, and sometimes with meat, pasta, cheese, eggs, fish or whole grains.
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  • Be Salad-Savvy

    Be Salad-Savvy

    Salads are a great dinner option. They are not only filling and often easily prepared, but with the right ingredients, they can potentially pack in a whole lot of health benefits. But while urban Indian restaurant-goers are fast developing a taste for Caesar salad and Coleslaw, salads at home still mean a side-dish comprising a few cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes – chopped, diced, or sliced. The result: A boring basic garden salad and a complete lack of interest in the culinary potential of salads. But think again. Great-tasting, interesting salads need not be the exclusive domain of fancy restaurants. All you need do is get creative with the ingredients. A little thought can take you a long way. Here are a few simple recipes to help you get started.

    Apple and Lettuce Salad with Melon Dressing

    Apple and Lettuce Salad

    Consuming fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to replenish our body’s water and electrolyte needs. This recipe calls for a wide assortment of fruits and vegetables tossed together in a refreshing musk melon dressing. Enjoy a plateful of good health and pure taste.

    Ingredients:

    • ½ cup muskmelon purée
    • ½ tsp. roasted cumin seeds, crushed
    • 3 tbsp. chopped coriander
    • 1 cup torn lettuce
    • ½ cup shredded cabbage
    • ¼ cup thickly grated carrot
    • ¼ cup capsicum (red and yellow) cubes
    • ½ cup chopped apples
    • ½ tsp. lemon juice
    • ½ cup bean sprouts
    • 2 tbsp. chopped grapes
    • 1 tbsp. chopped spring onion greens
    • Salt to taste
    • Freshly ground pepper to taste

    Method of preparation:

    • Blend together the muskmelon purée, crushed roasted cumin seeds, and chopped coriander into a dressing. Add salt and pepper. Keep aside.
    • Next, soak the lettuce, cabbage, carrots, and capsicum in ice-cold water for 30 minutes. This will make them crisp. Drain, wrap in a muslin cloth and refrigerate till ready to use.
    • Toss the apples in lemon juice and refrigerate till ready to use.
    • Combine the lettuce, cabbage, carrots, capsicum, apples, bean sprouts, grapes, spring onion greens in a bowl. Add salt (optional) and mix gently.
    • Before serving, add the dressing and toss well. Serve immediately.

    Been Sprout and Capsicum Salad

    Bean Sprouts and Capsicum salad

    This recipe combines the goodness of bean sprouts with a spicy, tasty dressing. Bean sprouts are a great source of calcium and vitamin C, while capsicum is a potent source for vitamin C.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 ½ cups bean sprouts
    • ½ cup thinly sliced capsicum
    • 1 ½ tsp. oil
    • 1 tsp. crushed garlic
    • 2 tsp. vinegar
    • 1 tsp. soy sauce
    • ½ tsp. sugar
    • ½ tsp. chilli powder
    • 1 ½ tbsp. roasted and coarsely crushed peanuts
    • Salt to taste

    Method of preparation:

    • For the spicy dressing, heat the oil in a small non-stick pan, add the garlic, and sauté on a medium flame for 15 seconds. Remove from the flame and keep aside to cool slightly. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, chilli powder, and peanuts; and mix well. Keep aside.
    • Combine the bean sprouts, capsicum, spicy dressing, and salt in a bowl and toss well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve chilled.

    Egg-cellent Asparagus Salad

    Egg-cellent Asparagus Salad

    This is a power recipe that packs in the goodness of your daily egg and greens into one simple, great-tasting meal.

    • 8 asparagus spears
    • 2 tsp. olive oil
    • 1 garlic clove
    • 2 cups mixed greens
    • 1 hard boiled egg
    • 1 tbsp. vinegar
    • Salt to taste
    • Pepper to taste

    Methods of preparation:

    • Cut 8 asparagus spears into 2-inch pieces; saute with 2 tsp. olive oil and 1 minced garlic clove.
    • Top 2 cups greens with cooked asparagus, 1 chopped hard-boiled egg, and 1 tbsp. vinegar.
    • Add salt and pepper to taste.

    Grilled Chicken Salad

    Grilled Chicken Salad

    Hard-core chicken fan? Love a desi zest? Then this is just the recipe for you! This recipe calls for an Indian tandoori-style yogurt marinade for the chicken. Then it’s grilled, chopped, and stirred together with tangy dressing. The flavours are to die for. What’s more? It won’t sit heavy on your waistline either.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 ½ cups low-fat yogurt
    • 1 tbsp. canola oil
    • 1 tbsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • ¾ tsp. salt, divided
    • ½ tsp. red pepper, ground
    • 4 bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
    • Cooking spray
    • 1 cup seedless green grapes
    • ½ cup chopped red onion
    • ½ cup mango chutney
    • 1 cup finely chopped celery
    • 1 tbsp. canola mayonnaise
    • 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

    Methods of preparation:

    • Mix the yogurt, canola oil, ginger, cloves. Stir in ¼ tsp. salt and pepper. Place the mixture in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours, turning occasionally.
    • Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
    • Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place chicken breast side down on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill for about 10 minutes. Turn chicken over; grill for 20 minutes. Remove chicken from grill; let stand 10 minutes. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Coarsely chop chicken and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
    • Add the remaining ingredients to the chicken; toss gently to combine. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

     

    Now that you have the recipes down, go try them out, and create a few of your own. Go take that healthy, tasty walk down salad lane!

  • Sumptuous Salads

    Sumptuous Salads

    The word ‘salad’ comes from the French word ‘salade’ having the same meaning and from the Latin word ‘salata’ which means salty. In English, the word first appears in the 14th century.  The term ‘salad days’, meaning ‘days of youthful experience’, was first recorded by Shakespeare in 1606.

    Salads are of different types, such as, Green Salad (only leafy vegetables used), Vegetable Salad (leafy or non leafy vegetables used along with non-vegetables), Bound Salad (often used as sandwich fillings. Salad examples- Egg salad, Tuna salad, etc), Fruit Salad (as the name suggests, they are made of fruits), Main Course Salad (a type of heavy salad. Example – Caesar salad, Cobb salad, Greek salad, etc.) and Dessert Salad (they are sweet. Example – Cookie salad, Pistachio salad, etc.).

    Salads are highly nutritious and good for your health. Moreover, they are quite filling.

    They are easy to make and they hardly take much time to be prepared. You can experiment with different textures, colours, flavours and prepare your salad as par to your taste bud.

    A few delicious easy-to-make salads:

     Chicken Caesar Salad with Herbs and Croutons

     caesar salad

    Time: 20 to 25 minutes

    Serves: 6 to 8

    Ingredients:

    For dressing – ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 8 anchovy fillets, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, ¾ cup olive oil

    For croutons and salad – 3 tbsp olive oil, 4 garlic cloves (minced), 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, 3 ¾ inch thick country bread slices (crusts cut off, bread cut into ¾ inch cubes, 12 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper

    Method:

    For dressing:
    Combine 1/2 cup Parmesan, anchovies, lemon juice, 3 garlic cloves, and mustard in processor; blend well. With processor running, slowly add olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

    For croutons and salad:
    Preheat oven to 325F. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add bread cubes to skillet with garlic-herb oil and toss to coat. Spread out bread cubes on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake just until croutons are golden, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

    Place romaine in large bowl. Add 2/3 cup dressing and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Add croutons and toss well. Serve (passing remaining dressing, Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper separately).

     

    Roasted Chicken Salad

     Roasted_Chicken_Salad-2

    Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

    Serves: 10 to 15

    Ingredients:

    For the dressing – 1 cup mayonnaise, ¾ cup sour cream, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp honey, salt, pepper

    For the salad – 7 ½ pounds chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), salt, pepper, 2 pinches cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp lavender, 1 lemon (juiced), 3 cloves garlic ( minced), 2/3 cup sliced roasted almonds, 1 large onion (chopped), ½ bunch celery (chopped), herbs ( 2 tbsp chopped parsley leaves, 2 tbsp chives, 2 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves)

    Method:

    For the dressing – Mix all ingredients together.

    For the salad – Preheat the oven to 400 F. Clean the chicken thoroughly. Sprinkle salt, pepper, cayenne, lavender, lemon and garlic on chicken. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown. Let chicken cool and then pull it into small strips. Add roasted almonds, onions, celery, dressing and herbs. Mix together all ingredients in dressing. Add the chicken. Mix. Serve.

     

     

    Greek Tuna Salad

     greek-tuna-salad-su-l

    Time: 25 minutes

    Serves: 6

    Ingredients: 3 cans water packed tuna (unsalted and drained), 6 ½ ozs artichoke heart marin (drained and quartered), ½ cup kalamata (pitted, halved), 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles, 2 tbsp minced garlic, ½ cups purple onion (sliced), 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¾ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black ground pepper (fresh), ½ cup flat leaf parsley (chopped), 1 head butter lettuce

    Method: Combine all ingredients except lettuce in a large bowl. Arrange a few lettuce leaves on each of 6 plates. Spoon tuna mixture on top of lettuce and serve with pita chips or warmed pita halves.

     

    Waldorf Salad

     waldorf-salad

    Time: 10 minutes

    Serves: 2

    Ingredients: ½ cup walnuts (chopped, slightly toasted), ½ cup celery (thinly sliced), ½ cup red seedless grapes (sliced), 1 sweet apple (cored and chopped), 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, lettuce

    Method: In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise (or yogurt) and the lemon juice. Add ½ tsp of salt, ¼ tsp of fresh ground pepper. Add the apple, celery, grapes and walnuts. Mix. Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce.

     

    Broccoli and Feta Pasta Salad

    pasta_

    Time: 50 minutes

    Serves: 4

    Ingredients: 1 pound tri-color pasta, 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided), 1 medium head broccoli (chopped into 1/2-inch florets),8 ounces feta cheese, 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives (roughly chopped), 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, flaky salt, freshly-ground black pepper

    Method: Cook the pasta in a generous quantity of boiling, well-salted water. Drain and return to the pan or a large bowl and toss until coated with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli and cook until crisp-tender — about 5 to 7 minutes. Toss the broccoli with the cooked pasta. Crumble the feta cheese into the pasta, and stir in the olives as well. Whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and vinegar and toss with the pasta. Season generously with salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight, or until serving.
    Recipe and Image Courtesy – epicurious.com, yummly.com