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Heirloom Tomato Salad

One of the greatest things about Summer is seasonal fruits and vegetables – especially tomatoes! We’re always looking for recipes here at MDIO and when we found this little beauty at Cooking Light, we knew we had to share it. It’s simple to make and a great way to introduce your kids to different kinds of tomatoes, and maybe even some goat cheese!

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 4 medium heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (about 2 pounds)
  • 1/3 cup small basil leaves
  • Optional: 1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

 

Preparation

  1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add chopped basil and tomato wedges; toss to coat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Top with basil leaves and goat cheese (optional).

 

 

Both the recipe and photograph were provided by Cooking Light.

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Chicken and Strawberry Salad

Do you love strawberries as much as we do? They are offer a great source of fiber and antioxidants, and they taste good to boot! Looking for a great way to add some more strawberries to your meals? Try them in your next salad – like this great recipe from Cooking Light:

Ingredients

Dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

  • 4 cups torn romaine lettuce
  • 4 cups arugula
  • 2 cups quartered strawberries
  • 1/3 cup vertically sliced red onion
  • 12 ounces skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted cashews, halved
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

 

Preparation

  1. To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually drizzle in oil, stirring constantly with a whisk.
  2. To prepare salad, combine romaine and next 4 ingredients (through chicken) in a bowl; toss gently. Place about 2 cups chicken mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cashews and 2 tablespoons cheese. Drizzle about 4 teaspoons dressing over each serving.

 

 

The recipe and photograph in this post are from Cooking Light’s 20 Favorite Strawberry Recipes feature.
To find more delicious strawberry recipes head on over to cooking light to view them here.

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A "Massaged" Caesar Kale Salad

Photograph courtesy of ModernMom

Want to get your husband in the kitchen? Well, I was able to get the family active in meal prep with massage. Massaging kale, that is!! It might sound a little wacky but my clients always teach me new things and massaging this leafy super green is just one their great lessons.  To read more about kale and to see a great recipe for a “Massaged” Kale Caesar salad, click here to find Laura’s recipe featured on ModernMom.

 

Are you a kale aficionado? If so, check out this delicious Green Goddess Grilled Cheese recipe featured in Personal Creation’s 30 Great Recipes for a Healthy 2014 list – it packs spinach, avocado, and kale all in one sandwich!

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White Bean and Caramelized Onion Salad

Photo Credit: thewannabechef.net

This recipe comes from Counter Culture Cuisine, which offers a series of cooking kits that allows you to combine organic (and shelf-stable) essential ingredients with easy recipes for you to choose and cook at your leisure. In each kit, there is a mini pamphlet of recipes. The red text indicates ingredients that are already included in the cooking kit and the black text is anything that you have to purchase on your own. With this little guide, shopping at your local farmers’ market, or health foods store can be a litter easier to navigate the shopping aisles. Take a look below and try out this delicious salad that’s easy to make.

 

 

 

 

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Tuna Salad – Three Ways

We here at Mom Dishes It Out hope that all who celebrated Rosh Hashanah had a wonderful New Year! In the holiday spirit, we wanted to provide you with three exciting twists to a classic dish: Tuna Salad. These recipes make a great addition to a simple salad or sandwich recipe. Just prepare the lettuce, chopped veggies, a bread of your choice, and top with one of these gems of a recipe!

 

Classic Tuna Salad With a Healthy Twist:

  • 2 cans light tuna in unsalted water, drained (we love the Chunk Light variety!)
  • ½ cup mayonnaise with canola oil
  • 3 tbsp diced celery
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp chopped red onion
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional)
  • Black pepper, to taste

In a bowl, mix tuna, celery, onion, and parsley. Add the mayonnaise and mustard. Top with fresh lemon juice and pepper.

 

Italian-Style Tuna Salad:

  • 2 cans light tuna in unsalted water, drained (we love the Chunk Light variety!)
  • ½ cup mayonnaise with olive oil
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 tbsp scallions
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional)
  • Black pepper, to taste

In a bowl, mix tuna, scallions, tomatoes, and parsley. Add the mayonnaise and mustard. Top with fresh lemon juice and pepper.

Cranberry-Yogurt Tuna Salad:

  • 2 cans light tuna in unsalted water, drained (we love the Chunk Light variety!)
  • ½ cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 3 tbsp dried cranberries
  • 3 tbsp diced celery
  • 1 tbsp chopped red onion
  • 1 tsp dill
  • Black pepper, to taste

In a bowl, mix tuna, celery, onion, cranberries, and dill. Add the yogurt and mix until fully incorporated. Season with pepper.

There you have it, three refreshing tuna salad recipes that are sure to be a hit at your next holiday gathering or family party. Do you have any fun ways to jazz up a tuna salad?

 

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Chicken and Couscous Salad

Sometimes one of the biggest challenges in the kitchen isn’t figuring out what meal to make, but what to do with the leftovers. This is a great way to use leftover chicken. It’s quick, easy, healthy and delicious!

Adapted from our partners at Cooking Light

INGREDIENTS (Makes 4 servings)

Salad:
1 1/4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 (5.7-ounce) box uncooked couscous
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken (~6 ounces)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup radishes, diced (about 3 large)
1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Dressing:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

 

DIRECTIONS

To prepare salad, bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Spoon couscous into a large bowl; cool slightly. Add chicken, onions, radishes, cucumber, parsley, and pine nuts; toss gently to combine.

To prepare dressing, combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss to combine.

Note: You can toast nuts quickly in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Stir frequently, and as soon as they become fragrant, remove the nuts from the pan.