Category Archives: Salad

Pistachio Chicken Spinach Salad

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Pistachio Chicken Spinach SaladLast night for dessert we had a make your own banana split extravaganza. I started out putting the bananas and vanilla ice cream in our special banana split dishes and then let the kids decorate them. There was chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, strawberries, coconut, chocolate chips, mini M&M’s, and peanut butter. The kids had a blast! I wanted to balance this with a healthy supper, plus I had a bunch of spinach still left over from last week, so this salad was on the menu. Best. Salad. Ever. Seriously, I would totally order it at a restaurant, and now I can make it at home. I foresee us actually reusing a recipe! Make it , Eat it, Enjoy!

Recipe from Allrecipes

  •                      1 cup shelled pistachio nuts
  •                     4 tablespoons olive oil
  •                     4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  •                     garlic powder to taste
  •                     black pepper to taste
  •                     1 (10 ounce) package baby spinach leaves, rinsed and drained
  •                     1 pint cherry tomatoes
  •                     1 avocado – peeled, pitted and sliced
  •                     1 yellow bell pepper, julienned ( I used red pepper)
  •                     2 green onions, sliced
  •                     grated Parmesan cheese for topping
  •                     bottled balsamic salad dressing, to taste

1. Arrange spinach, tomatoes, avocado, pepper and green onions in bowls. Set aside while you cook chicken.

2. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder and black pepper. Spread out half of pistachios on plate. Place one chicken breast at a time to pistachios pressing the on to chicken, repeat with remaining chicken, fill plate with pistachios as needed. Sprinkle salad with remaining pistachios. ( toss the ones that have touched the raw meat).

3. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Slice.

4. Top salad with balsamic dressing, parmesan cheese and chicken.

5. Eat and enjoy!

Cucumber Cous Cous Salad

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Cous CousI love movies. I usually end up seeing quite a few of them due to this one simple fact. Last night I watched Big Fish for the first time. I loved it, it always surprises me when there is an older movie that I missed that I adore. How did I miss it anyways? If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. It was creative, beautiful and heart warming!

On to dinner, we had homemade Buttermilk Bread, Roasted Veggies and this salad. It was my first time ever making cous cous, two firsts in one night, and it was crazy easy!

Recipe from Allrecipes

  •                     1 3/4 cup uncooked cous cous
  •                     2 tablespoons olive oil
  •                     1/2 cup lemon juice
  •                     3/4 teaspoon salt
  •                     1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  •                     1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
  •                     1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
  •                     1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  •                     1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1. Bring 1 3/4 cup water to a boil in medium-sized saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in cous cous. Cover for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Set aside and let cool slightly.

2. In salad bowl mix together remaining ingredients, stir in cous cous. Refrigerate at least one hour. Serve.

3. Eat and enjoy!

Spinach Apple Salad

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Yummy SaladAh, Friday, my favorite day of the week. This week pretty much kicked my butt, and so I am looking forward to my relaxing day at home, by myself! After homeschooling has finished for the day, I will be having some mommy reading time, and then movie night with the kids which will include pizza made by my son, an ice-cold glass of Wild Cherry Pepsi courtesy of my parents and Star Wars. I am starting The Silmarilion today, so hoping that is a good read, I read the introduction yesterday, could be a hard go, but I am going to give it a try! And on this wonderful day, a salad recipe for you.

From Allrecipes

  •                     1/4 cup cider vinegar
  •                     1/4 cup vegetable oil
  •                     1/2 teaspoon salt
  •                     1/2 teaspoon sugar
  •                     2  cups diced, unpeeled apples
  •                     1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
  •                     1/2 cup raisins
  •                     4  cups torn fresh spinach
  •                     4  cups torn romaine

1. To make the dressing whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt and sugar, set aside.

2. Mix the spinach and romaine in large salad bowl, top with apples, raisins and onions. Mix together, toss with dressing.

3. Eat and enjoy!

Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad

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Easy PeasyI am so excited to make this again in the summer. It is a perfect throw together meal for a hot summer day when you don’t feel like cooking. Not sure why we had it in March, I guess it just sounded to good to wait! To make it even easier I used the pre cooked chicken from the deli, you could also chop up some rotisserie chicken. Serves 6, also good left over just keep the lettuce separate.

Recipe from Betty Crocker

  • 6 cups torn lettuce (mix of iceberg and romaine) or choose one
  • 2 cups rainbow rotini
  • 9 oz cooked chicken
  • 1 avocado, pitted peeled and chopped
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 1 (11 oz) can kernel corn
  • 1/2 cup green onions
  • 1 cup shredded mexican cheese
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Place lettuce in serving bowls.

2. Cook pasta according to directions, drain and rinse with cold water. Stir together with remaining ingredients.

3. Place pasta mixture on top of lettuce.

4. Eat and enjoy!