Salad Recipes—Filling, Scrumptious and Healthy

Hearty Salads—Quick, Simple, Delicious and Nutritious

© Debby Mayne

Nov 11, 2009

Once considered a diet food, salads have now gone mainstream. They can be vegetarian, packed with meat or a balance for a complete meal. By their nature, they tend to be healthy and nutritious yet easy to prepare. Prepare them according to the recipe or substitute any of the ingredients according to taste.

Confetti Shrimp Salad

Seafood lovers will be delighted with the blend of flavors, textures and color.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of cooked salad shrimp (other cooked seafood may be substituted)
• 1/2 cup of plain, fat-free yogurt
• 1/4 cup of low calorie Russian salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 cup of finely chopped celery
• 1/4 cup of chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup of chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon of seafood seasoning (Old Bay is good)
• Salt to taste
• Dark leaf lettuce or puff pastries to serve 4

Directions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
3. Serve on a bed of dark leaf lettuce or in a hollowed out, prepared puff pastry.

Easy Peasy Couscous Salad

Use leftover couscous or prepare it fresh for this healthy but easy salad.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of cold, cooked couscous
• 2 cups of diced fresh tomatoes
• 2 cups of fresh broccoli florets
• 1 cup of lightly steamed green peas
• 1/2 cup of minced sweet onions
• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup of sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds
• Enough lettuce to serve 4

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients, except the poppy seeds.
2. Scoop heaping mounds on a bed of lettuce.
3. Sprinkle poppy seeds over the mounds and serve.

Asian Chicken or Turkey Salad

Infused with a hint of Asian flair, this chicken salad is packed with flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken or turkey
• 1 cup of sprouts (bean or alfalfa)
• 1/2 cup of chopped celery
• 1/2 cup of sliced water chestnuts
• 1/4 cup of chopped onion
• 1/4 cup of favorite Asian salad dressing (Kraft Toasted Sesame is good)
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
• Enough lettuce for four people
• 2 tomatoes sliced into wedges

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the chicken, sprouts, celery, water chestnuts, onion, salad dressing, soy sauce and mayonnaise.
2. Scoop mounds of the mixture on a bed of lettuce.
3. Garnish with tomato wedges and serve.

Super Simple Bean Salad

This is a great go-to salad when there’s no time to cook.

Ingredients

• 1 can of kidney beans
• 1 can of cut green beans
• 1 can of garbanzo beans (chick peas)
• 1/4 cup of diced onion
• 1/2 bottle of low-calorie Italian salad dressing (more if preferred)
• 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup of diced ham
• 1 diced tomato

Directions:

1. Drain all 3 cans of beans and pour into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the diced onion, diced ham, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and salad dressing.
3. Carefully mix the ingredients without smashing the beans and tomatoes.
4. Chill for at least 2 hours and serve.

Simple Salads for All Occasions

All of these salads are perfect for any meal or to bring to a potluck. They are filling and nutritious, so they work for most diets.

Shrimp Salad—Healthy and Delicious

Beans—Nutritious and Packed with Protein

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