Salads

When most people hear the word 'salad', the first thing that enters their mind is a pile of leafy green vegetables topped with, at the least, croutons and a salad dressing. Next we tend to recall the colorful varieties of chicken salad, pasta salad and potato salad. Salads are a great opportunity to sneak healthier foods that are light on flavor into your diet.

• Beacon Club Broccoli Salad

  brent

  0:25:00
  Put the broccoli in a large steaming basket and steam over 1 inch of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still crunchy. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain, and transfer to a bowl and toss with the onion and tomatoes.In a small bowl, combine the orange jioce, vinegar, sugar and orange zest. Slowly whisk in the oil utnil well blended. Dress the broccoli with 1/3 cup of dressing and toss well. Chill the salad for one hour before serving.

• Caesar Salad with Pepper Croutons

  brent

  0:05:00
  Place the lettuce and Pepper Croutons in a salad bowl. In a blender, process the cottage cheese until smooth. In a small mixing bowl, coming the cottage cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, garlice and Parmesan cheese. Mix until blended, taste and adjust seasonings. Toss the lettuce and croutons with 1/4 cup of the dressing until well coated. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the salad onto 4 large plates, top each with 3 Parmesan shards and serve immediately.

• Chicken Salad

  brent

  0:40:00
  Chop chicken and boil until done. Mix chicken, pecans and grapes. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste while mixing. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

• Healthy Potato Salad

  brent

  0:40:00
  Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-14 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool for 30 minutes. Slice eggs in half (discard yolks or save for another use). Cut the whites into 1/2-in. pieces. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, egg whites, onion, celery, green onions, red pepper and parsley; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled.

• Oriental Chicken Salad

  brent

  0:45:00
  In a small baking dish, arrange the chicken breast and top with 1 tbsp ginger, 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 2 tbsp soy sauce and the broth. Stir gently, cover and refrigerate to marinate over night. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the chicken in the marinade for 20 to 25 minutes, until the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a fork. Allow to cool completely. When cool, shred into bite sized bits. In another bowl, toss the greens with 2 tbsp of the dressing to coat. Divide the greens between 2 plates and top with the cucmber, crispy noodles and chicken. Toss gently to combine, sprinkle the cilantro and serve immediately.

• Sunny Greek Salad

  brent

  0:10:00
  In a large mixing bowl, place the mixed greens. In a small mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, warm water and oregano and whisk well. Drizzle over greens and toss thoroughly. Divide the greens among 4 plates. Top each with cucumber, tomato, scallions,capers and parsley. Toss gently. Sprinkle the feta evenly over the salads and garnish each with 2 olives.

• Tomato Basil Dressing

  brent

  0:15:00
  In a blender, blend the buttermilk, tomato paste, basil, garlic and pepper until smooth. Stir in the tomatoes. Season with salt, if desired.