Nuts about Nuts
To my mind, salty peanuts are the way to go in this salad. The rich, salty flavor of this humble nut balances so nicely with the sweetness of the banana and raisins and the tartness of the lemony dressing. And, by the way, peanuts are loaded with protein. They contain more protein than any other nut out there.
The Lady & Sons Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese and Bacon
I am telling you, this blue cheese dressing is so good, I will not be going back to the full-fat version. It’s creamy, luscious, full of flavor, and so good that even my Mama now makes it this way at home. I love to serve this salad paired up with a lean grilled steak. It’s so good, y’all!
Serves 4
Dressing
½ cup fat-free Greek yogurt (or use low-fat; optional)
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons 1% buttermilk
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Salad
1 small head iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 wedges
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1.
To make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, blue cheese, mayonnaise, buttermilk, and vinegar and stir well.
2.
To make the salad: Place the lettuce wedges on individual plates and top with the dressing and crumbled bacon.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 36g fat, 428 calories
After: 10g fat, 142 calories
11g protein | 6g carbohydrate | 1g fiber | 490mg sodium
Dress Down
While salads are a great meal option, it’s important to keep an eye on your dressings because they are where you can add a whole heap of extra fat and calories. Use only what you need to lightly coat your salad. And when you’re eating out, always ask for the dressing on the side. Restaurants have a tendency to be a little heavy-handed with the dressing.
Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
It doesn’t get much better for you than spinach. This leafy green vegetable is a great source of vitamins A, C, E, K, iron, calcium, and folate. And that’s just to name a few! I try to have a spinach salad at least once a week. But besides all that, it just plain tastes good.
Serves 4
12 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup thinly sliced white mushrooms
6 turkey bacon slices
¼ cup olive oil
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1.
In a large serving bowl, toss together the spinach and mushrooms, then set aside while you make the dressing.
2.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Set the bacon on a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
3.
Add the oil and red onions to the skillet and cook for 10 seconds. Whisk in the vinegar and mustard and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the skillet. Crumble in the bacon and cook for 30 seconds.
4.
Pour the hot vinaigrette over the spinach and mushrooms. Season with pepper and serve immediately.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 25g fat, 250 calories
After: 18g fat, 198 calories
6g protein | 3g carbohydrate | 1g fiber | 174mg sodium
It’s in the Bag
Spinach can be a notoriously difficult leaf to clean. That’s why I buy my baby spinach in the bag. It comes triple washed, and I’ve found the quality to be really good. Cutting out the cleaning step helps to ensure that I choose salad over another lunch that may not be as healthy.
New-fashioned Cabbage Slaw
It doesn’t get much quicker than this slaw. You can whip it up in about ten minutes’ time, let it sit for another ten, then serve it up. But watch out, this slaw tastes so good, you may just devour it in ten minutes flat, too! I love to serve this salad next to just about any smoked or barbecued meat.
Serves 4
4 cups packaged coleslaw mix
½ cup ¼-inch red bell pepper strips
½ cup ¼-inch yellow bell pepper strips
½ cup very small broccoli florets
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions (white and light green parts only)
¼ cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon celery seed
1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, bell peppers, broccoli, scallions, mayonnaise, sugar, celery seed, and vinegar. Toss well to combine. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 10g fat, 180 calories
After: 3g fat, 71 calories
1g protein | 9g carbohydrate | 2g fiber | 100mg sodium
Sandwich Topper
This slaw is great to have in the fridge for topping sandwiches. Southerners like to pile their sandwiches high, and this is one of the best salads for doing just that.
Frozen Waldorf Salad
This is the lightest and most refreshing salad and a true Southern classic on a hot summer day. It feels decadent, just like a frozen treat. But it’s not, thanks to my new best friend Greek yogurt, as well as to an old standby, light whipped topping. This salad has even gotten the thumbs-up from my most demanding salad critic, my little nephew Jack. So you know it’s gotta be good!
Serves 8 to 10
1 container (6 ounces) fat-free Greek yogurt (or use low-fat; optional)
2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese (or use low-fat; optional)
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1 medium apple, cored and coarsely chopped
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
½ cup coarsely chopped celery (1 large stalk)
½ cup red grapes, halved
1 container (8 ounces) light whipped topping, thawed
1.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, mix the yogurt, cream cheese, and pineapple juice at medium speed until smooth. Stir in the crushed pineapple, apple, walnuts, celery, and grapes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped topping into the yogurt mixture. Scrape into an 8-inch square pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
2.
Remove the salad from the freezer 20 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve on salad plates.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 19.5g fat, 292 calories
After: 7g fat, 144 calories
4g protein | 15g carbohydrate | 1g fiber | 53mg sodium
Nutritional count based on 9 servings
Make My Day
I love to serve this salad when I have friends over. It looks great, like you put a lot of work into it, even though you didn’t. And since it’s made ahead of time, it’s one fewer thing you have to worry about on the day you’re having folks to your place.
Caesar Salad
You’ll find a Caesar salad on most restaurant menus. And odds are, it will be loaded up with fat. Many Caesar salads can have as many as 300 calories and 27 grams of fat. In a traditional restaurant, this is definitely not the salad you want to choose if you’re trying to eat healthfully. Luckily, you can go home and make my version and be guilt free. Just as they do in restaurants, I like to grill up a piece of chicken or some shrimp and throw them on top to make this a complete meal.
Serves 4
3 cups 1-inch Italian bread cubes
¼ cup light mayonnaise
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves
1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake about 10 minutes, or until golden.
2.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Parmesan, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper.
3.
In a large serving bowl, combine the lettuce, bread cubes, and dressing. Toss well to combine.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 27g fat, 300 calories
After: 8g fat, 152 calories
8g protein | 18g carbohydrate | 1g fiber | 542mg sodium
Crafty Croutons
Homemade croutons are a much healthier choice than the kind you buy in the supermarket. If you make them yourself, you are in control of the fat and sodium. And they take no time at all to whip up. For an even healthier crouton, use whole-wheat Italian bread instead of white.
Chef’s Salad
This recipe has everything I love in a salad. It’s packed with protein, cheese, and lots of fresh baby greens and topped off with a creamy, zinging dressing. And you don’t have to stick with the same meat and cheese every time you make it. When I don’t have turkey breast on hand, I throw some low-sodium boiled ham in there. If I’m out of Swiss, I turn to Cheddar or feta. This is more than just your average salad. It truly is a quick, hearty, and versatile main meal.
Serves 4
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise (or use low-fat; optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled
10 cups mixed baby greens
4 ounces fat-free smoked turkey breast, sliced into ½-inch strips (about ½ cup)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup peeled and thinly sliced cucumber
¾ cup finely chopped low-fat Swiss cheese
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and finely chopped
1.
To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the mayonnaise, oil, and 2 tablespoons water.
2.
Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Pop out the yolks and discard, then coarsely chop the whites.
3.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped egg whites, baby greens, turkey, tomatoes, cucumbers, Swiss cheese, and avocados. Add the dressing and toss well to combine.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 25g fat, 470 calories
After: 19g fat, 283 calories
18g protein | 12g carbohydrate | 5g fiber | 855mg sodium
Dress for Success
To keep salads crunchy, I dress them just before serving. If the dressing goes on too early, the salad will end up limp and soggy. If I’m not sure I’ll be finishing the whole salad, I dress each portion as I serve it up. That way I can keep the leftover salad fresh for another meal.
Black-eyed Pea Salad
This salad is an absolute riot of colors. Once you clap your eyes on it, you just can’t wait to dig in. I swapped out the sugar in my Mama’s recipe for a splash of OJ and left out most of the oil because with flavor this bold, I didn’t really need it. I even added some cheese and still came out ahead.
Makes 6 cups / Serves 8
