Flying Goat Copy: Grace Veggie Sandwich

After I had the Grace Veggie Sandwich at The Flying Goat, I wanted it again right away so I took it upon myself to recreate it. I added in some grilled chicken and the outcome was divine! To make this meal gluten free, simply make it into a salad. It's equally as delicious!

Ingredients:
2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced (I just seasoned mine with sea salt and pepper)
1 cucumber, sliced
1 onion, caramelized
1 roasted red pepper (you can buy them canned at the store)
1 roma tomato, sliced
4 oz goat cheese, sliced
balsamic vinaigrette dressing
your choice bread (I use the sandwich buns from Costco)
mixed greens (a handful for sandwiches, or enough to make a salad)

Toast bread and top with all ingredients. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette dressing and enjoy!

Thai Style Chicken with Mango Rice Salad

Source

Ingredients:

2 & 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups Jasmine or other white rice
Peanut or olive oil, for stir frying
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
Finely ground white or black pepper
2 mangoes, peeled, trimmed, and sliced into thin, bite-size pieces (1 cup)
1 bell pepper, seeded, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 red Fresno (milder) or Thai (hotter) chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger root, grated
3-4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2-2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 cup basil leaves (about 20-24 leaves), chopped
1 lime, 1/2 juiced and 1/2 cut into wedges, plus 1 teaspoon zest

Serves 4

Preparation:

1.  Steam Jasmine rice according to your steamer's instructions, using chicken stock as the liquid.

2.  When the rice is about ready, heat a thin layer of oil, about 1 1/2 tablespoons, in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season with pepper. Add the meat to the pan in a single layer and do not touch for 2 minutes; stir fry until golden, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

3.  Add a little more oil to the skillet and heat up, then add the mango, bell pepper, chili pepper, ginger and garlic, stir fry until crisp-tender and the mango pieces are light golden at the edges, about 3 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

4.  Turn off the heat and add half the basil leaves to wilt. Stir in the lime juice and zest and toss again to combine. Serve the rice and garnish with the lime wedges and remaining basil.  I also toasted sweet coconut, and topped the dish with the coconut and red pepper flakes.  

This is an original recipe based on traditional fried rice recipes.

Fresh Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Salad

Source

Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of Balsamic vinaigrette 
Trader Joe's South African Smoke seasoning
salt and pepper
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into 1-inch thick rings
8 cups baby spinach /power greens mix
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
quarter of a red onion, thinly sliced
Pear & Gorgonzola vinaigrette

Directions:
1.  Marinate chicken breasts overnight in balsamic vinaigrette in a covered/sealed container in the refrigerator.
2.  Prepare pineapple for grilling.
3.  Slice red onion, wash and drain blueberries, and chop avocado.  Place onion, blueberries, avocado, and crumbled feta on top of spinach/power greens mixture.
4.  Place marinated chicken breasts on grill, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and South African Smoke seasoning.
5.  Grill chicken on medium for approximately 10 minutes per side.  Remove from grill to cool for 10 minutes.
6.  Grill pineapple slices approximately 5 minutes per side.  Cut into 1 inch chunks.
7.  Chop grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces.
8.  Top spinach salad mixture with chicken and pineapple.  Add your favorite amount of pear & Gorgonzola vinaigrette!  

Original recipe taken from Gimme Some Oven

Mexican Shrimp Cobb Salad with Baja Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

• For the shrimp:
• 16 oz. shrimp, cooked large
• chipotle chili powder to taste
• 1 T lime juice
• salt to taste
• For the salad:
• 6 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, or frozen are all good options)
• 1/2 c red onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 english cucumber diced
• 2 cups tomatoes, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, chopped
• 1 c shredded cheese
• For the Baja ranch dressing:
• Equal parts ranch dressing and salsa, mixed (for healthier version, you can just use salsa)

Directions:

1. In a frying pan, put about a T of olive oil and then cook onion, pepper, and corn stirring and waiting (a couple minutes) until the veggies are cooked and "blackened".  The key part of these directions are the "waiting" part.  That's how they get that roasted feel.
2. Remove from heat and stir in black beans.  When cooled off a bit, stir in fresh cilantro and lime juice.
3. Rinse shrimp and cut into large chunks (cutting is optional).  Toss with a little salt, chipotle chili pepper, and fresh lime juice.
4. In stripes over the bed of lettuce, lay down shrimp, shredded cheese, chopped tomato, chopped avocado, chopped cucumber, and bean/onion/pepper/corn mixture.
5. Serve with the baja ranch dressing.

This recipe was inspired by one I found on skinnytaste.com as well as my Baja fish taco bowl recipe.  It was fresh and delicious... hearty enough to be dinner!  I also served some tortilla chips on the side.  It was a big hit for the whole family! Definite repeater!

Southwest Chopped Salad with Cilantro Dressing

Ingredients
Large head of romaine
2 chicken breasts
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large orange bell pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cups corn 
5 green onions
cumin, salt, and pepper to tast
Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing (Recipe below)

Directions
Season chicken breasts with cumin, salt, and pepper.
Grill chicken breasts and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Toss with desired dressing.

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing 
 Ingredients
1 cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt
*The original recipe calls for 1-2 garlic cloves, but I thought it was WAY too much garlic and it               completely overtook the dressing. Next time, I will omit it completely.

Directions
Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Recipe and picture from The Garden Grazer

Fresh Veggie & Turkey Tostadas

Ingredients:
1.25 lb. fresh ground turkey
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/3 cup taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
2 cups fresh baby greens
1/2 cup non-fat, plain Greek yogurt
1 avocado, sliced
10-12 flat corn tortilla shells
1 small can sliced black olives
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 cup green salsa (salsa verde)
14.5 oz. can black or pinto beans
1 cup shredded cheese of choice (I used feta and/or colby-jack)

Directions:
1.  Saute chopped bell pepper and onion in small saucepan, set aside.
2.  Brown ground turkey in medium saucepan, draining any fat.  Add sauteed bell pepper and onion, taco seasoning, and water.  Bring to quick boil, lower heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
3.  Heat corn tortillas on your grill, or on the stove in a small saucepan, just until very lightly browned.
4.  Lay corn tortilla on a dinner plate, layer with any/all of the ingredients from above and devour, several if you like! 

These tostadas are like mini taco salads on top of a tortilla, inspired by the Costa Vida-style salads.

Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad

Ingredients: 

For the dressing and marinade:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1/4 cup ground ginger (I buy this in the jar next to the minced garlic in the jar at the grocery store or 6T fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (asian cooking section in the grocery store)
• 2 T sesame oil
• 1 T sriracha sauce (can use more or less to taste)
• 1 t kosher salt
• 4 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar*
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (white and green parts)*

For the salad:

• 3 lb cabbage, very thinly sliced (for a time saver you can buy this pre-shredded)
• 4-6 carrots, grated 
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 2 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted (if you don't have these, you can just double the white sesame seeds)

Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, olive oil, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sriracha sauce, and salt.  Add 1/2 cup marinade to a gallon sized ziploc bag along with the chicken breasts.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. *To the remainder of the marinade, add the red wine vinegar and chopped green onions.  Now you have the dressing for the salad.
3. Grill or fully cook chicken, thinly slice.
4. In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbage, grated carrot, additional sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, almonds and half of the sesame seeds.
5. Add the chicken and just enough dressing to lightly coat the salad.  Mix thoroughly.
6. Top with remainder of sesame seeds and serve immediately.
7. Makes enough for 4-6 people.

If you don't plan to serve the salad immediately, reserve the toasted almonds, grilled chicken, salad dressing, and remaining sesame seeds until just before serving. The inspiration for this dish along with the photo, come from menumusings.com

Thai Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 of a red onion, diced
• 1 cup carrots, chopped or julienned
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup diced green onions
• ½ cup cashew halves
• Optional: 1 cup cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (rotisserie chicken would make this fast and easy!)
• For the peanut sauce: 
• 1/2 c peanut butter
• 1/2 c hoisin sauce (asian section of grocery store)
• 1-2T fresh grated ginger (you can buy this pre-ground, easy!)
• 1 t chili paste (asian section of grocery store)
• 1/3 c hot water

Instructions

1. To cook quinoa: Rinse quinoa with cold water in mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add in quinoa and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with fork; place in large bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. You should have a little over 2 cups of quinoa.
2. Make peanut sauce by whisking all peanut sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Add as much or as little dressing as you’d like to the quinoa. I always start out with a little bit of dressing and usually add more to suit my taste preferences. Alternatively you can save the dressing for later and add when you are ready to eat; however the flavors of the dressing usually soak into the salad so I love adding it to the quinoa first.
4. Next fold in red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro into the quinoa. Garnish with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature.  Delicious topped with extra peanut sauce and even fresh lime.

Although there is a bit of veggie chopping with this recipe, it was relatively fast, easy, fresh, and delicious!  We will definitely make it again!  I added chicken to serve it as a main dish, although that is nutritionally not necessary.  I would leave the chicken out if I was serving it as a side dish.

This recipe was inspired by ambitiouskitchen.com.  Photo credits to ambitiouskitchen.

Black Bean Salad with Cumin Chicken

 

Ingredients:

2  boneless/skinless chicken breasts

1  teaspoon  ground cumin

1/4  teaspoon  cayenne pepper

2  tablespoons  olive oil
1/2  cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped and seeded
3  cups  canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2  cups  fresh or frozen corn kernals
1 1/4  cups cherry or grape tomato halves
2  scallions, thinly sliced
2  tablespoons  cilantro, courely chopped
2  teaspoons  red wine vinegar
salt and black pepper
2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 fresh avocado, sliced
1/2 cup fresh salsa
corn tortillas (optional)

Directions:

1. Filet each chicken breast.  Combine cumin with cayenne and rub all over the chicken, season with salt and pepper. 
2. Heat grill.  Cook on grill approximately 7-8 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board.
3. In a skillet add olive oil and the onion and jalapeño. Saute, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, and 3 tablespoons water and saute, stirring, 2-3 minutes, until just heated through. Remove from heat.
5. Toss with the scallions, cilantro, and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Slice the chicken and arrange on top of the beans.
6. Option #1: after tossing the finished products together, stuff a corn tortilla and top with chopped romaine lettuce, plus your favorite fresh salsa and avocado slices for yummy tacos,  OR
7. Option #2: same as above, but place all ingredients on a bed of chopped romaine lettuce, top with avocado and salsa and enjoy a delicious salad!

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
• 2 chicken breasts (cooked chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces) 
• 1/2 red onion (diced)
• 1 bell pepper (diced)
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives (chopped) *I didn't include these 
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 12 grape tomatoes (halved)
• 1/2 english cucumber (sliced and quartered)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Bring the water, bouillon cubes, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Scrape the quinoa into a large bowl.
2. Gently stir the chicken, onion, bell pepper, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, parsley, chives, and salt into the quinoa. Drizzle with the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Stir until evenly mixed. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

We absolutely loved this recipe!  We served it with some toasted pita bread cut in triangles and used them sort of like scoops/chips. The flavor was fresh and this will definitely be a repeater!

Blackened Cod Caesar Salad

Ingredients for rub:
3 tablespoons paprika (I used smoked)
1 teaspoon dried, crushed thyme leaf
1 teaspoon dried, crushed oregano
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Other ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 filets of Alaskan cod
2 heads of romaine, chopped
1 ripe avocado, cut into small chunks
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Croutons
Caesar salad dressing (I used store-bought)

Preparation:
1. Prepare the rub by mixing together all of the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, using a whisk.
2. Coat each fish filet with olive oil and then roll each filet in the dry rub mixture and add to a skillet or fry pan on medium heat. Cook fish evenly on each side until just before it is tender and flaky. Finish by raising temperature to high heat long enough to produce smoke - to "blacken" the fish. Remove from pan.
3. While fish is cooking, chop romaine, avocado, and tomatoes and place in a large serving bowl.
4. When fish is done, top your salad with fish, Parmesan cheese, croutons, and dressing just before serving.

Chicken and Quinoa Almond Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 1/2 cups quinoa/brown rice blend
non-fat cooking spray
1 pound skinless/boneless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1/4 cup fresh basil

Dressing:
1/4 cup pear vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil  

Preparation:
 1. Steam quinoa/brown rice combo with chicken broth according to your steamer's instructions.

 2. Heat saucepan to medium-high and coat with cooking spray. Filet chicken breasts and add to pan with salt, pepper, and basil. Cook on each side until done. Let cool and then chop into bite-sized pieces.
3. Prepare dressing: combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually add olive oil, stirring with whisk to blend.
 4. Combine steamed quinoa, celery, carrots, cranberries, and red onion in a large bowl. Add dressing, toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for at least an hour. Top with toasted, slivered almonds just before serving.
  
From my.recipes.com

Greek Roasted Chicken & Tortellini Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 roasted chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 16 oz. package fresh tri-colored cheese tortellini
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coursely chopped fresh spinach
• 1 jar of Kalamata olives, halved
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup slivered red onion

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add tortellini, and cook for 7 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, and salt. Place the cooked tortellini in the bowl, and toss to coat. 
3. Gently mix the spinach, feta cheese, olives, roasted chicken, and onion into the bowl with the pasta. Cover and chill at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Couscous & Chicken Salad

 Ingredients

Salad:

• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (5.7-ounce) box uncooked whole wheat couscous
• 1 1/2 cups cubed grilled chicken (about 6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts, 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

Preparation

• 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, bell pepper, cucumber, cilantro, and 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.

Natalie's note:  I adapted this recipe from an original found at Cookinglight.com.  I wanted lots of flavor for the grilled chicken, so I made an extra, double-sized batch of the dressing the night before and marinated the raw chicken breast tenders 24 hours previous to making the meal.

White Bean & Roasted Chicken Salad

 Ingredients

Salad:

• 2 cups coarsely chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken
• 16 oz. Gemelli pasta, cooked al dente 
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/3 cup sliced fresh basil
• 2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
• Dressing:
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T Parmesan cheese 

Preparation

• Boil pasta to al dente according to package instructions, drain and rinse when done.
• To prepare salad, place remaining 5 salad ingredients in a large bowl; stir gently to combine.
• To prepare dressing, combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad, tossing gently to coat.   Top with Parmesan cheese.

From MyRecipe.com

Fiesta Pollo Salad with Baja Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

• Romaine lettuce
• Shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend)
• Chopped red peppers
• Chopped green peppers
• Chopped red onion
• Corn (either canned or cooked and cut off the cob)
• Black beans, drained
• Boneless chicken breasts (I used one small/medium size one per salad)
• Fajita seasoning packet (1 packet for every 2 chicken breasts)
• Tortilla chips (my favorite are the Hot Blues in the organic section)
• Ranch dressing (I used the refrigerated Gregg's ranch from Costco)
• Salsa (I used Costco's salsa not from refrigerated section)

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to medium low.  Spray with Pam Grill spray or wipe with oil.
2. Use fajita seasoning as a rub for the chicken and grill for about 8-10 minutes each side depending on size of chicken breasts. 
3. When cooked, let set 5 minutes and then cut into bite-sized pieces.
4. Fill bottom of plate with lettuce and top with cheese, peppers, corn, beans, and chicken.
5. Top with (or place on the side) with tortilla chips and baja ranch dressing.
6. To make dressing, use 2 parts ranch to 1 part salsa.  Mix well.

I was inspired by the Fajita Pollo salad at Red Robin in making this salad.  The chicken rub and dressing were a total shot in the dark, but they turned out really well.  I was very excited and surprised at how well the fajita seasoning turned out as a rub for the grilled chicken.  Delicious!!!  This was easy and delicious - 100% sure it will go into the regular dinner rotation.  Very happy with it!

Creamy Grilled Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 8 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-in. slices
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 dill pickle spear, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. dill pickle juice
• 1 Tbsp Dijon or spicy brown mustard

Preparation:
1. Place first five ingredients in a large bowl, toss to coat. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long handled tongs, lightly coat the grill rack. Grill potatoes, covered, over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until tender, turning once. Cool. Cut into quarters and place in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour over potatoes; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

This is the best potato salad I've ever had! It literally tastes like french fries in tartar sauce! Delicious!

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Tuscan Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

16 oz. tri-flavored 7 cheese tortelloni
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders
non-fat cooking spray
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup asparagus, chopped & steamed
1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced small
1/3 cup white onion, diced small
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Balsamic dressing
1 cup heart of romaine lettuce, chopped

Directions:

Boil pasta according to package instructions.  When finished, rinse with cold water and chill.  Prepare chicken for grilling by: coat chicken with non-fat cooking spray, sprinkle on garlic, basil, rosemary, salt & pepper.  Grill chicken tenders on medium-high for 5 minutes on each side, remove from grill and chill.  Rinse and halve tomatoes and place in a large serving bowl.  Chop asparagus into 1-inch pieces, put in a microwavable bowl, place cling wrap on the top and microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Stir asparagus in bowl, re-cover and microwave for 1 minute longer.  Add steamed asparagus with tomatoes.  Dice both the red pepper and white onion and add both to veggies in serving bowl.  Stir in pasta and chicken with the veggies, then add the olive oil and Balsamic dressing and mix together thoroughly.  Season with salt and pepper to your liking.  Toss in the romaine lettuce just before eating, so it will not become wilted.

Taco Salad

This dinner hardly needs a recipe, but I'll add it as more of a reminder of what you can pull together quickly to make a dish your whole family will love.  I'll also throw in a few ideas to make it even healthier.

Usually I start with chips or crisped up tortillas (if you crisp your own tortillas, it will be even healthier!).  Then you can add a whole variety of toppings.  Some of these are pretty standard and some might peak your interest:

• lettuce, spinach, or cabbage
• grated cheddar or pepperjack cheese
• ground beef, ground turkey, pulled pork, or cubed/pulled chicken, fish for the meat
• chopped: tomatoes, avocado, bell peppers, 
• sliced: olives, green onions, jalapenos
• beans: my favorite are black also pinto (drained and washed)
• corn: my favorite is cut off the cob after being cooked/grilled
• dressing: fresh salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, plain non-fat yogurt, cilantro (or try mixing salsa with sour cream/yogurt together)

Red Lentil Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb. dried red lentils (I found these in the bulk section)
1 c. currants
1/3 c. capers
1 1/2 c. finely chopped red onion

Vinaigrette ingredients:
3/4 c. olive oil
1/2 c. white wine vinegar
2 T sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t cinnamon
1 t ground cumin
1 t dry mustard
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 t coriander

Directions:

1. Wash lentils.  Cook in boiling water 5-6 minutes or until just tender.  Rinse and drain well.
2. Combine with dressing and let sit overnight.
3. At least 2 hours before serving, add currants, capers, and onions to lentils. Allow to marinate for several hours more.
4. Place in bowl or on platter and garnish as you please.

I first had this salad with a fabulous salmon dinner made by my step-mom, Kris.  Instantly fell in lurve with this salad.  GREAT flavor and obviously pretty darn healthy for you.  This recipe is very easy to make although with the marinating time, you obviously have to plan ahead.  Fabulous dish to take to or serve at a BBQ or picnic this summer.  This recipe is only slightly modified from one found on Cooks.com