Corn and Black Bean Salad

Easy and wonderful side dish recipe which I keep handy, because it makes everyone happy whenever it is served:) because the amounts used are just right. If you follow the recipe you will see what I mean.

The only thing I add is tomatoes, I like the moisture it brings to the salad.

Roast the corn before adding to the salad. In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, roast corn; cooking 8 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. It's just as simple as that.

Enjoy:)

CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALAD

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
1 cup diced red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of salt

Directions:
Combine corn, bell pepper, onions, cilantro, and beans in a medium bowl.

Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over corn mixture; toss well. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

Makes 10 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)
Per Serving:
Calories: 75
Fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 14.5 g
Protein: 3.5 g
Fiber: 3.5 g

Herbed Potato Salad

This is an easy and classic potato salad made into a low calorie version. Because of the herbs and the yogurt/sour cream combination it is very tasty and makes a great side dish. And since I can't have french fries, I have to find a way to enjoy my potatoes in some way:)

I add cucumbers simply because I like the crunch and it doesn't add much to the calories. If you wanted to, you could add bell peppers for more crunch. You'd be adding about 10 calories per serving.

Enjoy....

HERBED POTATO SALAD

Ingredients:
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:
Place potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Cool slightly and peel. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; cut halves crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place potatoes in a large bowl; sprinkle with vinegar.

Combine yogurt and sour cream in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add oil; stir with a whisk. Add onion and remaining ingredients; stir with a whisk. Add yogurt mixture to potato mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours.

Makes 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)
Per serving:
Calories: 170
Fat: 4 g
Carbs: 30 g
Protein: 4 g
Fiber: 3 g

Tortellini Salad

This is a tasty salad and very simple to prepare. And having pasta in the salad makes it a comfort food.

More or less:)

I use only one kind of tortellini, and actually make half the recipe because it does come out to be a lot.

You can add vegetables too, such as peas. 1 cup, which would be a lot for this recipe is 200 calories. I just add a small can of mixed vegetables for the whole salad.

I always add a tomato which is only 20 calories, and it is really a must.

I also use another dressing for this salad which is lower in calories because it uses less olive oil.
Alternate Dressing - 270 calories:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons spicy brown or Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced

TORTELLINI SALAD

Ingredients:
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated or dried cheese-filled tortellini
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated or dried cheese-filled spinach tortellini
2 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)
2 medium green onions, thinly sliced (2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves or parsley
1 tablespoon freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Basil-Caper Dressing - 660 calories:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
2 tablespoons capers

Directions:
Cook and drain plain and spinach tortellini as directed on packages. Rinse with cold water; drain.

Shake all Basil-Caper Dressing ingredients in tightly covered container. In large glass or plastic bowl, place tortellini and all remaining Tortellini Salad ingredients. Add dressing; toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors but no longer than 24 hours. Toss before serving.

Makes 6 servings:
Per serving:
Calories: 250
Fat: 17 g
Carbs: 18 g
Protein: 7 g
Fiber: 1 g

Greek Salad Pita Sandwiches

I love having sandwiches while dieting, it makes me feel like I'm cheating a bit:) This easy recipe is from Bon Appetit, and it's basically a favorite salad of mine in a sandwich.

Here are some numbers if you want to make changes:
1 cup broiled chicken, diced = 230 calories white meat, 280 calories dark meat
1 cup feta cheese (4.5 oz.), crumbled = 390 calories
1 cup radishes (3 -4 oz.), diced = 20 calories
1 tomato, medium (4 oz.) = 25 calories
1 cucumber, medium (7 oz.) = 25 calories
1 stalk green onion = 5 calories
1 cup red onions (6 oz.) = 70 calories

You can also use hummus as a spread in the pita. Just check the calories on the box.

GREEK SALAD PITA SANDWICHES

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/4 cups chopped seeded plum or cherry tomatoes
1 cup diced seeded peeled cucumber
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2/3 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped radishes
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 1/2 ounces)

4 8-inch-diameter whole wheat pita breads, halved

Directions:
Whisk olive oil and red wine vinegar in large bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Mix tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, radishes, and parsley into dressing. Stir in feta cheese.

DO AHEAD: Salad can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Using slotted spoon, transfer salad mixture to pita bread halves. Serve sandwiches immediately.

Makes 4 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 400
Fat: 20 g
Carbs: 45 g

Goat Cheese in Grape Leaves with Tomato and Olive Salad

This is a whimsical recipe, but it is fast and very very tasty. If you are barbecuing, it's a good idea to serve these as appetizers. You can keep the leftovers in the fridge for about a week.

And you don't have to wait for the barbecue, you can just cook them in a pan or a skillet grill. Just watch them while cooking so that you don't char/burn the leaves.

Serve it over greens, such as mesclun or lettuce. One cup shredded greens will add 10 calories per serving, so you can just go crazy with it:)

GOAT CHEESE IN GRAPE LEAVES WITH TOMATO AND OLIVE SALAD

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
12 large grape leaves from jar, rinsed, patted dry, stemmed
3 4- to 5-ounce logs soft fresh goat cheese, each cut crosswise into 4 rounds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted black olives

Directions:
Whisk 1/2 cup oil, thyme, and black pepper in small bowl to blend.

Arrange grape leaves, vein side up, on work surface. Dip each cheese round into thyme oil and place in center of 1 grape leaf. Fold sides of leaves over cheese; fold up bottom and continue to roll up, enclosing cheese completely.

Arrange wrapped cheeses, seam side down, on platter. Brush lightly with some thyme oil. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead; keep chilled. Cover remaining thyme oil and store at room temperature.)

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Whisk 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, and mustard in small bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Slightly overlap tomato slices on large platter. Drizzle with dressing; sprinkle with half of olives.

Place wrapped cheese rounds on grill, seam side down. Grill until cheese softens and leaves begin to char, about 2 minutes per side. Arrange cheeses atop tomatoes. Sprinkle with remaining olives.

Makes 12 appetizer servings
Per serving:
Calories: 240
Fat: 22 g.
Carbs: 4 g
Protein: 7 g

Garden Tuna Salad

If you like tuna salad, here is the easy way to prepare it with nutrition information. You can see that it's not that the calories are not that low, but you always have the option to bring it down.

Each egg is about 80 calories, you can just omit one and use 3 and bring the calories down a bit. You can use non fat mayo instead of low fat, and it makes a small difference too. If you don't like mayo, you can always substitute it with low fat sour cream which give the salad a fresh taste.

As an alternative, omit the tomatoes and olives and mix about 3/4 cup rinsed and drained green seedless grapes with the tuna salad; garnish with more grapes and sprinkle with chopped salted almonds.

I'm adding the calorie info according to these alternatives. You can choose which way you want to go:)

GARDEN TUNA SALAD

Ingredients:
2 cans (6 oz. each) water-packed albacore or chunk-style tuna, drained well
4 hard-cooked large eggs, shelled
1 cup finely chopped inner celery stalks, tender leaves reserved
1/4 cup drained capers
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion or shallots
About 3/4 cup low fat mayonnaise (or you can use low fat sour cream)
About 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
Salt to taste (keep in mind that capers are salty too)
About 4 cups inner romaine or butter lettuce leaves, rinsed and crisped
1 to 2 tablespoons minced parsley
Paprika (optional)

About 1 cup small cherry tomatoes, stemmed, rinsed, and drained
About 1/2 cup drained niçoise or black ripe olives
1 lemon, rinsed and cut into 8 wedges

Directions:
Put tuna in a bowl. Coarsely chop 2 eggs; add to tuna. Cut remaining eggs in half lengthwise and set aside.

Add celery, capers, and onion to bowl; mix well with a fork, breaking tuna into small pieces. Add 3/4 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix. Add more mayonnaise, if desired. Season to taste with salt (be cautious - capers are salty).

Arrange lettuce and celery leaves equally in four wide, shallow bowls. Mound tuna salad on greens, sprinkle with parsley, and dust with paprika if desired.

Set an egg half alongside each salad and garnish with tomatoes, olives, and lemon wedges. Season salads to taste with juice from wedges and more salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings
Per serving (without tomatoes or black olives)
Calories: 325
Fat: 21 g
Carbs: 6.5 g
Protein: 27 g

Per serving with 1 cup tomatoes and 8 black olives
Calories: 350
Fat: 22 g
Carbs: 9 g
Protein: 27

Per serving with 3/4 cups green grapes and 1/4 cup salted almonds:
Calories: 385
Fat: 24 g
Carbs: 13 g
Protein: 28

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Pistachios

I have this wonderful appetizer salad recipe called BEET AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH PISTACHIOS that is easy to prepare and it has a wonderful presentation.

If you prepare it as is and keep in mind that the total is for 8 servings, and here are the numbers per serving:
Calories: 150
Fat: 12 g
Carbs: 8 g
Protein: 4.5 g

You can always use olive oil instead of the pistachio oil, and skip the pistachios completely which will bring the dish down to 125 calories. Not bad for something that looks so good, eh?:)))

Chicken and Farfalle Salad with Walnut Pesto

The pesto dressing is what makes this salad exceptional. According to Cooking Light where I copied this recipe from, to make sure the walnut pesto ingredients are evenly minced, stop the food processor halfway through processing, and scrape down the sides.

I add a little bit of Parmesan cheese and cheat a bit, but the recipe just isn't complete without the cheese:)

You can substitute black olives instead of kalamata olives, which usually is less salty.

Enjoy:)

CHICKEN AND FARFALLE SALAD WITH WALNUT PESTO

Ingredients:
Salad:
2 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta; about 6 ounces)
2 cups cubed cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives

Walnut Pesto:
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove

Remaining ingredient:
4 curly leaf lettuce leaves

Directions:
To prepare salad, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; rinse with cold water. Combine pasta, chicken, tomatoes, and olives in a large bowl.

To prepare walnut pesto, combine basil and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; pulse 6 times or until finely minced. Add pesto to pasta mixture, tossing gently to coat. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 4 plates; top each serving with salad mixture.

Makes 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups salad)
Per serving:
Calories: 375
Fat: 12.5 g
Carbs: 36 g
Protein: 30 g
Fiber: 3 g

Avocado and WaterCress Salad

This salad recipe is from Gourmet. According to them, the secret ingredient for the delicious sauce is grated apple. You could never guess it from a bite of this dressing, since it's not at all sweet or fruity, just perfectly balanced and lip-smackingly delicious. Its slight pulp extends the unctuous richness of avocado and complements the clean assertiveness of watercress.

Watercress can be trimmed 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed bag lined with damp paper towels. But if you can't find watercress greens that you use to make any favorite salad can also be used just as effectively.

Dressing can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Stir or shake before using. Be careful not to use all of the dressing, add just a little bit at a time, and check to see if you need to add more. Otherwise the taste can be very overpowering.

Enjoy:)

AVOCADO AND WATERCRESS SALAD

Ingredients:
1/4 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon grated sweet onion such as Vidalia or Walla Walla (use large holes of a box grater)
1/4 cup finely grated peeled Gala apple (use small holes of box grater)
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 cups watercress (thin stems and leaves only; from 1 large bunch)
1 firm-ripe avocado

Directions:
Stir together vinegar, onion, apple, soy sauce, and sugar until sugar has dissolved, then stir in oil.

Just before serving, toss watercress with enough dressing to coat. Quarter, pit, and peel avocado, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Gently toss with watercress.

Makes 6 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 125
Fat: 12 g
Carbs: 5 g
Protein: 2 g
Fiber: 3 g

Lentil Salad with Tomato and Dill

I love lentils, so while I was looking for a low cal recipe I remembered the recipe that is easy to prepare, tasty and filling at my other blog. It's called Lentil Salad with Tomato and Dill. Follow the link and you can find my suggestions for changes too:)

This recipe is for 4 servings:
Per serving:
Calories: 200
Fat: 14 g
Carbs: 16 g
Protein: 5.5 g

Keep in mind that you can bring the calories down by using less olive oil. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup which is about 470 calories for the total recipe.

If you add 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese add 400 calories. So if you add 1/4 of it to each serving you are adding 100 calories to the dish.

If you add a cucumber, you are adding additional 25 calories. 1 cup of shredded butter lettuce is less than 10 calories:) At last, something that doesn't add too many calories. And what is good about lettuce is that it takes a long time for the stomach to digest it, so it keeps it busy and you will feel hungry much later. So I add lettuce to my salads as often as I can.

Enjoy:)

Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onions

Orzo is fun if you want to have pasta, but if you want the look and feel of rice. The recipe that I have on my other site which is called ORZO WITH TOMATOES, FETA, AND GREEN ONIONS is for 8 servings and as is per serving is about 450 calories. So I've make some changes to it to make it for diet friendly.

First the stuff that I skip completely:
1. Pine nuts which brings down the calories to 385 per serving. Crazy eh?
2. Honey, not because of calories because per serving the difference is only 3 calories, but because it doesn't suit my taste buds.

Then I bring down the calories by:
1 cup of feta cheese instead of 1,5 cups and the amounts per serving becomes 360 calories.
I use 2 cups of chicken broth and the rest just regular water and per serving calories become 320

And the dish is still very tasty.

So here is the amended recipe:

ORZO WITH TOMATOES, FETA, AND GREEN ONIONS

Ingredients:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo (or riso)
2 cups red and yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup chopped green onions

Directions:
Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Bring broth to boil in large heavy saucepan. Stir in orzo, reduce heat to medium, cover partially, and boil until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large wide bowl, tossing frequently until cool.

Mix tomatoes, feta, basil, and green onions into orzo. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Serve at room temperature.

Makes 8 servings.

And here are the tips:
To the sauce, add some garlic. You can also add about 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese which will bring the calorie count per serving to 335 calories.

Also use a little bit more lemon as the orzo really absorbs it. But don't add it to the dressing while you are preparing it. Adding it to the dressing doesn't make it sharp enough for the orzo. After you prepare the orzo see if you would like to add more lemon , and if you do add it directly to orzo.

Gourmet Chicken Salad

Chicken is a must when you are dieting. It is low in calories, it is filling and it's a good source of protein. This version of the recipe uses regular mayo. It's not so much, so I didn't touch the recipe, but if you want to save a bit of calories use low fat version.

Most of the calories come from the walnuts, which is 200 calories for the 1/4 cup. Since the recipe is for 2 servings, if you skip the walnuts you would be saving 100 calories etc. You get the picture:)

1 chicken breast is 130 calories, and 1 tablespoon of blue cheese is about 60 calories etc. So this dish as is would be 400 calories which should be one course without anything else served with it so that you can have enough for the rest of the day. If you think this course is too small for you just serve it on a bed of greens which will add only 10 calories per cup.

You can also substitute blue cheese with feta cheese but the taste would change completely and be careful with how much salt you are using as feta is usually salty.

GOURMET CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients:
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 lemon, zested and juiced
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons chopped celery
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 teaspoons brown mustard
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste

Directions:
Place chicken in a skillet, and sprinkle with lemon juice and 1/2 the rosemary. Pour broth into the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear. Drain, cool, and dice chicken.

In a large bowl, toss chicken with lemon zest, remaining rosemary, walnuts, celery, blue cheese, mayonnaise, brown mustard, salt and pepper, and garlic powder. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 2 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 400
Fat: 36 g
Carbs: 5 g
Protein: 17 g