Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Serves 2

Simple yes but we like it at my house. You will too.

Ingredients

• One boneless, skinless chiken breast
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lime
• 1 bag chopped romaine
• Caesar dressing, see recipe
• Shredded Parmesan

Directions

1. Put the chicken breast in a ziploc bag, add a little oil to each side, seal and flatten by pounding on it until its an even thickness (I like to use a bottle for the added weight)
2. Heat a grill, grill pan or skillet really well then season the chicken with salt, pepper & juice from 1/2 of a lime
3. Put the chicken in the pan and DON'T TOUCH - cook 3-4 minutes
4. In a bowl toss the romaine with some of the dressing - mix well
5. Flip the chicken and cook on the second side for an additional 2 minutes or so (not too long so it stays juicy)
6. Put the salad on a plate, slice the chicken breast on a diagonal and place it on top of the salad
7. Give it all a fresh ground pepper and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan

(Tuna) Greek Salad

Makes 4 servings

You've heard about how good the Mediterranean diet is for you? Well - here's my take on it...

Ingredients

• 2 cups tomatoes, cut into a medium dice
• 2 cups cucumber, cut into a medium dice
• 1 cup red onion cut into a medium dice
• 1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• Two - 6 ounce cans solid white tuna, in oil, drained
• 1/4 cup Greek or Italian dressing or
• 2 ounces olive oil
• 1 ounce red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• Pinch of Kosher salt

Directions

1. Mix all dresing ingredients (if you are making the dresssing) or use the ready made
2. Put tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and feta in a large bowl and mix well
3. Plate salads and top each with some of the tuna
4. Drizzle each with dressing and serve

Scissored Salad

Serves 1

All you need is a container with a top and a pair of scissors. Really.

Ingredients

• 1 Roma tomato, sliced and then chopped with scissors
• 8 - 10 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped with scissors
• Romaine lettuce, end and tops removed and chopped with scissors
• 15 pieces of pepperoni, chopped with scissors
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Italian dressing
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Chop each item with scissors as you add it into your container
2. Drizzle with Italian dressing
3. Put the top onto the container and shake well
4. Open and add some freshly ground black pepper
5. Enjoy

Warm Butternut Squash & Crispy Bacon Salad

Serves 4

The title kinda says it all doesn't it?

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups butternut squash, cut into a 3/4 inch dice
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• One 4-5 ounce bag salad greens

Directions

1. Combine syrup, vinegar and oil - whisk well, season with salt and pepper and set aside
2. Put squash in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of water, cover with plastic wrap (making a couple small knife slits in the plastic) and microwave until softened but not mushy, approximately 4 minutes
3. Cook bacon in a non-stick pan until just getting crispy, remove excess oil and add squash -  cook until squash just begins to brown, remove from heat
4. Put greens in a bowl, add squash & bacon and toss with some of the dressing - plate

Grilled buffalo chicken salad

Serves 2

A supper awesome buffalo chicken salad!

Ingredients

• 2 Boneless chicken breast filets
• 2 tbs olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper to season
• 1 cup Franks hot sauce
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 2 tomatoes quartered
• 1/2 English cucumber sliced and cut in half
• 1 raw flour tortilla
• 1/4 cup blue cheese dressing

Directions

1. Rub chicken with olive oil and season well with Kosher salt and pepper
2. In a small pot add hot sauce and butter
3. Put pot on medium heat and cook until butter is melted, mix well
4. Break up lettuce and put in large serving bowl
5. To lettuce add tomatoes and cucumbers
6. Grill tortilla in pan or on griddle until crispy then set aside and let cool, then slice tortilla into strips
7. Grill chicken until fully cooked and slice into strips
8. Toss salad with dressing
9. Add sliced chicken to hot sauce mixture to baste
10. Remove chicken from sauce and top salad with chicken and tortilla strips

Cucumber & Watermelon Salad

Serves 4

Refreshing, delicious and pretty, so what more do you need? You want it simple? Ok then, simple too. The key is to cut everything into cubes somewhere around 1 inch square.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cucumber, peeled then cut into cubes (an English cucumber is is best)
• 2 cups, seedless watermelon, cubed
• 2 avocados, cubed
• 1 tablespoon each chopped cilantro, basil and chives
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Put watermelon, cucumber, avocado, herbs, olive oil and vinegar in a large bowl
2. Season with salt & pepper
3. Mix well, but do it carefully so you do not bust up the watermelon
4. Serve

Kale & Roasted Corn Salad

Serves 4

Kale - the cardboard of the salad world. But marinating it in this dressing and using avocado help make it so delicious - not to mention healthy. It's our new favorite.

Ingredients

SALAD:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 - 15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained well
• 2 ripe avocados, diced small
• 1 bag (12 ounces) chopped kale, chopped to make it even smaller
• 12 ounces cooked chicken, diced small
• 1/2 pound cooked bacon, diced

DRESSING:

• 4 ounces olive oil
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Good pinch salt & pepper

Directions

1. Heat wok or non-stick pan until almost smoking, add oil & corn and cook until browned in spots - remove to a dish and let cool
2. Make dressing by combining oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon and salt & pepper - mix
3. Put Kale, corn, avocado, chicken and dressing in a large bowl and toss well - put in fridge about 30 minutes to let all the flavors come together (and to allow the 'cardboardiness' of the kale to subside). 
4. Mix in bacon and serve

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Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad

Makes 4 servings

Roasted beets are one of the great joys in life - well at least they are for me.

Ingredients

• 1 pound (about 4) medium beets, red or gold
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• Dressing:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• Few grinds black pepper
• Pinch salt
• Pinch sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400
2. Drizzle beets with olive oil, wrap loosely in a foil packet & seal well
3. Roast until tender - about 45 minutes to an hour
4. Open packet & allow to cool, then remove skins - you can rub them off with a paper towel
5. Slice beets into wedges
6. Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined
7. Plate greens and beets, top with goat cheese and add dressing

Tuna & White Bean Salad

Serves 4 -6 (I think)

I like to make this and keep it in the fridge. Then when I need a snack, it's not only filling & delicious, but it's super healthy for you. Low in fat and calories but high in protein.

Ingredients

• 1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Juice of one lemon - about 3 tablespoons
• Good pinch Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• One 12 ounce can solid white tuna
• One 15 ounce can white cannellini beans, drained & rinsed (you can easily substitute with garbanzo beans)
• 1/2 cup leeks, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup of chopped parsley

Directions

1. Make the dressing: combine olive oil, sesame oil, soy, lemon juice and salt & pepper - mix really well & set aside
2. Put tuna in a large bowl and break up
3. Add beans, leeks and parsley - mix carefully not to break the beans
4. Toss with some of the dressing and serve

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Mexican Caesar

Serves 3 – maybe 4, but probably 3. Yeah 3 seems right.

This is at least a once a week item in our house (that means we like it)

Ingredients

• 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, or about a tablespoon of anchovy paste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 6 cups romaine lettuce, cut into small bites
• 1/2 pound bacon, cooked until crispy and then crumbled
• One 15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained and sauteed in a little oil until just starting to brown

Directions

1. Combine yogurt (or sour cream), garlic, fish sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire, milk and cilantro, mix until smooth -  season to taste with salt
2. Put romaine in a large bowl and add bacon, corn and dressing - toss well, add pepper and serve

Sriracha & Bacon Egg Salad Sandwich

Makes 2

We made this on the Livecast and everyone was very happy. VERY.

Ingredients

• 4 hard boiled eggs - if you're not sure how to properly hard boil eggs check out the recipe in the 'Things That Don't Fit In Any Other Category'
• 2 tablespoons diced green onion
• 2-3 tablespoons mayo
• About 1 1/2 tablespoons sriracha - it's up to you
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 6 slices bacon, cooked & crispy
• 4 slices good bread (whole wheat would be excellent), toasted
• Iceberg lettuce
• Mayo, to taste

Directions

1. Grate or chop eggs and put in a small bowl
2. Add green onion, mayo, sriracha & salt - mix well
3. Add a bed of lettuce to 2 slices of the toast, egg salad and then bacon - top with toast
4. Slice, eat and smile

Caesar Dressing

Makes little more than a cup

So delicious, just make it and use for everything. Don't freak out by fish sauce - it doesn't make this fishy, it just makes it good. You can get fish sauce from most supermarkets in the Asian aisle.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sour cream or non-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon anchovy paste or 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Up to 1/3 cup milk

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking in as much milk as necessary to make it as thick or thin as you like

Grilled Halloumi Cheese Salad

Serves 2-4

Halloumi is a hearty Greek cheese you can pan fry, grill or broil. And it’s great in a salad, just watch.

Ingredients

• 2 hearts of Romaine lettuce, ends removed and roughly chopped

• 1 medium English cucumber, peeled and diced

• 2 tomatoes, diced

• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

• 1/2 cup red onion, diced

• Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus a little extra for the halloumi

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons oregano

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 block Halloumi Cheese, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

Directions

1. Combine romaine, cucmber, tomatoes, olives and red onion in a bowl - toss to mix

2. Mix dressing ingredients and add to salad

3. Heat a skillet or cast iron pan on medium/high heat, lightly drizzle halloumi with a little olive oil and grill halloumi slices for 30-45 seconds on each side or just until brown

4. Lay the cheese on top of the salad and serve.