“Light” Waldorf Salad

This salad has all of the essential Waldorf salad ingredients except for the mayonnaise used in the traditional dressing.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 cup finely diced Granny Smith apple
• 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1 small head butter lettuce
• 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. honey (mild, unflavored)
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped chives or shallots
• 3 Tbs. olive oil (mild, without herbs)
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Boil 2 inches of water with 2 tsp salt in a 2-qt heavy saucepan. Add chicken and poach 12-15 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside to cool, then cut into small cubed pieces.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, honey, chives/shallots, and olive oil. Add salt & pepper to taste.
3. Place chicken, apple pieces, grapes, celery, and walnuts in a large bowl. Add 1/2 of the vinaigrette and mix.
4. Divide lettuce between two plates. Add chicken mixture on top of each salad, then drizzle remaining vinaigrette on top (to taste).

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Greek Salad with Warmed Quinoa

While visiting Greece with my hubby I fell in love with two dishes: Greek yogurt with fresh honey and Greek salad. Greek salad has become somewhat of a staple for me. It is easy to make, doesn’t require too many ingredients, can be altered depending on what you have in the fridge, and is always satisfying. I’ve altered this traditional recipe to include a grain called Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), which is easy to cook, nutritious, and has a lovely, fluffy texture.

Servings: 2 large salads

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups cooked Quinoa (You can buy Quinoa at your local grocery store and follow cooking instructions. I like to cook mine using chicken broth instead of water).
2. 1 large cucumber, cut into bit-size pieces
3. 24 oz. cherry tomatoes, stemmed & halved
4. 1/4 cup chopped red onion
5. 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
6. 2 cups fresh spinach
7. 1/2 cup goat’s milk feta cheese, crumbled
8. 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
9. 6 tsp. finely chopped fresh marjoram
10. 4 tsp. Dijon mustard
11. 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
12. olive oil, to taste

Directions

1. Cook Quinoa using the directions on the box you buy. Substitute vegetable or chicken broth with water for optimal flavor. After cooking, place lid over pot to keep warm.
2. Chop cucumber, tomatoes and onions.
3. In a large bowl, add spinach, chopped vegetables, olives, and feta cheese.
4. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, marjoram, mustard, and lemon peel. Whisk in olive oil. Toss gently with the spinach mixture.
5. Add warm Quinoa to the bowl and then mix all ingredients together. Serve.

Notes: Leftovers can be added to scrambled eggs for a lovely breakfast. You could also add chicken to this dish for extra protein.

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