Apple Chicken Salad

After having been gone for the past two weekends and relying heavily on take-out this past week, it feels so good to finally have some home-cooking again!  This last weekend I spent in Paris, Kentucky meeting my boyfriend's family and exploring their 95 acre horse farm.  I had a great time but it is clear, more than ever, that I could never live down South.  It was very slow paced (I'm a million miles an hour 24/7) and to be honest, the sprawling farms were beautiful but the huge amount of space in between homes felt kind of lonely to me. 

One thing they DO have going for them south of the Mason-Dixon line is some ridiculously decadent, killer food (and apparently an obesity epidemic to match).  At this one restaurant in Winchester (Hall's On the River), I was introduced to what could possibly be the most shamefully unhealthy meal I have ever consumed - the Hot Brown.  Even better is that it came with a side of macaroni and cheese.  Needless to say, I'll be kicking my own ass at the gym all week just to make up for that one item of food alone. 

So, since the past week and a half has been spent chowing down on all sorts of naughty things, I figured I'd start this week with something fresh and light to get back on track.  This apple chicken salad is phenom - filling, colorful, tasty, and incredibly low cal/low fat.  It's great on its own or over a bed of field greens or, as I enjoyed it, as a toasted sandwich with brie.  I had marinaded my chicken breast in garlic, salt and pepper, lemon, and a little Italian dressing overnight prior to grilling it so I didn't feel like the salad needed any spices or any additional salt and pepper added - although I guess it comes down to personal taste.  The sweetness and crunch of the apple and bell pepper work perfectly to offset the savory taste of the grilled chicken and onion.  I think this makes a great summer dish - although I can see it working in the fall with fresh seasonal apples as well.  Either way, enjoy guilt-free :)

All the fruits and veggie prior to adding the chicken, sour cream, and mayo.  Love the colors!

Ingredients (4 servings - about a cup/pp):

• 2 cups shredded grilled chicken (mine was marinaded in garlic, salt and pepper, and a little Italian dressing)
• 1 apple diced
• 3 grape tomatoes sliced
• 1/3 cup of sweet bell pepper 
• 1/3 cup of purple onion
• 1/4 cup scallions (green onions)
• 1/4 cup fat free mayo
• 2 tbs fat free sour cream
• lemon juice

 

Recipe:

1.  Dice the apple, squirt with a little lemon juice (to prevent browning) and add to a large bowl.
2. Shred the grilled chicken (make sure it is somewhat cooled post-grilling) and add to the bowl.
3. Add the onions, scallions, pepper, tomatoes, mayo, and sour cream to the bowl.
4. Mix everything together and serve however you like (alone, over field greens, as a sandwich/panini with brie or cheddar, etc.)

Approximate Nutritional Info per Serving:

• Calories: 106
• Carbohydrates: 13g
• Fat: 2g
• Protein: 11g

Shrimp and Quinoa Caprese Salad

I have been on a huge caprese kick lately.  Maybe it's the summer weather, maybe it's my need to try something new, or maybe it's just so awesome being able to use home grown tomatoes and basil rather than go to the supermarket.  Who knows.  Either way, I've been playing around and incorporating caprese into meals at least a couple of times a week - from sandwiches to bruschetta to pasta, I am officially obsessed.

Since I had some extra shrimp and quinoa left over from last night's dinner, I decided on trying a caprese-themed shrimp and quinoa cold salad.  I have to say, I'm really happy with the way it came out.  I used grape tomatoes since they're a bit sweeter than other varieties, have less/smaller seeds, and are generally less goopy.  I also added red onion for a bit of extra flavor.  The tomatoes, onion, and mozzarella get marinaded in balsamic vinegar and then added to the salad instead of being poured directly in which ensures that you don't end up with a soggy quinoa mess.  All in all, very light, flavorful, and a perfect dish for summer.

Ingredients (6 servings):

• 1.5 cups cooked quinoa (about 0.5 cup dry)
• 1 cup grape tomato sliced
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 10 basil leaves
• 8 oz buffalo mozzarella
• 4 oz cooked shrimp
• 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the package.  Typically thats done by bringing a 2:1 ratio of water and quinoa to a boil and then allowing it to simmer until the water has been absorbed.
2. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
3. While the quinoa is cooling, slice the tomatoes, onions, and mozzarella and combine with the balsamic vinegar.
4. Slice the basil leaves into thin strips.  
5. I suggest using pre-cooked shrimp for the easiness factor but if you prefer not to - peel and devein the shrimp and sautee until pink.  Allow to cool to room temperature.
6. Drain the excess vinegar from the bowl used to hold the tomatoes, onion, and mozzarella and combine with the cooled quinoa and shrimp.  Add the basil and olive oil and toss well.
7. Serve and enjoy :)

Approximate Nutritional Info per Serving: 

• Calories: 238
• Carbohydrates: 16g
• Fat: 15g
• Protein: 14g

Bearnaise Shrimp Pasta Salad

I am a huge fan of Bearnaise sauce.  If I could, I'd eat it with everything.  Or plain.  It's that good.  I'm crazy about it.  Sooo I decided to use it as the base for a cold shrimp pasta salad.  Now if you have the time/energy to sit down and make a homemade Bearnaise sauce from scratch, let me suggest a recipe here from Emeril Lagasse that's out of this world awesome.  If, on the other hand, you're feeling a bit lazy (no judgements here) - the Knorr flavor pack available at most grocery stores works juuuuuust fine.  It takes 2 seconds to make and today I used skim milk instead of whole milk and 3 tbs butter instead of 4 to lighten it up a bit.  I combined it with Greek yogurt which made it super creamy and gave it a bit of a tang while still maintaining the tarragon flavor.  Result = yum.  Bearnaise sauce 2.0.

This dressing combined with crunchy fresh veggies, macaroni, and shrimp is absolutely delicious BUT its also open to lots of variation based on what works for you.  I used onions, bell peppers, carrots but that can obviously be swapped out for whatever veggies you want.  My advice is to use the parsley sparingly - add a little at a time and test taste because sometimes the flavor can be a bit overwhelming.

Best of all, this took me MAYBE 15 minutes total to make.  I had leftover macaroni from my Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese and I thawed frozen cooked and deveined shrimp.  This was meant to be a side but is filling enough to work as an entree if you'd like too.

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

•  1/4lb. (about 12 lg) cooked shrimp, tails cut off (save yourself some time and thaw frozen cooked shrimp)
• 2 1/2 cup macaroni (or pasta of your choice)
• 1 1/3 cup Bearnaise cooled to room temperature (for quickness I used the Knorr pack - with skim milk and 3 tbs butter - but if you have the time, Emeril Lagasse has a reeeeeally good recipe here)
• 3 tbs fat free plain Greek yogurt (ex. Chobani)
• 1/4 of a bell pepper chopped small
• 2 baby carrots chopped fine
• 1/4 of an onion chopped fine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• a quick sprinkle of chili pepper flakes, salt, pepper, Old Bay seasoning to taste

Recipe: 

1.  Boil the pasta, drain, set aside until room temperature.
2. Combine Bearnaise sauce and Greek yogurt and mix well.
3. Add the chopped bell peppers, onions, carrots, and parsley and mix well.
4. Add the spices to taste.
5. Add the shrimp and mix well.
6. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour for flavors to combine. 

Approximate Nutritional Info per Serving:

• Calories: 331
• Fat: 9.5g
• Protein: 15.5g