CookWomanFood.com

Salads are the best invention since M&Ms. I actually have a salad every day with my lunch. I traveled cross country a couple years ago and actually came across my favorite salad ever: A mixed green salad with grilled chicken and berries. What was interesting was that there were just enough berries (3) of each kind to detect just a hint of their flavors in each bite. The berries included blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. It was served with a fat free raspberry vinaigrette. Incredible. The salad that I have each day is just a field green salad but I include 3 large strawberries, which I might add have been exceptionally delicious this time of year, feta cheese, sweet onion, crispy onions, soy beans and I use a blend of Good Season’s Basil Italian made with balsamic vinaigrette and canola oil and fat free raspberry vinaigrette. Not as good as the salad that I had in Wild Bill Cody land, Cody, WY, but pretty darn close. With all the eating going on around the holidays it might just be a grand idea to include some salad in your daily menus. Here are a couple delicious recipes for some different salads. My daughter in law, Amy, made the spicy chicken and spinach salad a couple of summers ago and it has been one of my favorites since. Add some bread if desired and you have a complete meal! Enjoy.

SPICY CHICKEN AND SPINACH SALAD

 DRESSING:

Whisk Together the following:
1/4 C. Lime Juice
1/4 C. Chopped Cilantro
2 T. Olive Oil
2 T. Honey
2 Thinly Sliced Scallions
2 Minced Chiles in Adobo Sauce (find this can of Adobo in the Mexican Food section)
2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Salt

 SALAD:

2 C. Cooked Chicken
15 oz Can of Black Beans (rinsed and drained)
11 oz Can of Kernel Corn (drained)
1 Diced Tomato
1/2 Small Jicama, sliced thin or chopped
1 Avacado, cubed
16 oz. Bag of Spinach

Toss salad with dressing.
Serves 4

427 Calories/serving