FoodDrink Salads

When it comes to leftovers, people are most often than not having hard times in making family members eat the meal. After seeing the same meal served again for lunch, your family may tend to get very picky and the food won't even get near to being eaten. What happens next is very obvious. The food will stay in the refrigerator for a couple of days and then, it goes to the trash for its final resting place.

When you think about it, this common scenario is such a waste. That's why this article provides an easy solution to save you money as well as keeping the complaints about the leftover food to a minimum. And as the title suggests, why not make a salad out of it? It's pretty simple when you think about it and it will certainly look like a brand new dish after you're finished making one.

If your leftovers are composed entirely of meat, then it's going to be a real walk in the park for your salad creation. That roast beef from dinner can be sliced and diced and added to a salad for some heavy lunch. And if you're having some trouble with leftover pork, try making an Asian salad side dish by adding them with some coleslaw and sesame seeds.

Taco salads are also great when you have some leftover hamburger lying on the fridge. Add some lettuce, onions, black olives, cheese and tomatoes and you'll have a real tasty treat. Toss the tortilla chips in and top the recipe for salad by some sour cream and you'll have the perfect snack to delight your family and friends. Just be sure you have enough for the sure-fire demand though.

If you're having problems with those turkey or chicken leftovers, I advise you not to throw them to the trash just yet. For these treats, try removing the meat from the bones and create strips from them using a fork. Add some pickles, hard boiled eggs, celery and mayonnaise into the chicken strips and you'll have the perfect lunch time salad you can even make your kids eat at school.

Another easy leftover ingredient to use in a salad would be vegetables. Now, this is quite straightforward since all you got to do is to add them up in a salad bowl and top the mix with some flavorful dressing. Nobody wants to eat leftover vegetables again, but when those carrots, broccolis and cauliflowers are added to a salad, just sit back and relax while your family automatically digs in into the meal.

The same is true when you're dealing with fruit. You have a certain hit on your hands if you're going to add your leftover fruit into some mix complete with marshmallows, nuts and whipped topping as a crown. Serve this as a dessert and your family will even love you more for it.

All in all, there's more life in your leftover foods than you might think existing. By using your leftovers in making salads, you're going to save time, effort and more importantly, money from throwing away good food. Just go and give it a try so that you can make those leftovers end up in the belly of your loved ones instead of inside the garbage can.

There are many ways for you to approach preparing some recipe for salad in your household. Please visit the Food Menu Blog to read more cooking ideas that you will certainly love to share with your family and friends.

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I have always been a fan of chicken salad. Whenever I'm going to a sandwich place, I always have a desire to try their chicken salad because each place has it's own blend of herbs and spices and other ingredients to add to the traditional chicken salad.

However, no matter how many places I've gone to and no matter how many different chicken salads I've tried, I found that my favorite recipes are the ones made at home with fresh left-over chicken. Bellow, find some delicious salads to prepare with left-over chicken. For the first recipe you can use not only left-over chicken but also left-over rice.

Chicken and Rice Salad

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (or parsley), chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and minced
3 cups cooked rice, cooled
2 avocados, seeded, peeled and cut in chunks

Directions:
1. Blend lime juice, oil, garlic, chili powder and salt in large bowl. Add chicken, red pepper, onions, cilantro and hot peppers. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.
2. Add rice and avocado chunks. Toss lightly, and serve.

Curried Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup seedless grape, halved
1/4 cup almond slivers

Directions:
1. Blend mayonnaise, lemon juice, and curry powder. Mix into remaining
ingredients. Chill at least one hour before serving.
2. Serve on whole leaves of Romaine lettuce.

To find more chicken salad recipes you can prepare, visit the site: http://welovechicken.com/

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Warm additions to cool greens is a great combination for anytime of year but especially when the grill is handy. The base salads can be topped with any protein you like. Come on, you know the drill. Think outside the recipe!

This spinach salad is a healthier version made with turkey bacon and chunks of sautéed tomatoes. Complete it with slabs of rustic whole grain bread brushed with olive oil.

The Dressing
If you've never made a pan vinaigrette you are in for a treat. The yum factor rests in the bottom of the pan after sautéing and is released when you add vinegar and maybe a little oil or stock.

Servings
Recipes make 2 entrees but can easily be double or tripled for company

Warm Spinach Salad with Grilled Sea Scallops Sauteed Tomatoes and Mushrooms

5 Cups Fresh Spinach leaves
1 Cup of thin sliced button or cremini mushrooms

Dressing:
2 slices turkey bacon, slice into thin bits
½ Cup of Olive Oil-split in half
¼ Cup of thinly sliced red onion
¼ Cup of good Balsamic vinegar
¼ Cup chicken stock
1 Ripe Medium tomato, split in quarters gently squeeze out seeds and rough chop
Salt and Fresh Pepper
2 1" thick slices of a rustic multi-grain bread brushed with olive oil
2- 4 ounce portions of fresh sea scallops*. Marinate before hand if you like.

* You can use salmon, swordfish, or other fish that holds up to the heat of a grill. I love this salad with sea scallops as the sweet of the scallops compliments the smoky bacon flavor and the bite of the spinach.

Method

Place the cleaned spinach in a mixing bowl with the mushrooms.

In a medium saucepan over low heat put ¼ cup of the olive oil and the bacon bits.

Cook until they are browned, then add the onions. Cook for one minute.
Now add the vinegar and stock and let simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and hold.

Heat your grill and cook the fish. Allow about 8 minutes to finish your salad ingredients and have the plate ready for the fish.

When the fish is almost done, place the bread slices down on a cooler part of the grill. It takes only about 2 minutes to add a nice grilled flavor to the bread.

Once the fish is on the grill set another medium sauté pan on a medium high heat and add the other ¼ Cup of olive oil. When it is hot but not smoking add the tomatoes. Toss them repeatedly, season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.

Place the bacon vinaigrette pan back on the heat just to warm it. When it bubbles around the edges pour it over the spinach and mushrooms. Use a rubber, high heat spatula to scrape all the goodness onto your greens.

Use the same spatula to toss the salad with the dressing til it is completely coated. Split this mixture on to two plates. Spoon tomatoes around the salad. Top with scallops. Cut the bread in half and complete the plate.

Need more recipes and healthy living ideas? Head over to http://midlifewithavengeance.com

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Impress your family and friends with your own homemade salad dressings. No matter how perfect your lettuce and other ingredients, the dressing can make or break your salad. If you are looking for something different, you might want to try one of these dressings. And you can always take the basic recipe, add or subtract ingredients to make a recipe your very own. Here are two French Dressing options; No Oil French or French Dressing Made With Catsup. All of these recipes can work with the diabetics diet!

This first recipe is from my vintage recipe collection. It is from an old Midwestern Church Cookbook.

HOMEMADE FRENCH DRESSING MADE WITH CATSUP

1/2 cup salad oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika (scant)
1/2 cup sugar*
1/2 cup catsup
1/2 medium onion, grated
juice of 1/2 lemon

Put all ingredients in a pint jar and shake well. Will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator.

*For diabetics replace the sugar with Splenda granular and you have your own homemade diabetic salad dressing.

NO OIL FRENCH DRESSING

1 can (10 3/4 oz) reduced-fat, reduced sodium tomato soup, undiluted
1/3 cup Splenda granular*
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp grated onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp pepper

In a bowl, using a whisk, combine all ingredients until well blended. Store left over dressing in a jar in the refrigerator. Shake or mix well before using.

*Sugar may be substituted for the Splenda.

CREAMY GARLIC SALAD DRESSING

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/3 cup skim milk
2 tsp SPLENDA
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk and SPLENDA. Stir in the onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com

For her vintage recipes, visit http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

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Do you have a special recipe that your family and friends always ask you to make for those special family gatherings? Well, one of the dishes I get asked to bring for our special family occasions is my Japanese Salad recipe. I would love to share my recipe with you.

Try this delicious Japanese Salad recipe! This tasty recipe will compliment many main entrée dishes. You will not only love the taste of this salad recipe, but it is also very nutritious for you!

Japanese Salad Recipe

- 1/2 large cabbage shredded - 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 3 chopped green onions - 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds - 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1 package instant noodle soup (noodles only, uncooked, save the broth package)
- 1 cup chow main noodles uncooked

Dressing

- Broth package from soup - 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1/2 cup olive oil - 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp vinegar - 1/3 cup Soya sauce

Combine all salad ingredients except for the soup and chow mien noodles. In a separate bowl, add all dressing ingredients together and mix well. Pour over salad. Mix salad. Crush soup noodles and sprinkle both the soup and chow mien noodles over salad. Serve and enjoy this Japanese Healthy Salad Recipe!

Vegetables - Helpful Cooking Hints & Tips

Blanching Vegetables
When blanching only a small amount of vegetables, place them in a wire sieve and place in boiling water for approximately 40 seconds. Then immediately place them into ice cold water.

Artichoke
They have a protective coating, so do not wash them until ready to use.
Use only stainless steel cookware and utensils for artichokes to prevent discoloring.
Rub all surfaces with lemon to retard browning.
If it is not real fresh, then add 1 tsp of sugar (to add sweetness) and ¼ tsp of salt (to retain their color and taste) to each cup of water used.

For other tasty recipes and cooking tips, please check out http://www.easycooktips.com

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It is said that raw food does more good than the cooked food. This is because most of the nutrients of the vegetables are lost while putting it on heat. Raw food should be either boiled or should be consumed in its original state.

Raw food is easily digested and assimilated by the body as it does not contain any kind of spices in it. Also, the nutrients remain intact and the body takes in a lot of nutrients from salad. Raw food like the cucumber, tomatoes, carrot, radish, beetroot are all incredibly beneficial for the human body. As these vegetables are rich in water content, vitamins and minerals, all of these nutrients remain. It is also believed that the fruits and vegetables should be consumed as a whole without chopping it into various pieces. The fruits and vegetables should be consumed without adding any spices to it so as to please the taste buds.

Fruits and vegetables should not be consumed immediately after cooked food as the juice from the fruits gets mixed with the food. Also, the nutrients from the salad will not be absorbed by the body. It is required to follow certain principles while having raw food if one desires to gain all benefit from it. Raw food has extremely high water content. Due to the high water content in raw food the body always feels energetic.

The body never feels lethargic. Raw food also enhances the complexion bringing a glow to the skin. Boiled vegetables also do a lot of good to the health. One might find it difficult to follow, but gradually this would turn in to practice. Gradually try to involve this in the daily routine and the change of satisfaction, improvement in health will be seen. Salad also helps detoxify the human system.

Pooja.S.Modi

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Fruits and vegetables are important to our health for many reasons; certainly because they contain fibre in the whole food, and they contain phytonutrients, which are plant based nutrients in the numbers of 20,000 or more, all of which work together to ensure our health.

Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables is the simple "5 A Day" message, and a smart strategy for better health. Vegetables are virtually fat free and contain no cholesterol.

Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed. But certainly the acid test or taste of the good cook will be in the preparation of vegetables. Using herbs or seasoning instead of butter or fat could make vegetables more distinctive.

Fresh vegetables contains many of the vital vitamins and minerals and may be destroyed by cooking, so the idea of using raw vegetables becomes the most desirable for any menu, and especially for the low-fat menus and raw food diets.

As very positive shows on raw foods diet, vegetables becomes the most important ingredient as it can be combined with cottage cheese, or gelatin recipes. Use raw vegetables almost exclusively, since the vitamin value is at peak this way, and the crispness of the vegetables is most appetizing.

As important as vegetable, fruits also contain virtually no fat and are entirely free of any cholesterol. Two notable exceptions, however, are the avocado and the coconut, which are both very high in fat content and thus should be avoided. Otherwise there is no restriction on the use of fruits, which are also certainly ideal for desserts. When fresh fruits are not in season, use dried, canned, or frozen fruits.

In low fat or raw food diet, a well-constructed vegetable or fruits salad can be served as a meal all alone, as well as they are often served before a main course.

Gelatin salads are special favorites to many, especially when made with fruit juices instead of water. Aspic salads are excellent when prepared with vegetables or vegetable juices. If cottage cheese is added to gelatin and aspic salads, more protein and "body" results.

Simply add various fruits and vegetables to your daily diet is the easy way to help improve your health, give you a quick boost of flavor and energy anytime. It may lower the risk of cancer, particularly cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, according to a high-level international review of research findings. And also helps reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cataracts.

Haiyan Lai-Heskin has been a nurse for 17 years. She has been writing Health, Wellness and Fitness articles for many years. Her website Healthy Living Golden Rules has varieties of health related articles advocate people to have a healthy lifestyle. Try Acai Berry Weight Loss for Free Today! And you'll be automatically signed up to a Free lifetime memebership of weight loss management system.

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Summer is coming and with it, a season of summer picnics, barbeques and holiday gatherings. Many times, we don't eat as well as we should at all these cookouts. But all is not lost. What picnic is complete without a delicious salad, specifically a cabbage slaw.

Cabbage slaws are a great way to gain the nutritional benefits of cabbage. Cabbage is full of fiber and believe it or not, vitamin C. It is also contains almost a full days supply of vitamin K. There is also evidence to suggest that cruciferous veggies, like cabbage help to eliminate toxins in our bodies. And since cruciferous vegetables are most nutritious eaten raw, bringing a cabbage slaw to a picnic is a win, win situation.

The main problem with slaws is that they are full of fat and calories. But they don't have to be. The following two recipes use a small amount of yogurt instead of mayo. This makes them lower in fat and calories. Try these 2 delicious cabbage slaws. Each one also contains grapes or pineapple, another nutritional bonus.

Cabbage Slaw

2 cups shredded cabbage
2/3 cup red seedless grapes
¼ cup walnuts chopped
2 Tablespoon apple juice
1 Tablespoon sesame tahini
1 Tablespoon yogurt
Dash cinnamon

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix remaining ingredients in blender on medium speed. Stir into cabbage mixture. Makes 4 servings.

Cabbage & Pineapple slaw

2 cups shredded cabbage
½ cup chopped pineapple
2 Tablespoon yogurt (plain)
1/8 teaspoon thyme
Dash nutmeg

Toss cabbage and pineapple with the yogurt, thyme and nutmeg. Serve chilled. 4 servings.

For more cabbage recipes, as well as other anti-aging recipes, visit http://www.effective-antiaging-tips.com You can sign up for The Antiaging Extra, a monthly newsletter that is filled with more anti-aging tips, product suggestions, recipes and ideas to counteract the physical signs of aging.

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There is nothing better than a delicious salad, especially on a warm day. There was a time not long ago when I could name every great salad place in town, but never bothered to make them for myself. For some reason, I thought salads tasted better when someone else made them.

One day I stopped to think how many salads I could make at home for the 10.00 it cost to eat one out. That is when I decided to start making my own and have since made an art of it.

I have found a secret that is so easy, you will not believe it. The key to an amazing salad is a fruit, a nut and a cheese. With those 3 things, you can not go wrong. Favorite vegetables such as carrots, purple onions, and cucumbers also make great enhancements.

Some of my favorite combinations are:

Pears, pecans and Gorgonzola
Apples, walnuts, and Cheddar
Tomatoes, pine nuts, and Mozzarella
Dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and White Cheddar
Mandarin oranges, sliced almonds and Feta

The varieties are unlimited and any combination will work. There is no guesswork.

For an easy homemade dressing from pantry ingredients, combine 1/8 cup of sugar, ½ cup of vegetable or olive oil, ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons of parsley, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 pinch of pepper.

For the perfect accompaniment, butter a piece of whole wheat toast and lightly sprinkle lightly with garlic powder and grated parmesan cheese.

Get creative and have a great summer making your own incredible salads. This is a delicious way to cut back on spending and calories.

Dawn Billesbach
Creator and Founder of Menufortheweek.com
Does the daily struggle of "What's for dinner?" make you want to hide your head like an ostrich?
Visit my website for one FREE week's menu and grocery list. Treat yourself and leave the stress to me.

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For many fans of comedy, the phrase "Waldorf salad" will of course bring to mind a 1979 episode of the classic British TV sitcom, Fawlty Towers. In the episode, manic, and rather foolish hotelier, Basil Fawlty (played by the Monty Python actor, John Cleese), is completely lost when an American guest asks him to prepare a Waldorf salad, and refuses to consider any alternative dish. In real life, Waldorf salad is indeed unusual salad, enjoyed by many people, and if you are fan of it, you too may not wish to consider alternatives.

The Waldorf salad gets its name from the Waldorf Hotel (forerunner of the modern Waldorf-Astoria Hotel which opened in 1931) in New York City, USA. According to the most popular story (although there are variations on this story which credit other people), the salad was invented in 1890 by Oscar Tschirky, who was the maître d'hôtel at the time (incidentally Oscar Tschirky is also often credited with inventing Eggs Benedict as well).

There are many different variations on the basic recipe for Waldorf salad, but all involve finely sliced apple and celery in a mayonnaise-based dressing. Grapes are also usually added, although some recipes substitute them with maraschino cherries. Today, Waldorf salads nearly always also include halved walnuts (indeed this aspect of the salad is repeatedly referenced in the Fawlty Towers episode), although the original recipe apparently did not include walnuts. In my personal opinion, Waldorf salad is best served chilled, and can also be nicely enhanced with a garnish - perhaps of a few freshly chopped chives.

By S. Tanna. Discover the Waldorf Salad recipe at http://www.recipesmaniac.com/recipe_waldorf_salad.php

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