21 Day Fix Creamy Chicken Salad

 Well, here's a newsflash for you...I have NEVER finished a diet plan, ever.  I also am just hitting my 6-week mark post-baby boy and am desperate to get these unwanted baby pounds gone...plus some.  So I am really putting my heart all-in this time.  Plus, the hubs is actually doing it with me this time which will make a huge difference.  AND I am in a weightless challenge to keep me accountable.  So, between all these things, I am hoping to stay on track.

The program I chose to follow is the 21-Day Fix.  If you have not heard of it, it is a portion-controlled diet along with 30-minute exercises.  The reason I chose this was the length of the exercises, the fact that it does not eliminate any food group, and I am hoping teaches me good habits for the future.  I have been experimenting with the workouts and a few recipes the last few weeks, but today is my day #1 of doing this full-out.  So far, I have been impressed.  I feel like there is no way I will ever eat the calories allowed (I bumped myself up  to the next higher calorie bracket since I am breastfeeding).  The best part is I do not feel limited on what I can have (besides the junk stuff)...just how much.

The other part of the diet I have really enjoyed and have been doing for about a week is drinking Shakeology.  The stuff is pricy, but it is delicious.  It definitely makes me want less junk and sugar by curbing my cravings, and keeps me fuller longer.  I am going to bite the bullet of the cost and keep it going, because it is full of goodness.  

This chicken salad is super yummy and the dressing is tasty as well.  Keep watching for my final review of the program after 21 days!

21-Day Fix Creamy Chicken Salad

Serves 4 (1 1/4 cups each) | Containers: 1 green if serving over romaine or 1 yellow if eating over 1 piece whole grain bread, 1/2 purple, 1 red, 1/2 blue, 1/2 orange

3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken breast (boneless, skinless) (I used turkey breast this time)
1/2 cup chopped green apple
1/2 cup seedless red grapes, cut in half
1/3 cup raw almonds
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup honey mustard salad dressing (see below)
8 cups shredded romaine lettuce

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

1/2 cup reduced fat (2%) plain greek yogurt
3T Dijon mustard, gluten-free
3T raw honey
3T rice vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
pink salt to taste
Combine the yogurt, mustard, honey, and vinegar in a medium bowl and whisk until combined

Then slowly add oil, whisking until well blended.

Adjust the salt until it’s totally awesome for ya!

…putting it all together

Combine all ingredients except for the lettuce in a large bowl, mix well, and refrigerate (covered) for 2 hours

Serve 1 1/4 cups of the creamy chicken salad over 2 cups of romaine lettuce or whole grain bread.

Recipe Source:  Fit Baby Steps

Apple Pecan Spinach Salad

I love finding me a good salad recipe!  Thought I'd throw this one in amidst my seriously indulgent December food posts :)  I would not recommend leaving any ingredients out.  They balance each other very well AND the dressing is seriously super yummy!  So if you need a new potluck dish or a side for a Christmas dinner, this one is easy to put together and is tasty.  Enjoy :)

Apple Pecan Spinach Salad

Yield: About 7 - 8 servings

10 oz baby spinach
3 small gala apples or 2 medium, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup pecans, toasted
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled 
1/2 cup dried cranberries
12 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
1/2 small red onion, sliced into thin strips (optional)

Maple-Cider Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

If using red onion, place slices in a colander and run under warm water for about 10 seconds, tossing once, to remove harsh bite. Drain well.
In a large salad bowl toss together spinach, apples, pecans, feta, cranberries and optional bacon and red onion. Drizzle desired amount of dressing over salad and toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately after adding dressing.

For the dressing:
Add all ingredients to a medium mason jar. Cover with lid and shake to blend well (or alternately just blend well in a bowl with a whisk).

Recipe Source:  Cooking Classy

Berry Cheesecake Salad

Sometimes in the summer we like to have or invited to last minute get-togethers.  Then comes the dilemma of what to take to these last minute get-togethers.  As long as you have these ingredients together, this delectable salad comes together in 10 minutes...TOPS.  

It was seriously so good, so addictive!  I may make this every week this summer :)  I have another similar recipe...(click here) that is super yummy as well.  Try both and tell me which one you prefer.  Enjoy!

Berry Cheesecake Salad

1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
8 oz cool whip, thawed
6 cups berries, I used:
3 cups strawberries, sliced
1 cup blackberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Fold in the thawed cool whip.

Add strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Fold carefully into the cream cheese mixture. Serve immediately.

Recipe Source:  The Recipe Critic

Broccoli Apple Salad

I love me a good broccoli salad.  My FAVORITE one is listed below, and I was actually going to make  that one when I looked in my pantry and was horrified when I saw my sunflower seeds were gone.  So sad!  Luckily, I had this recipe pinned and had all the ingredients.  This was a yummy change from the regular salad (although the other one is still my fav).  The apples gave a yummy crunch, and you can never go wrong with pecans in a salad in my book!  Enjoy this alongside your first spring or summer grilling session!

Broccoli Apple Salad


4 cups fresh broccoli florets, (about 2 medium heads)
½ cup shredded carrots
¼ cup diced red onion
2 large apples, finely chopped (I used gala apples)
½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
½ cup dried cranberries

Creamy dressing ingredients:

½ cup lite mayonnaise
½ cup low fat greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper

In a large bowl combine broccoli, carrots, red onion, apples, pecans, and dried cranberries.

To make the dressing: Whisk together mayonnaise, greek yogurt, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.

Add the dressing to the salad and toss to coat. Chill until ready to serve.

Recipe Source:  The Recipe Critic

Love broccoli salads like I do?!  Check some of these others out!

Broccoli and Grape Pasta Salad


Broccoli Salad (MY FAV)

Broccoli, Ham, and Tortellini Ceasar Salad  (I always make this after having some leftover holiday ham)

Asparagus, Egg, and Bacon Salad

 Well, it is my husband's birthday weekend and we have been trying to make the most of it!  Date night on Friday, out to dinner with the fam last night, cooking some steak for Sunday dinner, and doing the cake thing as well as gifts :)  He wanted steak and crawfish for dinner, and left the side dish up to me.  I saw this recipe this week and really wanted to give it a try!  So easy, so good, so very Springtime.  This would be great next to your easter ham or leg of lamb (or whatever your family likes).  Enjoy!

Asparagus, Egg, and Bacon Salad

1 large hard boiled egg, peeled and sliced

1 2/3 cups chopped asparagus

2 slices cooked and crumbled center cut bacon

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

pinch salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the asparagus and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until tender yet firm. Drain and run under cold water to stop it from cooking further. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix the Dijon, oil, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Arrange the asparagus on a plate, top with egg and bacon and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Recipe Source:  Skinny Taste

Pear and Raspberry Salad

I went to a friend's house last week where we had some crepes.  She had bought the most beautiful raspberries to go on them, and they tasted so so good!  So when I got home, naturally I wanted to buy some myself...and I did.  I just happened across this recipe browsing Pinterest one morning and it sounded perfect!  It was a very light and refreshing lunch, perfect for any weekday or it would even impress dinner guests!  

Pear and Raspberry Salad
Servies 4-6


4 cups romaine, chopped
1 cup raspberries
2 pears, thinly sliced
½ cup shelled pistachios
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Creamy Poppyseed Dressing:
⅓ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup 2% milk
3 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons poppy seeds

To make the dressing: Whisk together in a small bowl mayonnaise, milk, sugar, cider vinegar, and poppyseeds. Set aside.

In a large bowl add tossed romaine, raspberries, pears, pistachios, and feta cheese. Toss the salad. Add the poppyseed dressing and carefully toss to coat all of the ingredients. Serve immediately.

Recipe Source:  The Recipe Critic

Oriental Chicken Salad

I've mentioned it before, but I live in a small-town.  The small-town is predominately compromised of those from the Hispanic culture.  Therefore pretty much all of the restaurants around here are Hispanic restaurants.  There is one little gem among the tacos and burritos called Bon Vinos Bistro.  I have had phenomenal breakfast, sandwiches, desserts, and this salad (or at least my interpretation of it :)  I loved this salad when I first tasted it and knew I needed to recreate it.  

The description from their menu says..."Grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, coleslaw mix, toasted almonds, Linguini noodle, sweet & sour dressing, topped with green onions."  Simple enough, right?!  I found a ginger sesame dressing that was delicious on this salad.  I actually got it at Walmart in the produce section, it is the Marketside brand.  I had some yummy homemade fettucine noodles from my hubby's grandma, and they were perfect for this!

Oriental Chicken Salad

Coleslaw Mix
Romaine lettuce, chopped
Sliced almonds
Chicken Breasts
Fettucine or Linguine noodles, cooked al dente
Sliced green onions
Sesame Ginger Dressing

I marinated the chicken in some of the dressing for 3-4 hours then grilled it and sliced it.  Mix the coleslaw mix with the romaine lettuce and pile on each plate.  Mix the cooled noodles with more dressing and chill.  Pile noodles on lettuce, place chicken on top and sprinkle with almonds and green onions. Drizzle with more dressing if desired.

Recipe Source:  My Own Recreation

Cobb Salad

I take a very loose interpretation of Cobb salad.  I like to switch up a few ingredients every time I make it based on what I have in the refrigerator.  I love that this salad is definitely hearty enough for a dinner...especially when you pair it up with a fresh slice of French bread. Yum!

The "classic" Cobb is as follows: 

Classic Cobb Salad

bacon
chicken
blue cheese
tomato
avocado
bibb lettuce
hard boiled eggs
and from what I've seen, the classic has may variations on dressing choices.  

I like to switch it up with things like:

black beans
olives
cheddar cheese
mozzarella cheese
corn
romaine lettuce

The dressings I prefer are:

balsamic vinaigrette
honey mustard 
ranch
raspberry vinaigrette
poppy seed
creamy Caesar

Use your imagination and come up with your favorite combination :)  What do you put on yours?  I'm always looking for new variations!

Creamy Grape Salad

I have this problem.  Whenever I go to a cookout, I head straight for the salads and by the time I finish those I totally don't have room left for a main course!  This salad would be the culprit of this at my last BBQ.  It is seriously so good, I can't stop eating it.  You'd never know there was sour cream in it, but it gives it a yummy tang that it needs to make it work. 

Once the brown sugar gets mixed in, it tastes very caramel-y and delicious.  A perfect treat for any get together.  (and just for reference, it is good for breakfast the next day as well :)

Creamy Grape Salad

1 lb firm green grapes
1 lb firm red grapes
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. sour cream (greek yogurt works here as well)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. pecans, chopped

Wash and dry grapes.

Beat cream cheese, sour cream, white sugar & vanilla with electric mixer. Coat grapes with cream cheese mixture and spread in 9 X 13 pan or large bowl. Refrigerate.

Just before serving, toss brown sugar & pecans and sprinkle over the top of grapes (I don't recommend adding nuts/brown sugar ahead of time...the nuts loose their crunch and the brown sugar dissolves into the cream cheese mixture)

Recipe Source: Momma

britni
http://myrecipeboxx.blogspot.com/

Creamy Berry Salad

I have had this recipe in my files for a long time...I'm talking like 3 years! I am really glad I finally tried this, it is super yummy! It reminds me a lot of a sherbet ice cream I had growing up that had raspberries and bananas in it.  The filling alone is yummy enough to eat on it's own!

I halved this recipe to eat with just my small family, but the full recipe will fill a large bowl, enough for any potluck or party.

Creamy Berry Salad

2 instant cheesecake jello pudding mix
1 8oz cool whip
1 large carton of strawberry yogurt (The big one, 36 oz I think it is)

Mix these ingredients together and refrigerate.

Just before serving, Add:

1 sm. bag of raspberries
1 sm. bag of mixed berries (thaw the berries before adding)
bananas

OR use all fresh berries:

2 containers fresh strawberries, 1 pint blackberries, 1 pint raspberries and 2 bananas. Add more as desired.

Mix gently and serve right away!

Recipe Source: Oh Sweet Basil

Cafe Rio Style Sweet Pork

This is my third version of Cafe Rio pork I have attempted, and do believe it is my favorite.  This one has a little bit more of a kick than the others, and heaven knows I like a kick!  

For the other components of the Cafe Rio meal, click here and start enjoying the goodness!

Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa

5-6 lb. pork roast

21 oz. Dr. Pepper (or Coke, do NOT use diet soda)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
7 oz. can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
6-ish oz. red taco sauce (I used hot)
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Place roast in crock-pot, cover half-way with water and cook on low for 12 hours.  After 12 hours, drain pork (retain liquid if you want sauce for burritos, simply mix with a can of verde enchilada sauce and away you go).

Mix remaining ingredients until sugar dissolves.  I didn’t keep the actual chilies, I dumped the can into a bowl and added enough Dr. Pepper to get all the sauce off of the chilies, then I tossed them.  I also rinsed out the can with Dr. Pepper for more adobo goodness.  My version had a fairly good kick to it, but if you LOVE hotness, then blend everything + 2 or 3 chilies in the blender.  (Also, the adobo sauce tends to stain plastic, using a glass or metal mixing bowl will make your clean-up of adobo sauce considerably less frustrating).

Add Dr. Pepper mixture to the roast and cook on low an additional 4 hours.

Take out roast and shred, add back into sauce and cook for 2 more hours.  At this point the meat was so tender it practically shredded itself.

Recipe Source:  Heidikins

Wonton Chicken Salad

I love a good summer salad.  Many of my favorite salads combine greens with pasta, and this one did just that.  When you add the pasta and a meat in, it can definitely be used for a main dish.  This definitely can do that :)  


Wonton Chicken Salad


15 small square wonton wrappers
canola oil
2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cooked chicken breast, diced
6 green onion, diced
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
sesame ginger dressing (I used Marketside Sesame Ginger Dressing from Walmart)
seasame seeds, optional for garnish


Cut wontons into 1/4 inch strips. I do this with a pizza cutter.  In a skillet, place enough oil to completely cove the bottom and heat over medium.  Once oil is hot, add wonton strips in batches of about 8 strips at a time. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.


Cook rotini according to package and rinse with cold water.  Toss lettuce with pasta and divide mixture between 6 plates.  Top each plate evenly with the chicken, green onion, almond slices, and oranges.  Drizzle each plated salad with dressing and top with wonton strips and sesame sees if desired. Makes 6 main dish salads.


Recipe Source:  Real Mom Kitchen

Watermelon Feta Salad

Here's to watermelon season!  I had had a similar salad on my list for a while now, and my father-in-law ended up making this for dinner.  It is mighty tasty!  The sweet-salty combo is always a winner in my book :)  This salad is a great refreshing summery salad, and with fresh mint...it just is wonderful.  


Check back for more watermelon recipes in the next few weeks!


Watermelon Feta Salad


1/3 cup(s) extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
1 teaspoon(s) Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
1  (8-pound) seedless watermelon, scooped into balls with a melon baller or cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks, chilled
2 cup(s) crumbled feta cheese
1 1/4 cup(s) pitted kalamata olives (optional), coarsely chopped
1 small sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup(s) coarsely chopped mint leaves


In a large bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, salt, Tabasco, and pepper. Add the watermelon, feta, olives, and onion and toss gently. Garnish with the mint and serve.


Recipe Source: Delish.com

Tortellini Summer Salad

I am so ready for some summertime BBQs.  I love having potlucks with friends and family this time of year...they are the best!  This salad is yummy AND it helped me use up some ingredients that were about to go bad.  I love it!  I used some lite Ceasar dressing, and it was great.

Tortellini Summer Salad

4-6 chicken breasts (cubed & soaked in Zesty Italian Dressing)

48 oz. Cheese Tortellini

1 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped

1 cup Sliced Olives

1 cup Artichoke Hearts, chopped

2 cups Baby Spinach

Mix all together in a large bowl & toss with your favorite Caesar Dressing.  Serve chilled or at room temperature.

*Just a suggestion...I waited to put in the spinach until just before serving.  Also, I added half the dressing immediately and refrigerated.  I added more right before serving as the noodles soak up a lot of the dressing.  Enjoy!

Recipe Source:  Our Recipe Club

Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

Visit me on over at Kiki Creates today for a few ideas on how to use up some of your stockpile pantry items!  

It's BBQ season time!  We had our first cookout with friends this last weekend, and so I was able to try out a new salad recipe :)  This one is great, reminded me a lot of the yummy Broccoli Salad our family loves.  The pasta in it was great, and the pecans were perfect.  It gets me excited to try out some more summertime salads :)  

Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 (16-oz.) package farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
1 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems, and separate florets into small pieces using tip of a paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems, and finely chop stems.

Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes, and stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.

Recipe Source:  My Recipes

Quinoa and Roasted Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Happy Leap Day!


Ready or not, I will be cruising here in 2.5 weeks!  My body is definitely not beach worthy by any means, I am continuing my quest to eat well to maybe shed a couple more pounds before we go.  


I LOVE quinoa.  It is such a great side dish, I have tried it in a few different salads, and have loved it every time.   This particular version is packed with great stuff for you, it will not disappoint :)


Quinoa and Roasted Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette


2 cups of cooked Quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to package directions
5 ears of corn, husk removed, brush with olive oil and grilled, remove corn with sharp knife (I charred 2 c. frozen corn in a pan)
2 avocados, diced and sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning
2 cups tomatoes, red and yellow cherry variety or equivalent
1 small red onion, finely diced
¾ cups feta cheese, crumbled
1 ½ cups english cucumber, skin on and chopped small dice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 TB of chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Add to a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cilantro Vinaigrette
6 T. Olive oil
2 T. Sherry vinegar
1 tsp. Garlic powder
2 T. Fresh cilantro, minced
½ tsp. Salt
10 Grinds of fresh ground pepper



Add all of the above ingredients in a small glass jar with a lid. Shake really well. Taste and adjust seasoning as you desire.
When ready to serve salad, add the dressing and gently toss.


Recipe Source:  On My Menu

Pear, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

I think I have mentioned I am in the middle of a Weight Loss War.  I am not winning.  That doesn't mean I am not trying!  In my quest for new healthy salads, I came across this one that looked interesting.  I loved the vinaigrette, very different from anything I have tried before.  It was a great lite dinner :)

Pear, Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad

Green leafy lettuce (arugula, spinach, mixed greens)
red pear, sliced thin
blue cheese crumbles (not a fan? Try feta :)
walnuts

Maple Syrup Vinaigrette

4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt

Place all of the above ingredients in a small jar and shake, then drizzle over the salad.

Recipe Source:  Drizzle and Dip

24 Hour Pea Salad

I loved Thanksgiving this year...we were with some wonderful members of our ward and had some yummy food.  It is fun to have Thanksgiving with different people every year because everyone brings their own traditions to the table (literally), and they are always so yummy! 

We are blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people that we can spend such occasions with, when our families are 2,000 miles away!

This salad is one that my hubby's family always has at Thanksgiving, and it is really yummy.  The peas are my favorites part :)  The best part about this recipe is that you truly do make it 24 hours in advance, so it can save you time on the big day for other things.

24 Hour Pea Salad


1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 package frozen peas, thawed (but not cooked)
celery, sliced thin (I used about 6 stalks)
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced


Layer all ingredients (in order) in a 9x13 inch pan.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top.  


Then, mix:


1-1/4 c. mayo
1-1/4 c. sour cream


Spread mixture over the top of salad, sealing all the edges so air doesn't get in.  


Sprinkle with:


cheddar cheese (about 1 to 1 1/2 c. shredded)
bacon crumbles (I cooked up about 6 slices and crumbled them on top)


Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.  Enjoy :)


Recipe Source:  Rick, my Father-in-law