Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad

It is a new year and most of us have indulged in holiday eating more than we care to admit. I ate a lot of cake and cookies and pie and macaroni and cheese. Did I mention that I ate a lot of cake, cookies and pie? I enjoyed every last crumb too. I don't even feel guilty. Okay, maybe a little. Well, the holidays are over and it is time to get serious about eating healthy. I am excited about eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables and you should be too. You and I will feel so much better. This salad is something special.

It's really special

 

This salad is so good I have eaten it three days in a row. 

 

Yes.

 

It's that good.

 

 I love a good salad, especially a colorful salad that is chock full of fruit and fresh vegetables. One of my favorite salads is the strawberry poppy seed chicken salad at Panera Bread. It is one of their signature summer salads and I enjoy it quite often in the summer. After experimenting in my kitchen, I came up with my own delicious salad inspired by Panera, but with a few of my own special touches. This is simple, delicious and healthy. Try this and watch those holiday hips go away. If you are watching your sugar intake, you can swap the poppy seed dressing for a simple mix of Braggs apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon and a hint of agave. Are you ready to taste this colorful masterpiece?

I like to mix my salad greens and I always include baby spinach

A little spring mix and romaine add more color and texture

And then the berries

oh the berries...

Mandarin oranges add additional sweetness

The Panera version of this salad has pecans, but I switched it up with toasted walnuts

Grilled chicken is the final ingredient. The salad is equally delicious if you make it completely vegetarian, but we need our protein. Don't we? I'm ready for some salad. How about you?

 

 

Ingredients

2 chicken breast halves seasoned and cooked

For the Lemon Poppy seed Dressing

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons diced onion
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup olive oil or regular vegetable oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Add all ingredients except oil and poppyseeds to the blender or a food processor. When everything is well blended, start adding the oil a little at a time in a steady stream. Add the poppyseeds and process for a few minutes.

In a large salad bowl, combine the salad greens, fruit and walnuts. Toss with dressing and put a mound of salad one each plate and add the chicken.

Makes approximately 10 generous servings

Go ahead and tell everyone you spent all day slaving over a cold salad:-)

Bon Appetit!

Banana Nice Cream

Sweets seem to get me in a whole lot of trouble. Do sweets whisper your name too? Are you guilty of gorging on chocolate, red velvet cake, cookies, and all manner of sweet stuff that tastes great going down, but forces you to run 4 miles to undo the damage. 

 

Oh? is it just me? LOL .Have you ever wanted a delicious dessert that wouldn't have you reaching in your closet for your fat pants the next morning? Do I have your attention?  What if I told you this sweet goodness only requires 1 ingredient and a good blender or food processor? Actually for me, it requires 3 ingredients because I'm funny like that, but all you need is some bananas, or nanners as I call them:-) Healthy and guilt free eating.  Dessert you can enjoy without having to unbutton your pants when you're done. This sweet treat is called...

Wait for it

"Nice Cream"

 

 You will need some fresh bananas. The riper they are the better. Brown and spotty is the best for making nice cream. 

I like to add a little almond butter just for a bit of extra flavor and texture. Peanut Butter also works very well if you don't have almond butter

I also add a hint of vanilla extract

 

Peel your bananas and slice into chunks. Freeze them and then you are ready to make a batch of nice cream. Even if you didn't add anything extra and just used very ripe bananas, you will have a healthy guilt free dessert. Finally a treat that is tasty and niiiiiiiiiiice to us.

 

 Hello Nice Cream

Ingredients 

3 large ripe bananas
3 Tablespoons almond butter (peanut butter works very well also)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Directions
Peel your bananas and cut into small chunks. Freeze bananas for a few hours until they are frozen solid. Take frozen bananas, add almond butter and vanilla and put in a blender, food processor, or nutri bullet. Pulse the blender or whatever you are using until the frozen bananas start to look smooth and creamy like soft serve ice cream.

Bon Appetit!