Ingredients
6-8 cups washed spinach or assorted greens
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup rinsed blueberries
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced almonds

Dressing
¼ cup raspberry wine vinegar
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
3-5 dashes Tabasco sauce
¼ cup sugar

Prepare salad greens and combine ingredients in a large bowl.  Blend together dressing ingredients and toss with salad before serving.  Serves 6-8 people.

Just thinking I could roast some butternut squash or caramelize the squash in a skillet with brown sugar and serve warm on top.

I love salad for being so flexible, especially on days when I’m tired of battling the inflexible parts of life.  What else would you toss in?

More Recipes

Chopped Vegetable Salad

A Pattern for a Salad

Citrus Coleslaw Salad

The post Fruit and Feta Salad Recipe appeared first on TodaysMama.

Anything that helps keep my cheeseburger cravings at bay in a winner in my book. So far, I’ve found that having a nice, nutritious salad each day for lunch is a solid strategy.

Dinnertime seems to go sideways really easily with two young children, and despite my good intentions, I’ve found myself hungrily wolfing down the crusts from their sandwiches or taking giant bites of mac and cheese while waiting for chicken to roast.

At least if I inadvertently eat half a pan of noodles, I can count on the fact that I’ve already consumed my greens for the day.

Here’s a healthy salad from Oh She Glows that you can prep ahead of time and pack into those empty jars floating around your house.

Image via Oh She Glows

Heaven knows I love a good snack-in-a-jar.

Other posts you might enjoy…

Delicious Detox Salad  

A Pattern for a Salad 

Sweet Potato Salad Recipe 

The post Healthy Salad in a Jar appeared first on TodaysMama.

I loved the crunch pecans and apples right along with the sweet potato. The dash of cinnamon in the dressing makes you think of yummy Thanksgiving yams, but without all the butter and guilt. You can serve this warm or chilled. Next time you’re asked to bring a potato salad to a barbeque, surprise them with this!

Full Recipe Here

What’s your favorite summer salad?

More Posts

Easy Southwestern Salad Recipe

Citrus Coleslaw Salad

A Pattern for a Salad

The post Sweet Potato Salad Recipe appeared first on TodaysMama.

I guess Memorial Day weekend was a good one, eh?

This detox salad post from Iowa Girl Eats is more that just a pretty presentation. Kristin breaks down, in detail, the nutritional benefits of each rainbow-hued ingredient.

Image via Iowa Girl Eats

Quite honestly, I’d never thought of mixing veggies like carrots and cucumber with berries, but it sounds just amazing. I’ll be making this salad, pronto.

Other posts you might enjoy…

Breakfast Smoothie Recipe 

Detox Salad Recipe 

Detox Smoothie 

The post Delicious Detox Salad appeared first on TodaysMama.

But I’m now a poster-child for moderation, people. I haven’t always been, but I’m learning. The occasional treat is great, but we’re big believers in the daily salad at our house.

But the path to moderation can kill the imagination a wee bit. I keep buying the same five veggies each week and serving up the same garden salad night after night with dinner.

Sometimes I think I’m killing our dinnertime joy. This has to stop. And also, it’s getting warmer. In a few months the thought of turning on the stove or oven is going to slay me so I’m on a mission to de-rut our salads and embrace the dinner salad.

This thoughtful post from Word of Wisdom Living offers a great “pattern for salad” breakdown.

Image via Word of Wisdom Living

Other posts you might enjoy…
Menu Planning—Chopped Vegetable Salad Recipe
Citrus Coleslaw Salad
Easy Southwestern Salad

The post A Pattern for a Salad appeared first on TodaysMama.

Look for tools (tech and otherwise), tips and menu planning ideas.  Share your ideas too!  Plus, a weekly recipe so  by month’s end, we will all have a lovely brunch menu planned.

Tip 1: Pick a shopping day and plan your meals and shopping list BEFORE you go.  I know, sounds basic, but why do I skip this essential step?

Tip 2: Be honest. I know I don’t cook every night so I’ve already cut my to-do list down by planning 4 dinners not 7!

Tip 3: Try one new recipe a week. I have to balance my curiosity for the new prize-winning recipe with my family’s love of favorites.

Tip 4: Have your recipes organized! My recipes are everywhere, so I’ve started a binder of [gasp!] PRINTED recipes. If it’s Pinned, I click the link and save the recipe so i can really try it.  Something about ‘a place for everything’ and then I know where to start with Tip 1.

Maybe I should rename these Goals?

Here’s your first brunch menu idea – Chopped Vegetable Salad.  This recipe makes the perfect lunch, can be made with fresh summer veggies or enjoyed all year. It’s colorful and tasty and I can eat an entire recipe by myself.

Ingredients
1/2 cup diced artichoke hearts
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced green beans
1/2 cup diced red onions
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup celery
1 package small tomatoes
1 small avocado
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup mixed greens
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, bring 6 cups of salted water to boil. Blanche the carrots and green beans for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Toss together artichoke hearts, carrots, green beans, red onion, corn and celery. Add tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, then add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a salad bowl lined with mixed greens. Top with cheese and avocado. For variation: Add edemame, blanched asparagus, green onions or use fresh corn kernels. If you really love a dressing, try this basic Honey Dijon Dressing.

Honey Dijon Dressing
1 tablespoon honey Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup almond or safflower oil
salt
pepper

Adapted from a Wolfgang Puck recipe.

More Salads for your Brunch
Spinach Salad Recipe
Easy Southwestern Salad
Citrus Coleslaw Salad

The post Menu Planning – Chopped Vegetable Salad Recipe appeared first on TodaysMama.

Citrus Coleslaw

2 medium Granny Smith apples, julienned
1 medium jicama (grapefruit-sized)
1 bag carrots, julienned (pre packaged in 10 oz size)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup red grapes, halved
2 navel oranges, sectioned and peeled
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (approx 1/3 of a bunch)
1 bag cabbage salad mix
Juice of 2 limes (approx 1/3 cup)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

Toss together the apples and jicama with the lime juice to help prevent browning.  Add in the carrots, grapes, oranges, cilantro and cabbage mix and toss well.  Whisk together lime juice, oil and honey and toss with the salad. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Allow to chill together 1 hour to let the flavors blend. Makes 15 – ½ -cup servings.

More Recipes

Southwestern Salad

Spinach Salad Recipe

Roasted Pork Tamales

The post Citrus Coleslaw Salad appeared first on TodaysMama.

Need an easy salad that’s full of flavor and ready for a glamor shot?  This Southwestern Salad has classic fresh-Mex ingredients like jicama, black beans and corn off the cobb.  I added a side of Blackened Chicken to make this a meal for our Today’s Mama staff meeting.  Serve this salad family style in a large, open-faced bowl to showcase all the ingredients or make individual servings for your next family dinner.

Ingredients:

8-10 cups mixed greens

1-2 ears fresh corn

1 cup red onion, diced

1 medium green pepper, diced

1 medium garden tomato, diced

1 cup jicama, peeled and julienned

2 medium-sized, ripe avocados, diced

1 can (15-oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 ½ cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Cilantro and lime wedges to garnish

Quick cook the ears of corn in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.  Remove the corn and rinse in cold water. Once the corn has cooled, use a sharp knife to cut the corn from the cob.

Cover the bottom of your bowl with your rinsed greens. Arrange the corn, red onion, green pepper, tomato, jicama, avocado and black beans in a circle over the greens.  Sprinkle the cheese in the center and garnish with a few sprigs of cilantro and lime wedges. Serves 6-8.

Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
1 pouch ranch dressing mix

½ bunch cilantro

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 tomatillos, roasted (optional) and diced

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 jalapeno, seeds removed

Mix the dressing as directed in a blender.  Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Allow to chill in the fridge for at least an hour for the flavors to blend.

Options: Crush lime tortilla chips over the salad and use a Cilantro-Lime Dressing.

Southwestern Salad adapted from Cooking Light www.cookinglight.com

How to Picnic in Style

Saving and Tips for Easy Holiday Entertaining

Healthy Living For Mom: Metabolism is Magic

The post Easy Southwestern Salad appeared first on TodaysMama.

Click here for an exclusive Asian Salad e-Coupon, as we invite you to enjoy one on us! Even though we’re giving you free food, we want you to know we don’t expect anything in return – we’re just hoping to make your day. If you decide to post something online about us, please let your readers and followers know this one was on McDonald’s.

The post Free Asian Salad e-Coupon from McDonald’s appeared first on TodaysMama.

The April issue of Taste of Home is packed with recipes that are light on fat, cholesterol, and calories but heavy in flavor.

Tropical Fusion Salad with Spicy Tortilla Ribbons

4 Servings

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cubed peeled papaya
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground ancho chili pepper, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 corn tortillas (6 inches), cut into 1/4-inch strips

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the papaya, beans, avocado, corn, raisins, peppers, cilantro, orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper, sugar and salt.

Place tortilla strips on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining chili pepper. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until crisp. Serve with salad. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1-1/4 cups salad with about 10 tortilla ribbons equals 321 calories, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 380 mg sodium, 58 g carbohydrate, 11 g fiber, 9 g protein.

The post Taste of Home: Tropical Fusion Salad with Spicy Tortilla Ribbons appeared first on TodaysMama.