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Caprese Chicken Pasta Salad

Caprese Chicken Pasta Salad

It’s finally that time of the year when you can introduce some lighter fare to your home cooked menu. Whether it’s lunch or dinner (or leftovers!), this Caprese Chicken Pasta Salad has all of the elements of a perfect summer meal. Just toss some bite-sized pasta and mini mozzarella, with fresh basil and tomatoes from the garden and add some chicken for some protein. Then drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It’s all the summer flavors you love, reconfigured as a quick and easy pasta salad. When you combine pasta and Caprese, could you ever go wrong? Caprese Chicken Pasta Salad Ingredients 2 cups pasta (any shape) 2 cups chicken, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces 2 cups mini mozzarella pearls 1 cup cherry tomatos, halved handful of fresh basil, chopped + extra for garnish 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, or balsamic glaze salt pepper Directions Cook pasta until…

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Citrus green salad with spicy shrimp

Citrus green salad with spicy shrimp

This super simple citrus salad with shrimp is so easy and flavorful, you’ll love adding it to your weeknight repertoire. It’s great in the summer when fresh greens are everywhere, but it’s also great in the winter, when citrus is at its peak. But during summer, canned segments can work just as well, and can be a real time saver if you’re in a hurry. This is also a great way to use up those random leftover greens. Toss in some arugula, kale, spinach, romaine — the more variety the better! I threw in some leftover cilantro, but you may choose to leave it out. I’ve been surprised by how many people hate cilantro. It’s delicious in this salad, but not necessary. The same goes for the cayenne pepper. If you hate heat, leave it out. But the combination of sweet citrus, spicy shrimp, and crunchy greens and almonds, is…

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Arugula, mint and apricot salad

Arugula, mint and apricot salad2

Apricots are too often overlooked in the summer. We repeatedly reach for fresh berries and cherries, even peaches and watermelon. But for many, apricots are a fruit only eaten dried. A ripe apricot, with its dainty golden blush-color, dripping with juices is a perfect fruit on its own or used in a summer salad. Apricots give you a boost of vitamin A which is said to help repair skin damage from the sun. They also maintain electrolyte balance in the body — great for sweaty, active summer days, since electrolytes reduce cramping and keep blood pumping through your body. Expand your fruit horizons this summer and try this refreshing arugula, mint, apricot salad while the apricots are at their peak. arugula, mint, apricot salad Serves 2 Ingredients 2 cups arugula 1/4 cup mint leaves 2 ripe apricots, sliced 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup almond slices 1/2 orange (for dressing), cold 1 tbsp extra virgin…

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Triple berry kale walnut salad celebrates summer

Triple berry kale walnut salad celebrates summer

If I can give two pieces of advice for salads, I would first tell you to always include some fresh fruit. Blueberries, mandarin oranges, strawberries — honestly, just about any fruit works. It’s a juicy pop of unexpected flavor that goes really well with the texture of leafy greens. Fruits and veggies are good friends like that. My second piece of advice is to always toast your walnuts. Okay, maybe not every single salad requires it, but most gain something. You’ll never be disappointed. Toasting improves the texture, so the nuts stay crispier, longer in the middle of all that lettuce and dressing. And this little trick doesn’t cost anything. Just buy plain old walnuts and throw them in the toaster oven (or oven) for 10 minutes on 350ºF, and you have just seriously upgraded to restaurant quality. No oil needed for roasting. Pine nuts will be done around 5 minutes.…

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Refreshing pineapple, cucumber salad

Refreshing pineapple, cucumber salad

Summer is the season to celebrate with fresh fruit salads. There is such a bounty of fruits and vegetables and you can enjoy them individually of course, but you can also put them together in unusual ways and get excited about bright new flavors pairs. This is one of my favorite fruit salads to share. People are always surprised at how well this colorful combo works together. Sweet pineapple is balanced by the bite of the lime and the crunchiness of the cucumber. The cilantro brings it all together — herbs are good like that. Truth-be-told, this recipe is just a variation of a pineapple salsa recipe I make — just with bigger pieces of pineapple and cucumber so it’s easier to eat with a fork (and not just a tortilla chip). But, that said, if your crowd appreciates a little heat, you can consider adding the diced jalapeños back in. They…

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Switch things up with strawberry caprese skewers

Strawberry caprese skewers

So you’ve had tomatoes with basil and mozzarella before (the classic caprese), but have you ever thought about swapping out for strawberries? The sweet summer fruit pairs perfectly with the creamy mozzarella balls and the fragrant basil. These easy-to-eat skewers will quickly become your new favorite picnic or poolside appetizer. They’re so good, you might even eat them for dessert! I like to stick with local berries. If you don’t have any available, stay with smaller varieties. They have a sweeter flavor and they’re easier to eat. I like to hull them too, so no bitter parts the berry have a chance to ruin the sweet and savory experience. The basil was fresh and ready from the garden (finally!), so I just had to pick up the buffalo mozzarella balls from the grocery store — again, they’re just the right size of bite for an outdoor skewer. And like any good caprese salad, it needed a drizzle…

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Mediterranean tricolored rotini crab pasta salad

Tri-colored rotini and crab pasta salad

I make this recipe no less than 10 times a year. It’s always a hit at friend gatherings. It’s a must at Memorial Day. I never have leftovers when I bring it to work potlucks, and it’s perfect to have ready in the fridge anytime you think people might stop by. Plus, you can prepare it the night before, never worry about keeping it hot, and you can adapt the recipe to make as much as you like. When you have to feed a large number of people, try this pasta salad instead of your go-to lasagne. I made a huge bowl of this for my friends after they had their baby and they appreciated someone finally brought them something lighter and healthier! You can add anything to the mix from shredded mozzarella to sunflower seeds or blueberries. I like tossing in mandarin orange slices for a touch of sweetness and crushed croutons for some…

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Blogger posts eye-popping food comparisons that help with weight loss, portion control

Blogger posts eye-popping food comparisonsInstagrammer @meowmeix

Think you know portions? One social media user is dedicated to making you see that a healthy meal isn’t always easy to point out. Instagrammer Amanda Meixner (@meowmeix) has more than 600k followers who tune in to see her posts of what — and what not — to eat. If you’ve ever wondered what else you could be getting for your calories, or why you’re not losing weight, you may want to check out her colorful posts. Here are a few that are particularly eye-opening if you’re trying to lose weight or start a healthy lifestyle for summer. Sugar explosion Sure, the tasty treat on the left looks delicious, but if you’re looking to lose weight, consider how much food you actually get with the choice on the right. You could snack for hours on all of those. https://www.instagram.com/p/BhHk-qbHRf1/?taken-by=meowmeix Eat more, weigh less You could eat the plate on the left, but you…

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Strawberries top list of produce with most pesticides, avocados have the least

For the third year in a row, strawberries rank the worst on the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list of fruits and vegetables.

If you pass on the organic produce in order to save a few bucks, perhaps you should at least consider the organic strawberries, new research suggests. For the third year in a row, strawberries rank the worst on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list of fruits and vegetables. The annual list looks at which of our grocery store produce is harboring the highest number of harmful pesticide residues. This year, more than 98 percent of samples of fruits like strawberries, peaches, cherries and apples tested positive for at least one pesticide residue on the skin. About a third of all strawberry samples had at least 10 pesticides present, the study reported. One sample had an “astounding” 22 pesticide residues. Behind strawberries on the Dirty Dozen list landed spinach. About 97 percent of spinach samples showed pesticide residues were present. Nectarines, apples and grapes rounded out the top five. The report is based…

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Explore the fresh flavors of Tabouli quinoa salad

Explore the fresh flavors of Tabouli quinoa salad this spring-3

Maybe you call it tabouli, or maybe it’s tabbouleh?  Or, maybe you don’t call it anything because you’ve never heard of it. But what’s important, is the fresh flavors you’re about to behold. Tabouli (pronounced tə-ˈbü-lē) is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine. The vegetarian salad is classically made with cracked wheat, loads of fresh parsley and ripe tomatoes — among other ingredients like quality extra virgin olive oil and zesty lemon juice. Originally from Lebanon, tabouli has become one of the most popular salads throughout Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines and has become popular in American food in recent years, as well. With so many countries adopting the dish, there are truly endless variations. If you don’t mind dicing and chopping for 20 minutes, you’ll have a fresh and extremely healthy salad full of bright tastes, textures and colors. It’s one of those dishes that measuring out ingredients just isn’t necessary, but I…

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