Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Chill Out for Food Day With These Salad Recipes


 Do you have a food day coming up at work?  Or a Christmas pot luck at the church?  I have some really tasty dishes you can make and share.  The Antipasti Salad not only provides bold colors,  but is very nutritious as well.  Make sure you take copies of this recipe, because I can guarantee you will be asked for it.

Grandma’s Kitchen Recipes  Antipasti Salad
Serves 8

Ingredients for the dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves minced garlic
¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ cup olive oil

For the Salad:
8 ounce package of your favorite mushrooms
2 cups broccoli florets, sliced
2 cups cauliflower, sliced
1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 small green pepper, sliced
1 small can sliced black olives
¼ pound provolone cheese, cubed

Combine the dressing ingredients and pour over the vegetables.  Marinate at least 1 hour before serving.  Toss salad before serving.

Does this not look like a recipe that you learned in culinary school?  Isn’t this a lovely salad to take to food day?  Grandma’s Kitchen Recipes follows the adage, “You eat with you eyes.”  Not literally, of course.  But if you think about it, that statement is very true.  Serving a meal that has many bright colors and varied textures will create a more festive atmosphere at the table.  Bland is boring.  A plate of food can be a work of art.  So, Grandma’s Kitchen Recipes says, find the artist in you.  Create something beautiful.  Your diabetic friends will thank you for considering them, too.

This is another of my favorites.  And you can take it as a main dish salad.  The Sea Shell Salad is not as dramatic in color as the Antipasti Salad, but still has nice color and texture.

Grandma’s Kitchen Recipes Sea Shell Salad
Makes 8 (1 cup) servings

Salad Ingredients
8 ounces of uncooked shell macaroni
2 cups small shrimp, washed and deveined
1 cup julienned carrots
2/3 cup celery cut diagonally
1 small green pepper, diced
½ cup minced green onion
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

Dressing Ingredients
1/3 cup plain yogurt
!/4 cup light mayo
¼ cup cocktail sauce

Directions
Cook macaroni according to package directions.  Drain and cool. Reserve the tomatoes for garnish. Toss the remaining salad ingredients together.  In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together.  Pour over salad and toss lightly to combine.  Garnish with the halved grape tomatoes and chill several hours before serving.

And there you have it-two completely different salads that burst with color and nutrition.  By using the cocktail sauce, you don’t need to salt the dressing.  The yogurt and light mayo keep the fat down.  And the combination of shrimp and veggies make this an attractive dish.  This will be a hit at your pot luck, or at your own table.  

You will no doubt see holiday plates, platters and bowls of rich, high calorie foods for the next several weeks.  Danger Will Robinson!  Holiday eating is a diabetic nightmare.  Taking a full plate at the pot luck represents miles and miles on the tread mill.  What do you do to keep the calories in check?  Here’s a hint to keep the calories down at your food day.  Start with a small plate.  Then  take less of everything.  Either stay away from the rich foods or take a miniscule portion.  You may sample, just don’t over indulge. Take only a fork full, or split a cookie with 2 friends.  Until next time, Grandma’s Kitchen Recipes says, show restraint at you holiday pot luck, and you can still enjoy life!

Nanna Dorie

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