Lighten Up Already! Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year Everyone! This picture is sooo how I feel. Do they still have these machines? That’d be so cool if I could just shake off my extra holiday lbs!

Isn’t it crazy the amount of food we, or I should say, “I” consume during the holidays? No wonder losing weight is on EVERYONE’S New Years Resolution list! This happens to me every January, I promise to eat better, so I don’t have to stare at my love handles getting bigger and bigger! Although this oath doesn’t last for more than a couple weeks, I thought it’d be fun to share some of my favorite salads of last year so we can all lighten up! Enjoy, and happy exercising! Bring on the heated Yoga!

Quick Weeknight Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Cup finely chopped onion

1 lb ground turkey breast

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic salt (I used Lawry’s)

1 12 oz bag of Broccoli Slaw (found it at Super Target, saw it at Sprouts also)

1 small can drained water chestnuts

½ Cup Yoshida’s Teriyaki Sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Approximately 15 Butter Lettuce leaves (you can also use iceberg lettuce leaves)

1.Place oil into a large 5 qt skillet or other large pan over medium heat.When hot, add onion and cook for 5 minutes to soften.Add ground turkey, salt, pepper and garlic salt.Brown and crumble until cooked through.

2. When turkey is cooked, stir in broccoli slaw, water chestnuts, teriyaki sauce and sesame oil. Cook for another 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Reduce heat to low until ready to serve. Serve spoonfuls inside lettuce leaves. Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

 

3 Cups thinly sliced Green Leaf Lettuce

¼ Cup corn

¼ Cup black beans

8 grape tomatoes, halved

1 cooked grilled chicken breast

¼ Cup favorite BBQ Sauce

¼ Cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ Cup prepared ranch dressing

1 heaping Tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro leaves

1. Place lettuce into a salad bowl. Layer with corn, black beans and tomatoes. Dice cooked chicken breast and mix with BBQ sauce. Top over salad and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

2. Place ranch dressing and cilantro leaves into a small bowl to combine. Drizzle over salad and serve.

**This recipe is for 1 large serving, double accordingly**

Brown and Wild Rice Italian Chicken Salad

2 Cups uncooked brown rice

8 oz cooked wild rice (I get it precooked at Trader Joes)

1 ½ Cups cooked shredded chicken breast

3.5 oz package of crumbled feta cheese

10 oz package of grape tomatoes, quartered

10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

½ Cup-3/4 Cup Italian Dressing (I used Ken’s Italian)

Pinch of salt and pepper

Fresh Baby Spinach leaves

1. Cook brown rice according to package directions (use rice cooker, if available, much quicker). Let cool or refrigerate. Once cool, place all ingredients except spinach, into a large bowl. Lightly toss to coat. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste and serve over a bed of fresh baby spinach leaves. Drizzle top with additional dressing if desired. Serve cold.

Mixed Greens With Goat Cheese, Pecans, Sweet Bacon and Fig Preserve Vinaigrette

Fig Preserve Vinaigrette

¼ Cup fig preserves

½ Cup olive oil

¼ Cup balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Bag of mixed greens

Crumbled Goat Cheese

Brown Sugar Maple Bacon (see recipe above)

Pecans

1. Place fig preserves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper into a food processor. Process until emulsified. Set aside.

2. On salad plates arrange mixed greens, crumbled goat cheese, bacon pieces and pecans. Drizzle with fig preserve vinaigrette.

Enjoy the rest of your Holiday week! See you soon with NEW recipes from my NEW home for a NEW Year!!

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36 Responses
  1. Katie's blog

    Happy New Year!! Looks yummy – I need the jiggle thing too! I ate way too much over the holidays.

  2. Carrian

    Bleh, I feel the same. We aren’t even in the mood to make desserts. These are the times I wish I was still teaching Pilates so that I HAVE to work out.

  3. DeAnn McWhorter

    Yeah! Thanks for the healthy recipes. Sometimes I stop myself from going to your site because I know it won’t help my waistline (your recipes are always sooooo good)! Now, I don’t have an excuse!

  4. Debbi

    The Asian salad wraps are our favorites! We make them all the time but put them on whole wheat tortillas. We add garlic and a bit of crushed red pepper too. I’ve found that LaChoy teriyaki sauce is thicker than some and seems to coat the broccoli slaw better than the thinner teriyakis. Thanks!

  5. SriLekha

    wow! delicious food!
    first time to ur blog and it is too good!
    do visit my blog when u find time and join in the savory event going in my blog!

  6. Megan

    Happy 2009 to you Jenny! I’m so glad you posted all these wonderful salads, you’ve completely taken the words out of my mouth. I imagine I’ll be going on a sweet detox til March 😉

  7. Girl Japan

    Light is nice after Heavy days of good eats around the holiday!!! I hope you are well and Happy new year!

  8. Bunny

    I’m gonna print that cartoon out and tape it to the cookie jar, maybe that’ll help me!! Great lloking salads Jenny!

  9. Katrina

    I love salads whether I’m trying to be good and eat right or not! They all look great!
    Can’t wait for what the new year will bring with your blog!

  10. The Ormsby's

    I’ve been looking at your blog for almost a year now, and I have to tell you that my family LOVES your bbq chicken salad. My kiddies: girl (6), and twin boys(3) gobble it up. It’s the only salad they will eat. THANK YOU!

  11. A Frugal Friend

    I’ve been reading your blog for awhile…..I love it. Thanks for all the recipes. They always look delicious. I’ll be trying some favorites in the new year.

  12. Aggie

    Oh yes, I am feeling exactly the same. I’ll take one of those machines too!

    Thanks for the lineup of salads…they all look great and I’ll be needing some salad inspiration come tomorrow! (one more day … please!?)

  13. Bob

    Happy New Year! Those salads look great, I’ve been trying to eat more salad myself lately. Can’t imagine why… 😉

  14. Janine

    Thanks for the salads. I need to be eating a whole lot more of them, I have however been doing my yoga this week, does that counter balance the food:) (My scale says no)

  15. Patsyk

    Your salads look wonderful… going to have to make note of them as I need to get back to more healthy eating!

    Happy New Year!

  16. Stephanie

    That’s me this year too! I lost a bunch of weight, but it’s coming back. So my goal is to get it off again, we’ll see how that goes…

    Happy New Year!

  17. Lisa

    Happy New year! I need salads too! Well today is another day of eating and then no more desserts for me.

  18. carin davis

    I made those lettuce wraps and LOVED THEM!!!!!!! I think they were the first recipe I tried from here…and I was hooked! I should make them tomorrow for the bowl game festivities!!!! THANKS AGAIN!

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

  19. carol

    Oh yes…that would be me in that picture…the holidays…I always say I’m gonna be good and not overdo-that lasts all of 10 minutes!
    GREAT salad recipes here Jenny….I’ll be bypassing the baking aisle and heading for the produce aisle this week at the grocery store…..
    Happy New Year!!!

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