MMMmonday - Avocado, Carrot, and Orange Salad

This is one of those salads that impresses everyone... it's got great color, crunch and taste... plus, anything with avocado has to be good right?

Avocado, Carrot, and Orange Salad

2 Tbs (30 ml) seedless raisins
1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water
1 cup (250 ml) fresh orange juice
1/4 tsp (1 ml) crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1/4 tsp (1 ml) freshly grated ginger root
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups (500 ml) coarsely grated carrots
2 large ripe avocados, chilled
3 Tbs (45 ml) fresh lemon juice

Soak the raisins in the warm water for 30 minutes, then drain.
In a small mixing bowl combine the orange juice, red pepper, ginger, salt, pepper, and carrots and stir to combine thoroughly.
Chill for at least one hour. Just before serving, slice the avocados in half and remove the pits. Leave the skin on, as the diners
will eat the salad out of it like a bowl. Sprinkle the exposed avocado flesh with the lemon juice. Using a spoon, mound the
carrot mixture on the avocado halves. Scatter the raisins on top.
Moisten with a little of the orange juice left in the bowl and serve immediately. Serves 4.

MMMmonday - White Bean and Tuna Salad

Wayne is changing his diet to eat more fish, so I am trying to find some great lunch options for us and this is one of my new faves because it is quick and easy, beautiful and oh so tasty!

White Bean and Tuna Salad

1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cans (15 oz, 420 g each) cannellini or other white beans such as white kidney, Great Northern, or navy beans, rinsed and drained
2 scallions (spring onions, green and white parts, chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 7-ounce (195 g) can tuna

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and pour over the drained beans. Add the scallions and parsley and toss gently. Break the tuna into chunks and arrange on top of the beans. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6.

MMMmonday - Citrus Shrimp Salad

This is an easy, refreshing salad that makes a great statement!

Citrus Shrimp Salad

2 oranges
1 grapefruit
1 ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lb (450 g) cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined if necessary, and coarsely chopped if large
Chopped lettuce for garnish

For the dressing:
1 cup (250 ml) sour cream (or yogurt)
3 Tbs (45 ml) orange and grapefruit juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Peel the oranges and grapefruit and cut out sections over a bowl to collect the juices. Arrange the citrus sections, avocado slices, and shrimp attractively on a bed of chopped lettuce.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients using the juice collected from sectioning the fruit and drizzle over the salad.
Serves 4 to 6.

Alternative idea: If you chop everything a little more finely you can also make yummy citrus shrimp lettuce wraps - just combine the ingredients and place a heaping tablespoon full on a large lettuce leaf and roll! You can drizzle a little extra dressing over the rolls if you desire

Other alternatives: Although it is citrus flavored, I've also added blueberries and strawberries in season.  If you want some crunch and a little extra kick I've also added diced bell peppers.

MMMmonday - Sesame Thai Turkey Salad

Are you looking for a light alternative to mayo-rich chicken salads?  Look no further than this yummy recipe that I got from a friend.  This recipe is also a good way to make leftover chicken or pork disappear.

Sesame Thai Turkey Salad (Serves 4 to 6)

MMMmonday - Chickpea Salad

I tried this recipe after seeing it in the Post and Courier, our local Charleston newspaper a few weeks ago and knew that I and to share it with you too!  This makes a wonderful warm salad appetizer or can be used as a side dish too!  I've included the recipe as it was originally printed and my substitutions (in red)

Chickpea Salad

MMMmonday - Walnut Rice Salad featuring Sante Nuts (and a coupon code)

I had the pleasure of taste-testing four fabulous flavors of nuts this past week with my family - all from Sante Nuts.  The beauty of it was, I think we all had our own personal favorites!

MMMmonday - Carrot-Ginger Salad

I was browsing for a salad with some new flavor combinations and some summer flair and I found it through allyou.com on the myrecipe.com website.  I made a few modifications - no almonds for Wayne, and I was out of rice vinegar so I substituted apple cider vinegar, but I will definitely be making this again!

MMMmonday - Beet and Blue Cheese Salad

Yet again I bring you a yummy recipe that came into my possession through wwrecipes.com
You can use canned beets for this salad and it will still be great, but fresh beets will make it a genuine standout.  This is quick and easy and so yummy!

MMMmonday - Winter Fruit Salad

I had this salad at my P.E.O. ladies group meeting earlier this month and absolutely everyone asked the lady who brought it for the recipe!  Since some of you are still experiencing winter like conditions and had to file away my Hot Berries and Cream, I present this Winter Fruit Salad:

MMMmonday - Caribbean Chicken Salad and recipe linky

Robyn cooked dinner tonight - her favorite thing to do is to head to Publix and check out their Apron's Simple Meals area and pick something to make for dinner...


Tonight's meal was Caribbean Chicken Salad and it was yummy, so I'm going to share the recipe and our changes in red:


Ingredients

3–4 Deli chicken tenders (.75 lb) - we used 1/2 a dozen frozen chicken strips
1 mango
Juice of 1 lime - we used realime (a cop out I know, but the limes looked terrible today)
1 head Bibb (or iceberg) lettuce - skipped this and just used bowls
3 tablespoons mango chutney
2 tablespoons peach preserves
3 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt - used a sm container of plain yogurt and omitted mayo
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 (12-oz) bag broccoli slaw
1/2 cup golden raisins - we used plain dark raisins 
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds - we omitted because we forgot to get them

Prep

• Cut chicken tenders into thin slices.
• Peel and slice mango (1 1/2 cups).
• Squeeze lime for juice (1 tablespoon).
• Remove lettuce core; separate individual leaves.

Steps

1. Prepare dressing in medium bowl by whisking chutney, preserves, and lime juice until smooth. Stir in yogurt and mayonnaise until blended.
2. Add slaw, chicken, mango, and raisins; toss to coat.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves on serving plates and top with salad; sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Serve.

CALORIES (per 1/4 recipe) 470kcal; FAT 14g; CHOL 60mg; SODIUM 700mg; CARB 61g; FIBER 6g; PROTEIN 27g; VIT A 90%; VIT C 150%; CALC 10%; IRON 10%

This was really yummy and a great, quick meal - the hardest thing was chopping the mango!  If you actually bought pre-made chicken tenders you'd be done in no time flat..

Next time, I would probably just grill chicken breasts and cube them instead of adding breaded tenders.

Here's the last chance to add to this month's recipe linky!  I can't believe it's going to be March already!

MMMmonday - Cucumber-Fennel Slaw and a linky!

I found this recipe in our local newspaper - the Post and Courier and fell in love!  The combination of the lime, mint and fennel sparks and breathes life into the otherwise simple cucumber - this makes a great salad for company!   Scroll down and post your favorite recipe to share as part of MMMmonday!  I'm also participating in some great blog hops, so if you're visiting for the first time - welcome and please comment so I know you've been by!

Cucumber-Fennel Slaw

Serves 4

This was inspired by a Parisian cocktail made with the anise-flavored liqueur Pernod, along with lime juice and cucumber. I added mint to it for a bit more cool.

Ingredients

2 large cucumbers (or one English cuke)

1 large bulb of fennel

10 mint leaves

Lime vinaigrette, recipe follows

Directions

Peel the cucumber and discard the skin. With your vegetable peeler, make nice long ribbons of cucumber. Put these in a bowl.

With a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the fennel in thin pieces. Add this to the bowl. Tear the mint and toss in, too. Drizzle the lime vinaigrette over the slaw (you won't need all of it). Toss and serve.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 163 calories, 14g fat, 9g carbohydrates, 2g protein, no cholesterol, 206mg sodium, 3g dietary fiber, 73 percent of calories from fat.

Lime Vinaigrette

Makes enough for 4 servings of slaw

Ingredients

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Juice of one lime

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/4 cup canola oil, grape-seed oil or another light, flavorless oil

Directions

In a bowl or jam jar, put in everything but the oil and give a shake. Add the oil and shake some more. Note: This vinaigrette will keep for about a week in the fridge.

Nutritional analysis per serving (based on 4): 124 calories, 14g fat, 1g carbohydrates, trace protein, no cholesterol, 172mg sodium, trace dietary fiber, 97 percent of calories from fat.

I am participating in the following hops:

QOTW: Do you have sweet memories, or memories of terror from your first days back to school?

My answer: great memories of back to school!

1. What is your favorite kind of doughnut? When I'm home in Canada, it's a Tim Horton's Maple Dip... but in SC where I can't get that treat, my fave is KK Lemon filled
2. How often do you pray? I keep thoughts swirling in my head all the time and focus them when I get quiet time.
3. What is your favorite kind of music? Anything with good beat and rhythm
4. What do you order when you eat Chinese food? anything with Beef Fried Rice
5. Would you rather snowboard in the winter or swim in the summer? Swim, definitely! 

MMMmonday - Hallee's Coastal Cole Slaw

My friend and fellow blogger, Hallee from Hallee The Homemaker posted this wonderful Cole Slaw recipe a while back... and it is so good that I have to share it with you!

I also want to wish her son Scott a happy 4th birthday- you can read his amazing birth story here

Hallee's Coastal Cole Slaw

Ingredients

½ head of green cabbage
2 carrots
½ cup cup mayonnaise
3 TBS vinegar
2 TBS sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Shred the carrots and grate the cabbage

2. Whisk together mayo, vinegar, sugar and spices

3. Mix everything together and serve!

Cook's notes: Hallee suggests using homemade mayo and apple cider vinegar... I'm not that ambitious and have used a variety of vinegars (whatever I have on hand) and store bought mayos and they all work beautifully...

If you want to see photos of this recipe, check out Hallee's page!