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6 Flavorful Salads with Dried Fruit

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I love a hearty salad, and I especially appreciate the salads from Panera Bread. But at $11 per salad, dining there can get costly! My go-to order at Panera is the Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken. So, in an effort to make it myself I decided to dehydrate apples and create a kind of copycat version. As a bonus, I’m including a round-up of heart-healthy salads created by several of my food blogging friends. Any of these scrumptious recipes can be made during the week to tote to work for lunch or to serve as a lighter dinner option. Enjoy!

Gala Apple Salad with Rotisserie Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Made with mixed greens and tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, this salad is a combination of tangy and sweet flavors. My salad recipe is made with dried apples, freshly shredded rotisserie chicken (buy one at the store!), tomatoes, goat cheese crumbles, red onion slices, and almond slices. I also love adding dried cranberries or golden raisins when I want more fruit flavor.

Preparing this salad is as simple as coating a large salad bowl with your desired amount of homemade balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below), adding the salad ingredients, and using tongs to toss the salad mixture until evenly coated with dressing. I think you’re going to love it!

Gala Apple Salad with Rotisserie Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

About 1 cup

Balsamic Vinaigrette

This tangy yet slightly sweet vinaigrette can be used as a dressing over almost any salad.

10 minPrep Time

10 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 2 T. Agave Nectar Light
  • 1 T. Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 c. olive oil
  • 1 finely diced garlic clove

Instructions

  1. Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. (You can also add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, add lid, and shake vigorously until well mixed.)
  3. Serve immediately.
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Nutrition

Calories

1863 cal

Fat

148 g

Carbs

82 g

Protein

85 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Farro Spinach Salad with Dried Fruit and Nuts

Yay! For Food’s salad is described as a sweet and savory vegan salad featuring the healthy whole grain: farro! Marie’s Farro Spinach Salad with Dried Fruit and Nuts recipe brings all the flavor and it’s nutritious. Farro, a grain that is nutty in flavor but a bit sweet, is high in fiber and a good source of protein and iron. Like rice, it is sold dried and prepared in water until it softens.

Recipe: YayForFood.com

Moroccan Couscous Salad

Contributing food blogger, Marlee from ijustmakesandwiches.com, says her Moroccan Couscous Salad is made with dried fruit such as apricots and raisins and tossed with a lemon vinaigrette. She suggests that this cold couscous salad be served with roasted chicken or salmon. The Mediterranean couscous adds texture to this highly flavorful salad!

Recipe: I Just Make Sandwiches

Apple Fig Walnut Rocket Salad

This recipe is a winner! It combines some of my favorite flavors including fresh fig. Rhian of hintohealthy.com made it using “crunchy apples, jammy dried figs, earthy walnuts and peppery rocket (arugula) coated in a garlicky pesto dressing!” Learn how to make this gluten-free, vegan Apple Fig Walnut Rocket Salad for your next brunch or lunch with friends.

Recipe: Rhian’s Recipes

Kale Salad with Apples and Cranberries + Tahini Dressing

The best part of making a salad is that it versatile. This hearty kale salad made with tahini dressing gets its texture from the leafy bits of kale, pumpkin seeds, chunks of apples, and dried cranberries. All you have to do is combine the ingredients in a bowl and toss it with the dressing! Not a fan of tahini? You could serve Hint of Healthy’s Kale Salad with Apples and Cranberries with a vinaigrette dressing as well.

Recipe: Hint of Healthy

Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

A perfect salad to make during the fall, Cooking Carnival’s Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad combines the rich flavors of chopped kale, onion, butternut squash, quinoa, pecans, cranberries, and balsamic vinaigrette. I could see making this healthy salad as my entire dinner!

Recipe: Cooking Carnival

Love what you see here and want yet another salad option? If you’re on the hunt for a mostly fruit salad layered on a bed of fresh greens, you’ll adore my Spinach Fruit Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette.

I’m always eager to add another fresh salad to my line-up of weeknight stars, so be sure to add your recipe idea to the comments below!

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Classic Egg Salad Sandwich on Ciabatta

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Very few ingredients go as well together like peanut butter and jelly than hard-boiled egg and Hellmann’s mayonnaise. Hands down! This Egg Salad Sandwich is a classic for a reason and is incredibly creamy and delicious on a toasted ciabatta roll with crunchy romaine lettuce. Bonus: The breakdown price of ingredients for each sandwich is only one dollar! Let me show you how to save money on your next delicious lunch.

If you buy cage-free eggs on sale and your ciabatta rolls from Aldi, this sandwich is the cheapest meal you’ll enjoy all week. Guaranteed. I buy a package of six pre-sliced ciabatta rolls at Aldi ($1,49), and the eggs and vegetables from Kroger when on sale (prices vary). (Don’t forget to read my post 10 Ways to Get Deep Discounts on Groceries Without Using Coupons.You know how I love a deal and I want to save you money too.) Look for Manager’s Special discounts on packaged dill or soon-to-expire lettuce when in the grocer’s produce section.

It looks like I already took a bite out of this egg salad sandwich, but I didn't. Trust me. It was hard to resist eating it until I got the photo.
It looks like I already took a bite out of this egg salad sandwich, but I didn’t. Trust me. It was hard to resist eating it or that homemade dill pickle until I got the photo.

If you look up how to a boil an egg, more than one recipe exists. Hard to believe for since it’s basic cooking skill, but it’s true. Some people think you should add white vinegar to the saucepan water. Here’s my easy to follow method: I prefer to layer my eggs in a glass one quart saucepan, cover them with one inch of lukewarm water, and bring them to a boil. As soon as the water boils, remove it from the burner and cover it with a lid for fifteen minutes. After the time expires, remove each egg with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a bowl of ice water. Later, crack and peel each egg under running water. I get yellow yokes and white hard-boiled egg whites every time.

Mix all chopped ingredients in one medium bowl and then pile it on your favorite light bread or cut the carbs and spoon it into a leaf cup.

My recipes yielded four or five ciabatta sandwiches but it depends how high you pile the egg salad. This meal was a lunchtime hit and we ran out of egg salad in two sittings. It’s hard to resist!

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Ingredients

  • 7 hard-boiled chopped eggs
  • 1/4 c. mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's)
  • 1 1/2 T. stoneground mustard
  • 2 diced celery ribs
  • 1 T. diced red onion
  • 1 diced scallion
  • 1 T. chopped fresh dill
  • 1 chopped dill spear
  • heavy pinch black pepper
  • small pinch kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Hard-boil the eggs, remove shell, and chop them.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix all remaining ingredients.
  3. Add chopped eggs to sandwich mixture and stir well.
  4. Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 30 minutes to an hour.
  5. Spoon onto a ciabatta roll and add lettuce.

Notes

Want a smoked flavor? Add 1/2 T. smoked paprika.

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https://onedelightfullife.com/egg-salad-sandwich-on-ciabatta/

Nutrition

Calories

233 cal

Fat

25 g

Carbs

4 g

Protein

1 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

egg salad sandwich

 

How To Make the BEST Hobo Dinners

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When visiting my boyfriend’s family in Upstate New York the first time, I heard them say we were going to make “hobos” over an open fire. Hobo dinners in Girl Scouts meant that you stuffed meat, potatoes, and canned veggies in a foil pouch and cooked it camp side, which were just okay. So, I wasn’t all too excited to for this family’s hobo dinners. But that all changed when I tasted the delicious, ooey-gooey sandwich that came from a scalding hot pie iron that night. How do you make the BEST hobo dinner? You have a family competition and sample everyone’s sandwich!

Someone in his family declared it a major competition and the prize was a certificate. We were a competitive bunch and I really wanted to win to prove myself as the outsider. While our take on the reuben sandwich didn’t win first place, it received rave reviews. The key was to use homemade sauerkraut, deli cut corned beef, sliced Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing on light rye sandwich bread.

The winner of the hobo cook-off  in the Sandwich Dinner Category was a copycat version of McDonald’s Bic Mac. It’s layered seasoned ground beef (cooked), cheese, shredded lettuce, thin sliced pickle, and special sauce. DON’T FORGET THE PICKLE! Everyone agrees that the pickle makes the hobo dinner taste just like, or better than, the McDonald’s sandwich.

If my memory serves me correctly, an after-dinner treat made with blueberries, coconut, and white chocolate won best bite in the Dessert Hobo Category.

The flavor combinations are potentially endless and that’s what so fun about eating them around a fire with family and friends. Add the backdrop of tall trees, chill music, and a cold craft beer  then the night is just about perfect. (I also wrote a post on Upstate New York breweries, if you’re interested some seriously well-made beer.) There are a few necessary tips that you must follow to ensure a well-fired sandwich.

pie-irons
You can purchase a pie iron, or double version of one, at any big box outdoors store for around twenty dollars. This photo was taken at Cabella’s.

Tip #1: Close the latch on the pie iron while it’s still empty. Place it on hot coals or logs for at least 5-10 minutes to warm up. Stainless steal pie irons don’t cook your sandwich the right way and often burn the contents. Use cast iron every time!

Tip #2: Remove the pre-heated pie iron from the fire and rest it on a block of wood or another safe, flat surface. Open it and spray it with cooking spray thoroughly.

Tip #3: Line each side of the pie iron with sandwich bread and begin topping it with your choice of meats and cheeses. You must use cheese! Think of it like a grilled cheese on steroids.

hobo-dinner
If it can go on a pizza, it tastes great as a “hobo.”

hobo-dinner2

Tip #4: Once your toppings (and possibly squeezed mayo, mustard, dressing) are loaded, close and fasten the pie iron. Place it back on the coals.

Tip #5: Turn your pie iron every 3-4 minutes. You might even need to open it and check for doneness, as every fire is different in temperature.

Final Tip #6: Try not to overcook your hobo dinner (like the one below) because you get caught up in talking and boozing. 😉 See an example below. Ha! But, seriously…it was oh so yummy. You’ll never eat just one because someone else always has a flavor combination you want to try.

hobo-dinner4

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Healthy Turkey Meatball Sandwiches

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Healthy comfort food.

Is there such a thing? Yes! If you swap the ingredients you use in a traditionally fattening comfort food for healthier options, you can! Gobble up my Healthy Turkey Meatball Sandwiches for lunch or dinner and feel good doing it. Of course, I needed something to wash these babies down with so I opted for a cold, light beer.

These turkey meatballs are crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Tasty!
These turkey meatballs are crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Tasty!

In this recipe I use skim milk instead of heavy cream, low-fat shredded mozzarella, and ground turkey instead of fatty ground beef. The fresh herbs are aromatic and take basic turkey meatballs to the next level. Use fresh herbs, people! It makes the difference.

Tip: Let your eggs reach nearly room temperature for better results.
Tip: Let your eggs reach nearly room temperature for better results.

Rolling your meatballs in a bit of all-purpose flour is the key to a getting a crispy exterior. Once in the pot, rotate them often even allowing them to stand on end. Don’t walk away from the stove because you need to move the meatballs often using tongs.

Don't crowd your meatballs.You'll need room to turn them often to brown all sides.
Don’t crowd your meatballs.You’ll need room to turn them often to brown all sides.

Once the meatballs reach that beautiful golden color on all sides, remove them from the pan and let them rest. (Don’t worry if the meatballs are a bit soft on the inside still because they will finish cooking in the spaghetti sauce.)

Unlike beef meatballs, these babies are not as greasy so you don't have to place them on a rack to cool.
Unlike beef meatballs, these babies are not as greasy so you don’t have to place them on a rack to cool.

Finished cooking off the meatballs, add all of them back to the pot. Add your preferred jarred spaghetti sauce to finish cooking them on a low simmer with the lid on until you’re ready to make a sandwich.

Want perfectly browned mozzarella cheese and a slightly crispy bun? Place your meatball sandwiches under the broiler for a couple minutes or place them in a toaster oven on the broil setting. Watch them closely!

Use a spoon to gently and evenly coat the sauce on the meatballs.
Use a spoon to gently and evenly coat the sauce on the meatballs.

healthy-turkey-meatballs5 copy

Don’t forget to garnish your finished meatball sandwich with a tablespoon of chopped basil.

20 meatballs

Serves 6-7 sandwiches

Healthy Turkey Meatballs Sandwiches

20 minPrep Time

30 minCook Time

50 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1 c. shredded low-fat mozzarella
  • 1 T chopped basil for garnish
  • 1 pkg Pepperidge Farms Top Sliced Hot Dog Buns
  • 1 jar Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
  • Meatballs:
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 2 T. fresh oregano
  • 2 T. fresh chopped basil
  • 3 diced garlic cloves
  • 2 T. parmesan
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/2 c. skim milk
  • 3 T all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Instructions

  1. Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl.
  2. Using your hands, make meatballs (slightly larger than a golfball) and place them in a slightly flour glass 9"x11" pan. Once all the meatballs are made, roll them around in flour to coat evenly.
  3. Add 2 T. olive oil to large pot. Bring to medium heat.
  4. Once at temperature, add 7-8 meatballs. Be careful not to crowd them.
  5. Rotate the meatballs until they are golden on all sides. Continue to add more olive oil to the pot before adding additional meatballs.
  6. Remove them from the pot and let them rest on a new glass pan.
  7. Finish cooking all meatballs.
  8. Reduce heat to low and add spaghetti sauce and return meatballs to the pot.
  9. Cover and let simmer at least 10 minutes.
  10. Add two meatballs into a split top hot dog bun and top with any extra sauce from the pot.
  11. Top with low-fat shredded mozzarella and put in a toaster or oven on broil for 2-3 minutes to melt cheese to a bubbly golden brown.
  12. Remove sandwich and sprinkle with chopped basil for garnish.
  13. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can use use ground beef rather than turkey. If you roll the basil leaves like a cigar and then run your knife through them, you can chop it easily into ribbons. Parmesan is salty so you cold eliminate the 1 tsp salt in the meat mixture.

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https://onedelightfullife.com/turkey-meatball-sandwiches/

Nutrition

Calories

401 cal

Fat

5 g

Carbs

74 g

Protein

14 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Watermelon Blueberry Feta Salad with Mint

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The perfect piece of watermelon isn’t in the shape in a half-moon. It’s a cube! Cut up your ripe watermelon into one inch cubes of juicy goodness so you can pop them straight into your mouth. (I think cubed watermelon is get-in-the-tummy-yummy after it has sat in a Rubbermaid container in the fridge for at least a day.)

Tip: When selecting a watermelon at the grocery store or farmer’s market, turn it over. Look it over and check for a yellow area. This yellow spot means that it sat on the ground long enough to ripen up. Did you know a watermelon is over 90% water? The heavier the melon, the better! (It’s hydrating and you can eat it guilt-free.) Buy fresh mint in the produce section at the grocery story OR you can grow it quite easily in partial sunshine in a container pot. Don’t forget to water it, but don’t flood it. My mint grows tall and sits happily next to basil.

Watermelon Blueberry Feta Salad with Mint takes this ordinary summer fruit and makes it extraordinary. Besides, July is National Watermelon Month!

The flavor of the slightly tangy dressing coats the salad. Ribbons of mint leaves elevate its flavor giving it a brightness and the little blueberries pop with sweetness in your mouth. And who doesn’t love cheese? Add feta to this salad and its taste reaches heavenly status. You can serve this as a summer salad or as a dessert, a favorite in our household.

watermelon-blueberry-feta-salad-with-mint

Tip: Buy your berries from Aldi, if you have one in your area. These blueberries were only 99 cents a quart.

Make the salad's dressing separately and then add fruit and combine flavors.
Make the salad’s dressing separately and then add fruit and combine flavors.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cubed watermelon (remove rind)
  • 1/2 package blueberries
  • 2 T crumbled feta cheese
  • 4 small springs sliced fresh mint
  • 1/4 c. watermelon fruit salad dressing
  • Watermelon Fruit Salad Dressing:
  • 3 T light olive oil
  • 1 1/2 T. lime juice
  • 2 T. honey
  • 1/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Remove rind from watermelon and cube the fruit into one-inch pieces.
  2. Refrigerate watermelon to chill in a large bowl plastic covered in plastic.
  3. Layer mint leaves on to each other and roll into a cylindrical shape. Run a sharp knife through the mint several times to cut the herb into ribbons. Set aside.
  4. To make the dressing, combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
  5. Remove the watermelon from the refrigerator and drain any residual juice.
  6. Add the dressing, crumbled feta, blueberries, and mint to the watermelon and toss with your hands until well incorporated.
  7. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve chilled.

Notes

You could also use honeydew or cantaloupe instead of watermelon.
Don't trash the watermelon rind! It can be pickled in jars with and used later in a salad or as a condiment.

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https://onedelightfullife.com/watermelon-blueberry-feta-salad-with-mint/

Nutrition

Calories

481 cal

Fat

36 g

Carbs

28 g

Protein

15 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

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Poor Man’s Lobster Rolls

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I was just in New York and we enjoyed a tasty mahogany clam boil and steamed lobster at a family gathering on the deck. Nothing brings a crowd like announcing that you’re serving fresh seafood.

Once we returned home, I was still craving seafood. But in this landlocked state, lobster is a high priced delight. So, I made Poor Man’s Lobster Rolls using imitation lobster meat and it was delicious!

This version of a lobster roll is reminiscent of one from Maine since it is mayonnaise based and served in a split top, buttered hot dog roll. I prefer dill weed, celery seed, and Old Bay Seasoning with a pinch of pepper for the seasoning base. Stuffed full!

Creamy and delicious, this version of the Maine's famous lobster roll recipe is inexpensive and can be made in fifteen minutes.
Creamy and delicious, this version of the Maine’s famous lobster roll recipe is inexpensive and can be made in fifteen minutes.

It's lunch time and the flavor of the Poor Man's Lobster Roll can only be described as epic.
It’s lunch time and the flavor of the Poor Man’s Lobster Roll can only be described as epic.

Ingredients

  • 7 oz. imitation lobster meat
  • 1/3 c. mayo
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 T. scallions
  • 1 T. celery leaves
  • 1/4 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp. celery seed
  • 1/8 tsp. dill weed
  • pinch black pepper

Instructions

  1. Run a knife through the imitation lobster meat to give it a rough dice.
  2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
  3. Optional garnish: celery leaves, celery seeds, and scallions.
  4. Serve cold spooned into center cut, buttered crusted hot dog rolls. (You can also lay a bib lettuce leaf inside the bun prior to spooning the lobster mixture into the roll.)

Notes

You can substitute imitation crab meat instead.

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https://onedelightfullife.com/poor-mans-lobster-rolls/

Nutrition

Calories

80 cal

Fat

1 g

Carbs

7 g

Protein

12 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Tell me in the comments section if you enjoyed this recipe. It’s so tasty!

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