Cobb Salad: A Quick, Easy Lunch or Dinner

I love Spring! This year, I started a small herb garden. Herbs and aromatic vegetables are a great way to add flavor to dishes without adding fat, sugar, or salt. Since I am a clinical dietitian (aka I work mainly in a hospital setting), I have many patients who are trying to limit added fat, added sugar, or sodium in their diet for various health reasons. 

So this week, I am sharing some healthy recipes that are limited in added sugar, added saturated fat, or sodium. These recipes are healthy and full of flavor! How can that be?!? Well, we are using some fresh, seasonal ingredients. We are also going to be using local herbs (out of my garden) and aromatic vegetables to bring tons of flavor without all the fat, sugar, and salt. 

Today, I am featuring one of my favorite salads, a Chef Salad. It has vegetables, protein, and creamy avocado  It is a great salad to give your favorite carnivore . . . and maybe help them become an omnivore!

Ingredients
Spinach or Romaine lettuce
Avocado
Green onions
Ham
Turkey
Red onion or shallot
Hard boiled egg 
Vinaigrette (I used a olive oil and vinegar; it was delicious.)

Hard boil your eggs. I removed the yolk because I do not prefer the texture of hard-boiled egg yolk. Slice the egg whites. Set aside.
Sautee onions until golden brown and caramelized. I used shallot for a milder flavor, but I also like red onions in this salad.
Wash all your vegetables. 
Slice avocado. Chop green onions.
Warm ham and turkey. Cut meat into long strips making a chiffonade. 
Combine all the ingredients together. I choose to make this a composed salad by having all the ingredients grouped together. I love the blocks of color, and I think it looks appetizing.
Dress with vinaigrette before serving. Enjoy!

If you don't think this will fill you up, make a whole grain grilled cheese. You can even cut the grilled cheese into cubes to make grilled cheese croutons. Your kids will love it! 

I loved this salad so much that I brought it to work in a cool to-go container that my husband got me. It has separate storage for the salad greens, toppings, and dressing.

For even more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter .

Spring Salad Recipe: Fresh Fruit and Spinach Salad

I love Spring! Everything seems green, new, and alive! I even love the rain . . . it's good for naps (hahaha). And, we all know April showers bring May flowers.

This year, I started a small herb garden. We will see if I have my grandfather's green thumb . . . or not. Let me know if you have any tips for growing herbs in containers. I would love to hear from you.

I love herbs! They are a great way to add flavor to dishes without adding fat, sugar, or salt. Since I am a clinical dietitian (aka I work mainly in a hospital setting), I have many patients who are trying to limit added fat, added sugar, or sodium in their diet for various health reasons. 

So this week, I plan to share some healthy recipes that are limited in added sugar, added saturated fat, or sodium. These recipes are healthy and full of flavor! How can that be?!? Well, we are using some fresh, seasonal ingredients. We are also going to be using local herbs (out of my garden) and aromatic vegetables to bring tons of flavor without all the fat, sugar, and salt. Stay tuned!

Today, I am featuring one of my favorite salads. It reminds me of Spring and provides fruit and vegetables in one dish! I made this for my family on Easter, and it was a hit!

Ingredients
Strawberries
Blueberries
Pecans
Spinach
Mint
Vinaigrette (I used a raspberry vinaigrette; it was delicious)
*Feta 
(*Optional: you may omit the feta if you don't like this cheese, or if you are watching your sodium or saturated fat intake.)

Wash all fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Toss all the ingredients together. Dress with vinaigrette before serving. Enjoy!

If you've never tried a salad that mixes fruits and vegetables, this is a great one to start with. If you have a friend or family member with a sweet tooth, this is also a great salad to make for them. Try it!

For even more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter .