Toss Together Dinner-Healthified Confetti Quinoa Salad

Live is busy.  We all have so many different things we need to be doing and so many places we need to be.  Its very easy to feel like we don't have time to make dinner and just grab take out from somewhere or hit the drive through for a fast meal.  Eating out all the time isn't healthy and will start to add weight onto you.  There are many great tasting and healthy meals that you can through together in 30 minutes and have a meal that will satisfy you and not pack on the weight.  The great thing is you can do so much of it ahead of time, have all the ingredients in your fridge that you can quickly throw a delicious meal together.

Healthified Confetti Quinoa Salad
Prep Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 6

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup chopped sweet peppers
2 tomato, chopped
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 T chopped fresh parsley
2 T chopped fresh mint
2 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In a small saucepan, combine broth quinoa.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until broth is absorbed.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl combine sweet peppers, tomatoes, chickpeas. green onion, parsley and mint.  Add the cooked quinoa, mix well.  Add lemon juice, toss well to mix.  Season with salt and pepper. Can be eaten warm or cover and refrigerate and eat cold.

Source: Live Better America

Asian Pear and Pecan Waldorf Salad

If you are like me you love salads, but get tired of the same old boring one all of the time.  Try this fresh, healthier version of a Waldorf salad to mix up your salad routine.

Asian Pear and Pecan Waldorf Salad
Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: None

1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
3 T nonfat plain Greek yogurt
3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 T chopped fresh chives
1 large Asian pear, cored and cubed
2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
5 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 cup lightly toasted pecan halves

In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper and chives.  Add pear, lettuce, celery, grapes and pecans to bowl and toss to coat. 

Nutrition facts per serving: 301 calories, 5 g protein, 20 g carbs, 2.5 g fat, 6 g fiber

Detox Superfoods Salad from The Titanium Chef

I found this recipe the other day posted by the Yummy Mummy and thought it looked delicious.  After so many sugary sweets over the holidays all of the fresh superfoods looked amazing.  The salad comes together quickly and every ingredient in it is a nutritional powerhouse filled with anti-inflamnatory and antioxidant properties.  The other thing I loved about this salad was that there were no weird or hard to find ingredients, you can get them all at your local grocery store.  So give this salad a try, you will love it!


Winter Detox Superfoods Salad
serves 4

1 small bunch broccoli, raw or quickly blanched

2 tangerines, peeled and segments separated, plus 1 for dressing

1 pomegranate, seeded

1/4 cup shaved or thinly sliced fennel

1 avocado, sliced

1/4 cup walnut pieces

extra virgin olive oil


Toss first 6 ingredients together in a medium bowl. Drizzle olive oil and juice of one tangerine over salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Fresh Foods For All-Day Energy

The next few recipes that will post are fresh and will keep you feeling fueled and satisfied--with delicious lean protein, whole-grain carbohydrates, vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables and guilt-free low-fat dairy.

Black-Eyed Peas & Spring Greens
Time: 30 minutes    Serves: 6

1 cup dried black-eyed peas
1 clove garlic
3 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 cups mixed spring greens
1 cucumber, thinly sliced

In boiling water, cook black-eyed peas and garlic for about 20 minutes.  When tender, strain and set aside.  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, cumin and pepper.  Toss black-eyed peas and garlic with mixed spring greens and top with dressing.

Per serving: 170 calories, 7g protein, 20g carbohydrates, 6g fiber, 7g fat

Mix It Up!

• Toss the cooked black-eyed peas with 3 cups cooked brown rice and a splash of chile sauce to taste before serving over greens.
• Add black-eyed peas and spring greens to a pot of hot chicken stock, along with thinly sliced onions, carrots and celery.
• Cook diced smoked turkey with the black-eyed pease for a Southern-style (but bacon-free) flavor.

Health Boost!
Black-eyed peas are high in the minerals magnesium and iron and in folate.