Sunday, July 5, 2015

Cool, Crisp, Crowd Pleasing Chicken Salad

The summer heat is here and that means lots of outdoor festivities, picnics, and fun, but it probably also means lots of cookouts, potlucks, and classic summer dishes to eat.  Does that reality stare your controlled eating plan down? Do those events and dishes intimidate and threaten to put a stop to your good intentions of keeping your intake balanced and nutritious? No need to fret.

1. Take each event and meal one at a time (don’t save up to overindulge, dread a potluck event, or feel guilty for days after a not so good food choice day).  Instead plan and do your best.

2. Do build your plate with nutrition in mind – lots of fruits and veggies, leaving a little less room for some of those less than ideal nutrition dishes.

3. Eat slowly.  Take your time and put your fork down between bites.  You’ll enjoy your meal and be thrilled that you’re not through eating while everyone else still has half a plate left.  That’s a recipe for a second round that typically ends in feeling overstuffed and disappointed.

You can always lighten up some of your dishes too.  If you are taking something to an event, be the one to provide something on the lighter side.  Then, no matter what, you know you’ll have a lighter option (you’re staying in control).

We’ve had success with a light version of chicken salad this summer.  We’ve been making it to have for lunch throughout the workweek.  It is SO tasty, but packs less fat and calorie punch than the classic.  Check out the recipe below or from its original source (http://simple-nourished-living.com/2012/02/healthy-chicken-salad-with-apples-cranberries/).  I used reduced sugar dried cranberries and did not use parsley, otherwise I followed the recipe to a T. 

This recipe is super easy to make and is so cool, crisp, and tasty!  This one has been hubby, mom, dad, and brother approved. 


Ingredients:
       2½ cups chopped cooked chicken (I shredded)*
       3 stalks celery, chopped
       1 cup chopped apple
       ¼ cup dried cranberries (reduced sugar or no sugar added)
       ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
       2 tablespoons Hellman's light mayonnaise
       2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
       Place the chicken, celery, apple and cranberries in a bowl and stir to combine.
       In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise and lemon juice.
       Add to the chicken mixture and stir to mix well.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*A note on preparing the chopped chicken to make things even easier: boil your chicken breasts until cooked through, drain, and then return to a large pot to shred using a hand mixer.  Using the hand mixer shreds the chicken like a charm.  The time saved is worth the couple pieces of flying chicken you may encounter.

Nutrition is not too shabby – for a satisfying 1 cup serving, you’re looking at about 235 calories, 5 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 213 mg sodium (with a ¼ teaspoon or less added salt), 6 grams of fiber, and close to 30 grams of protein.

Use this recipe to enjoy for yourself or as a crowd pleasing, lighter option, at your next summer event.

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