Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 cups quinoa
1-1/2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1-1/2 cups cooked corn (fresh, canned or frozen)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 tsp. garlic, minced fine
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped fine
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/3 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS
- Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve under cold running water until water runs clear.
- Put quinoa in a pot with 2-1/4 cups water.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender.
- Fluff quinoa with a fork and transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.
- While quinoa is cooking, in a small bowl toss beans with vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add beans, corn, bell pepper, scallions, garlic, cayenne and coriander to the quinoa. Toss well.
- In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, salt, cumin and add oil in a stream while whisking. Drizzle over salad and toss well with salt and pepper. Salad may be made a day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Submitted by Rachel

Southern Chicken Salad

Ingredients
2 1/2 - 3 Cups diced cooked Chicken
1/2 Cups diced Celery
3-4 Tbsp finely chopped Red Onion
1/4 - 1/2 Cup Mayo (more or less to taste)
2 Tsp Lemon Juice
Splash of Pickle Juice or 2 - 3 Tbsp of Sweet Relish
Dash of Pepper
Dash of Creole or Cajun Seasoning Mix
Salt to taste

Directions
- Mix all ingredients and serve chilled.

Submitted by Emilie

Egg Salad

This is a "to taste" recipe. The ingredients vary depending on how spicy and how wet you like your egg salad. Check out the Hints at the bottom for low fat suggestions.

Ingredients
6 hard boiled eggs
Mayonnaise
Old Bay

Directions
- Peel and rinse the eggs.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
- In one bowl use a pastry cutter to chop the egg whites. Set aside.
- In another bowl mash the egg yolks and blend with mayonnaise until smooth. Use approximately 3/4 cup of mayo with six egg yolks. More or less depending on how wet you like your egg salad.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of Old Bay. More or less depending on how spicy you like your egg salad.
- Stir the egg yolk mixture into the chopped egg whites.
- Enjoy!

Hints
- For lower fat egg salad try using only three egg yolks with six egg whites.
- Low fat mayo can also be used.

Low Fat/Low Calorie Cucumber Salad

Ingredients
1 cup light mayo
1/4 cup Splenda (or sugar if you'd prefer)
1/4 cup white vinegar
4 large cucumbers
6 roma tomatoes (seeded)

Directions
- In a container with a lid mix the mayo, Splenda and vinegar. Shake to mix.
- Slice cucumbers (approximately 1/8 inch)
- Pour dressing over cucumbers and refrigerate for approximately 4 hours stirring occasionally.
- Before serving seed the tomatoes and cut into one-inch chunks.
- Toss tomatoes in cucumber dressing mixture and serve.

Hints
- If you don't seed the tomatoes it will add a lot of liquid to the dressing.
- If you add the tomatoes too early they will get really mushy.
- This salad should be made at least four hours before serving but not more than 10 hours. Eventually your cucumbers will start to resemble pickles.
- You may like your salad more or less vinegary or sweet. These measurements aren't set in stone.

Submitted by Amy

Summer Pasta Salad

Ingredients
1 lb pasta(uncooked)
1 bottle Italian salad dressing (not creamy)
1 clove minced garlic

Optional Ingredients
Pepperoni
Salami
Onions
Artichoke hearts
Mushrooms
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Colored sweet peppers
Carrots
Zucchini or summer squash
Mozzarella
Fresh Parmesan
Black or green olives

Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions and rinse in cold water.
- Combine pasta, salad dressing and garlic with optional ingredients in large salad bowl.
- Eat right away or chill before serving.

Hints
- You can use various types of pastas, whatever is left in the cabinet. Cheese Tortellini works well too.
- Chilling the pasta before serving allows time for the flavors to blend. If you chill it too long some of the ingredients can become mushy. A couple of hours is usually enough.

Submitted by Amy

Strawberry Salad

Salad Ingredients
- bag of fresh spinach
- pint of fresh strawberries

Poppy Seed Vinegarette Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 Tbs poppy seeds
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup veg oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Worcestershire
- 1/2 tsp minced onion

Caramelized Almonds Ingredients
- 3 Tbs sugar
- 1 cup sliced almonds

Directions
- Rinse spinach, remove stems and tear into pieces
- Slice Strawberries
- Combine vinegarette ingredients in blender and blend until emulsified
- heat 3 Tbs sugar in frying pan over med heat until liquid *WATCH sugar carefully so it doesn't burn-it'll taste horrible*
- Toss sliced almonds in melted sugar until coated & golden brown
- Remove from pan & spread out to cool
- Combine spinach, strawberries, sugared almonds and dressing in serving bowl
- Serve immediately

Hints
- Baby spinach doesn't need to be stemmed and torn into pieces but regular spinach does
- Almonds will cool quickly on aluminum foil in the freezer
- Don't burn the sugar

Submitted by Corinne

Bacon-Mandarin Salad

Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs chopped fresh basil
1/8 tsp hot sauce
2 (15-oz) cans mandarin oranges, drained and chilled*
1 bunch Red Leaf lettuce, torn
1 head Romaine lettuce, torn
1 (16-oz) package of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (4-oz) package sliced almonds, toasted

Directions
- Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, blending well.
- Add oranges and lettuces, tossing gently to coat.
- Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and sliced almonds.
- Serve immediately

Hints:
- Assemble and dress right before serving.
- Fresh orange segments may be substituted for canned mandarin oranges, if desired.

Submitted by Kelly

Pretzel Salad

Ingredients
First Layer
- 2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels
- 3/4 cup melted margarine
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Second Layer
- 1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups whipped topping (small container)
Third Layer
- 1 large pkg (6 oz) strawberry or raspberry jello
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 (10 oz) box frozen strawberries or raspberries

Directions
- Heat oven to 400
- Put 1st layer in 13x9 pan and bake 8 minutes
- Remove to cool
- Make 2nd layer by beating sugar into cream cheese and stirring in whipped topping
- Spread 2nd layer over cooled pretzels
- Make 3rd layer by mixing jello with boiling water and stirring in berries
- Set aside 3rd layer about 10 minutes
- Pour 3rd layer over cooled cream cheese layer
- Refrigerate until firm

Submitted by Kathy

Colored Pepper Pasta Salad

Pasta Ingredients
2 boxes bow tie pasta
1 each (medium) - red, green, orange, yellow peppers, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped

Dressing ingredients:
1 tsp Accent spice
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbs parsley
1 Tbs garlic salt
pepper, to taste

Directions
- Prepare pasta according to box.
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and mix well.
- Mix chopped peppers and onions in with cooked pasta.
- Pour dressing over pasta and gently toss.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Hint:
This recipe makes a lot - You can halve it for smaller crowds (8-10).

Submitted by Claire

Coconut Carrot Salad

Ingredients
4 medium carrots, shredded
1 cup finely chopped apple
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbs. honey
4 tsp. lemon juice

Directions
Mix and chill
Serves 4

Submitted by Genelle

Chicken Grape Salad

Ingredients
5 chicken breasts halves - cooked and shredded
4 stalks of celery
2 cups of almonds (toasted)
1/2 medium onion
1/2 bag of green or red grapes (Red ones are more colorful!)
Romaine lettuce

Dressing Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 4 Tbs vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar (or Splenda)

Directions
- Chop the celery and onions
- Cut up the grapes into halves (or thirds if they're large grapes)
- Chop up the almonds with a chef's knife
- Add each ingredient in with the chicken
- Mix the dressing ingredients together to taste. It should be sweet, but have a "bite" from the vinegar.
- Add the dressing slowly to the ingredients until well coated.
- Refrigerate
- Serve on romaine lettuce

Hints
- Toast almonds in the toaster, in a skillet or spread them out on a PAPER plate and microwave them for 1-2 minutes or until they are "toasted"
- Splenda dissolves better in the dressing

Submitted by Kelly

Ramen and Broccoli Slaw Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) package broccoli coleslaw mix
2 (3 ounce) packages chicken flavored ramen noodles
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup peanuts
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS:
- Combine the slaw, broken noodles and green onions in a large salad bowl
- In a small bowl whisk together the sugar, oil, vinegar and ramen seasoning packets.
- Pour over salad and toss to evenly coat.
- Refrigerate until chilled (approx 1 hr.)
- Top with peanuts and sunflower seeds before serving.

Hints:
- Don't make this too far in advance or the ramen noodles will soften.

Submitted by Amy

Apple Curry Chicken Salad

Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ tsp ginger
1 tsp curry powder
1 clove garlic (mashed)
1 tsp honey
1 Tbs lime juice
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
2 small (or one large) granny smith apples

Directions
- Cream mayo, ginger, curry, garlic, honey and lime
- Cook and shred chicken
- Cut apples into very small cubes
- Combine mayo mixture, chicken and apple
- Serve cold on whole wheat bread or fresh kaiser rolls

Submitted by Amy