Recipe: 6 Summer Salad Recipes

Here are a few recipes for those warm nights that are coming soon.

Salsa Pasta Salad
Chicken and Fruit Salad with Mango Vinaigrette
Fettuccini and Feta Salad
Grilled Chicken Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette
Roast Pork and Fruit Salad
Chinese Chicken Noodle Salad

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SALSA PASTA SALAD
Source: Better Homes and Garden Low-Fat Low-Calorie Cookbook
Makes 10 servings, Per serving: 209 cal, 10 g fat

8 ounces dried cork screw or bow-tie pasta
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 (4 oz) can diced green chili peppers
1 (2 1/4 oz) can sliced ripe olives, drained
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
FOR THE DRESSING:
1/4 cup salad oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional, for garnish)

Cook pasta according to pkg directions; drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Combine the drained pasta, tomatoes, onion, undrained chili peppers, oloves, and green and red sweet pepper in a large mixing bowl. Toss to mix well.

For dressing, combine oil, lemon juice, vinegar, the 2 tbsp cilantro, chili powder, garlic salt, sugar and black pepper in a screw top jar. Cover; shake well. Add the dressing to the pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. If desired, garnish with cilantro sprigs.

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CHICKEN AND FRUIT SALAD WITH MANGO VINAIGRETTE
Recipe By : Better Homes and Garden Low-Fat Low-Calorie Cookbook
Makes 4 servings, Per serving: 232 cal, 3 g fat

2 to 3 mangos
12 ounces skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
6 cups torn mixed greens
1/2 medium cantaloupe, cut in 1-inch chunks
1 cup halved or sliced strawberries
Mango Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe follows)
Sliced green onion (for garnish)

Pit , peel and slice mangoes. Measure 1 1/2 cups for use in the vinaigrette; set aside remaining slices for salad.

Rinse chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Stir together curry, salt, and pepper. Rub chicken with curry mixture. Grill chicken on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over med. coals about 13 to 15 minutes or till tender and no longer pink, turning once halfway through grilling. (Or, place on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4-5-inches from the heat for 10-12 minutes, turning once.) Cool slightly; slice into 1/4-inch thin strips.

TO SERVE:
Arrange greens on individual dinner plates. Top with chicken strips, melon, strawberries, and reserved mango slices. Drizzle with Mango Vinaigrette. Sprinkle green onion over all.

MANGO VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
Makes about 1 1/4 cups

1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Combine reserved 1 1/2 cups mango, orange juice, vinegar, honey and mustard in blender or food processor. Cover and blend till smooth. Cover and chill till serving time.

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FETTUCCINI AND FETA SALAD

FOR THE SALAD:
12 ounces uncooked fettucine, fresh if available
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 pound fresh snow peas
1/4 pound black olives
1 sweet red, green or yellow bell pepper, cut in strips
1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
FOR THE DRESSING:
2/3 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried mint flakes

Cook fettuccini, drain and cool. Combine pasta with cheese, vegetables and nuts.

Combine dressing ingredients. Pour 1/2 cup at a time over salad, mix well with each addition. You may not need all the dressing.

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GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD WITH GINGER VINAIGRETTE
Source: Better Homes and Garden Low Fat- Low Calorie Cookbook
Makes 4 servings
Salad without dressing: 224 cal 3 g fat per serving

4 medium boned and skinned chicken breast halves
2 cups green and/or yellow wax beans (optional)
4 to 6 cups torn or shredded mixed greens (such as leaf lettuce, flowering kale, curly endive or spinach)
4 cups cut up fresh fruit (such as, mangoes, carambola (star fruit), peaches nectarines, kiwi, strawberries, or grapes)
1/4 cup chopped red onion (optional)
Toasted coconut (optional)
Cracked black pepper (optional)
Ginger Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe follows)

Rinse chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Grill chicken on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over med. coals for 12-15 minutes or till chicken is tender and no longer pink, turning once.

Meanwhile, if using beans, cook, covered in a small amount of boiling water for 8-10 minutes or till crisp-tender. Drain.

TO SERVE:
Slice each grilled chicken breast crosswise into thin pieces. Line 4 plates with mixed greens. Top with chicken, cooked beans (if using), and fruit. If desired, top with onion, coconut, and black pepper. Serve with Ginger Vinaigrette.
GINGER VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
Makes about 1 2/3 cups
Per tablespoon: 29 cal, 3 g fat

1 cup papaya or apricot nectar
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
4 teaspoons fresh grated ginger root
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1/3 cup olive or salad oil

In a blender or food processor combine all vinaigrette ingredients, except oil. Cover and blend till mixed. With blender or processor, slowly add oil through the hole in the top, blending till smooth. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use or for up to 2 weeks.

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ROAST PORK AND FRUIT SALAD
Source: Better Homes and Garden Low Fat- Low Calorie Cookbook
Makes 4 servings - 228 cal, 4 g fat per serving

FOR THE DRESSING:
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple or orange juice
3 tablespoons honey mustard, divided use
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger root
FOR THE SALAD:
12 ounces pork tenderloin
6 cups torn spinach and/or romaine
2 cups sliced pears, apples, nectarines, and/or peeled peaches
12 small clusters champagne grapes
Coarsely ground black pepper -- optional

For dressing, in a small mixing bowl stir together the mayo, pineapple juice, 1 tbsp honey mustard, and the ginger root. Cover and refrigerate till serving.

Trim any fat from pork. Place in a shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer. Roast, uncovered, in a 425 degree F oven for 20 minutes.

Spoon the remaining 2 tbsp honey mustard over the pork. Roast for 5-10 minutes more or till thermometer registers 160 degrees. Cover meat loosely with foil and let stand for 5 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, arrange greens, fruit slices and grapes on 4 salad plates.

To serve, thinly slice pork. Top salads with pork slices. Stir dressing. Drizzle dressing over salads. If desired, sprinkle with pepper.

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CHINESE CHICKEN NOODLE SALAD
Source: the Baltimore Sun, 1991
Makes 8 servings

FOR THE SALAD:
1 lb spaghetti, broken into 2 to 3-inch pieces
2 tbsp sesame oil
3 cups cooked chicken, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 bunch green onions with tops, sliced
1 medium cucumber, cut into thin strips
4 ounces water chestnuts, sliced
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup fresh bean sprouts, rinsed
1/4 lb fresh snow peas, trimmed and cubed
1 small red or yellow bell pepper, sliced into rings
FOR THE DRESSING:
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp salad oil
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp hot chili oil
3 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
2 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 tsp salt

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water, according to package directions. Pour into colander and drain. Rinse in cold water and drain well.

Place spaghetti in large bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of sesame oil. Stir in the next 8 ingredients for the salad; set aside.

Whisk the ingredients for the dressing together. Pour over pasta and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.