SuperSeed Green Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette




Hubby and I try to eat salad dinners at least 5 days a week.  They are healthy, delicious and so easy!  Plus, you can save yourself hundreds of calories by making your own dressings.  A simple vinaigrette only needs a few ingredients and has endless variations.  Far more healthy then using store bought, or just squeeze a little lemon juice over the greens for an even lighter version. 


We usually try to incorporate superfoods' into our daily diets.  It's easy to whip up a veggie smoothie, enriched with superfoods' or seeds.  Although it seems we forget how easy these teeny tiny and powerful seeds are able to be incorporated into everyday foods.  

With this salad I decided to step it up a notch (in the health department) and combine all the super seeds.  I've eaten tons of salads with nuts but none that was chalk full of SuperSeeds!        

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Super Seed Green Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

Yields 4-6 servings
Recipe Created by Epicurean Mom

For Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar 
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, strained
1 tablespoon honey+ 1 teaspoon 
1/4 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a dressing shaker, or a container with a lid.  Shake until well incorporated.  Store in the fridge until ready to use. 

For Salad
Ingredients:
6 cups baby romaine lettuce
3 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons flax seeds
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced 
salt and pepper to taste 

Assembly
Place the baby greens into a salad bowl/bowl.  Drizzle honey lemon vinaigrette over the top, toss lightly.  Garnish with avocado and cherry tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. 

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Best of all, Shabby Apple has kindly offered a $75 gift certificate to one of my readers!! 


*Giveaway is Closed*
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Blood Orange Sangria Recipe



Here in So Cal the weather has been more then inviting the past few days.  Gorgeous clear skies, beautiful mid 70's and a gentle breeze to help cool you off.  After the gloomy rainy days we've been having this is the type of weather to help ring in the soon-to-be summer days!  A wonderful citrusy sangria in hand doesn't hurt to help cool you down.  

This past weekend my girls helped me find the most perfect blood oranges at the Farmers' Market.  They were juicy, red stained and so sweet! I just love to break open a ripe blood orange to see the vibrant crimson color inside, don't you??



All my sangria recipes differ with optional fruits, bubbly and alcohol substitutes.  Since I'm not a huge brandy fan, I opted out of using it in this recipe and subbed it for triple sec.  Lime and blood orange compliment each other beautifully, so it was only natural to add the two together, right?! Right!


Memo: Enjoy this citrus wine on a beautiful sunny day, full of bbq'ing fun! 
Most importantly, do not forget to invite yours truly! 

Blood Orange Sangria
Yields 7 servings 
Recipe Created by Epicurean Mom

Ingredients:
2 blood oranges, juiced
1 lime, juiced
2 blood oranges, sliced thinly
1 lime, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon sugar
1 bottle of red wine, I used a cabernet 
2 tablespoons triple sec 
1 teaspoon mint, minced
3 cups blood orange sparkling juice 
Blackberries and minced mint for garnish 

Preparation:
Combine all the ingredients (except for the garnish and the sparkling juice) together in a large jug.  Stir well and place in the fridge overnight.

When ready to serve pour the sparkling juice in the jug and pour into individual cups.  Garnish with mint and blackberries. 

Healthy Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe




Chicken Salad sandwiches would have to be one of my favorite classic sammies.  Although when you order from a deli they seem to lose sight that not every single person likes their sandwiches weighted down with tons of mayo.  Don't get me wrong, I like mayo as a condiment (see my cream cheese deviled eggs) just not when my sandwiches are drowning.  


Even if one likes the creamy condiment, it is still loaded with unnecessary fat and calories.  A good way to cut on those extra calories is to substitute mayo for non-fat greek yogurt.  I promise you will never know it's a greek yogurt based sandwich.  I received rave reviews for my southwestern quinoa wrap that also had a yogurt based dressing.


Some of my other favorite chicken salad additions are avocado, bacon, fennel, mango, cranberries, raisins, cheese, grapes and apple among many others. 

What are yours? 

Chicken Salad Sandwich 
Yields 5-6 sandwiches
Recipe Created by Epicurean Mom

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded chicken, I used rotisserie chicken
1/3 cup non-fat greek yogurt, I used 0% fage
1/4 cup reduced fat mayo
1/2 cup shredded carrot 
1/3 cup sugar snap peas, shelled
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3-4 stalks asparagus, rinsed well and shaved
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped sliced almonds
Salt and pepper to taste
Baby arugula or any other greens (optional) 
Sliced whole wheat bread

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients, except greens, in a medium bowl.  Stir until thoroughly combined.  

Spread greens over the top of the bread, top with chicken salad and cover with another slice of bread.  Cut in half and serve.

Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs


Happy 'almost' Easter!! 
Do you need a last minute Easter appetizer??  Well, look no further!  


Yes, most of us have had the creamy dreamy egg appetizers that are deviled eggs!  To me they are heaven! I adore every last bite of these savory egg cups.  I've had so many different variations, and am never too impressed.  Usually they lack flavor and attitude. I do like traditional deviled eggs but everyone likes a little pizazz right every now and then, right?! 


Surely we all love food that is not particularly low fat.  Healthy foods are usually the first foods I gravitate to, but these deviled eggs are definitely my weak spot.  I find adding a little (or a lot!) of cream cheese really kicks them up a notch! You can make them extra fancy by piping the yolk into the centers and garnishing them with sliced chives and avocado.  Some of my other favorite garnishes are sun dried tomatoes, tomato, bacon, red bell peppers, or  even sauteed mushrooms.  Although the list is really endless!

I hope everyone has a very happy and safe Easter!! 

Deviled Eggs
Recipe Created by Epicurean Mom
Yields 24 deviled eggs

Ingredients:
12 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and sliced length wise
1/3 cup mayo, plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon
1 ounce cream cheese
salt to taste 
paprika, for garnish
avocado slices, for garnish
chive slices, for garnish

Preparation:
Carefully place the hard boiled egg yolks in a medium bowl and the hard boiled egg whites on a large plate/platter.  In a medium bowl mash the yolks until mealy.  Add the mayo, white wine vinegar, dijon, salt and cream cheese.  Mix until thoroughly blended.  

Pipe (or spoon) the yolk mixture into the egg white halves.  If piping, I used 1M tip but any tip works great. Sprinkle with paprika and top with avocado and chive slices. 

Serve immediately or store until ready to serve.  

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