Greek Chopped Salad

This lovely Greek Chopped Salad is perfect for those who wish to incorporate more healthy options into their diet without sacrificing flavor or quantity. Grill some chicken breast and serve it together with the salad and you have a fantastic filling dinner bursting with intense favor. Or skip the chicken and serve a smaller portion of Greek Chopped Salad as an appetizer or side to a great entree.

Have you ever tried Kalamata olives? They are a purple olive with a stronger, richer flavor than black olives. They grown primarily around the city of Kalamata in Greece. (Hence the name.) I do love olives, and will eat black olives whole, right out of a can. These Greek olives however, are usually kept in a brine or a wine vinegar making their flavor very, very strong. When eating them in this salad I usually will slice them up a bit to spread the flavor around.

The dressing used for this salad is equal parts extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice whisked together with some oregano. I am always a fan of fresh herbs, so I recommend using them whenever you can. The oregano really sets this salad apart and brings all the amazing flavors together. There are options at most grocery stores to purchase little containers of fresh herbs, which I think is great! At one point in Idaho I had planted and maintained an herb garden. 'Sigh'. Oh how I miss my herb garden... but I digress. Becoming familiar with fresh herbs has been one of the highlights for me in my culinary endeavors. I love them! Use them if you can!

As I continue blogging about my favorite recipes I am going to try to incorporate more of my favorite 'healthy' recipes for y'all to enjoy; sprinkled in with all the really good stuff :0)  I hope you enjoy this salad, as always please let me know what you think in the comments!

Greek Chopped Salad

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 10 mins

6073121

Ingredients (Serves 4 as a side)

• 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 1 cup sliced cucumber
• 1 cup sliced red onion
• 4 tablespoons reduced fat feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons fresh minced oregano (or 2 teaspoons of dried)
• 8 Kalamata olives

Instructions

Combine olive oil, lemon juice and oregano in a large mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously to combine.

Place all other ingredients into the mixing bowl and toss to coat. Serves 4 as a side salad or appetizer. Serves two as a main course salad topped with a boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast.

Powered by Recipage

THE Best Tuna Salad Ever

Okay everyone, so I've been making this Tuna fish salad for a few years now, and it never gets old! If you're not a fan of Tuna fish salad, you will be after you try this recipe. Even my picky kids request it if I go too long without making it for lunch.

A good Tuna fish salad starts with good Tuna. I use nothing but solid white Albacore tuna packed in water. The solid Tuna can be drained and dried of canning liquids so you can marinate it with your own flavors. Plus it has less of a 'Tuna' smell as the chunk Tuna. I enjoy eating Tuna fish salad.The intense smell left over in my kitchen- not so much.

Didn't I mention a few posts back how I love capers? They are a surprise addition to my Tuna fish salad that add a fantastic element of flavor. I also add roasted red pepper for another great flavor boost and a pop of color. Different dimensions of flavor are key to making this recipe so good.

Of course I also add in time honored mayonnaise and some celery for crunch and color too. But not until the Tuna has marinated a bit in the great flavors mentioned above. If you combine all ingredients at once, the fish is coated in a layer of mayo and it wouldn't be able to marinate properly.

If you're wondering where to find jarred roasted red pepper (which is completely mild by the way, no heat) and jarred capers, I find them in the specialty foods isle or sometimes by the canned olives or pickles at my local grocery store. They are common items that can be found in most all grocery stores and are usually packaged by Italian manufacturers.

A few tips for making this recipe: Make sure you have plenty of paper towels or napkins handy for all the 'drying' you need to do for the Tuna and the roasted peppers. I just get a big wad and blot the moisture off. You'll also want to have a good sharp chef's knife for mincing several of the ingredients. To "mince" is to cut into very small pieces, as small as you can. This is a great recipe to practice your knife skills :0) I hope you find this recipe as delightful as I do. Enjoy!

THE Best Tuna Salad Ever

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 20 minutes

6060052

Ingredients (about 4 or 5 sandwiches)

• 3 (5 ounce) cans solid white albacore tuna packed in water
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup finely chopped jarred roasted red peppers (patted dry)
• 2 tablespoons drained and minced capers
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 celery rib, chopped fine

Instructions

1. Microwave the onion and oil in a small container for about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Drain tuna in a fine mesh strainer and blot dry with paper towels. Combine the tuna in a mixing bowl with the onion olive oil mixture, the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, sugar, red pepper and capers. Mix with a fork until well incorporated and tuna is finely flaked. Marinate for 10 minutes.

2. Stir in mayonnaise and celery. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Powered by Recipage