October 13, 2011: Chicken Tenders Salad Recipe

Back when I lived in the city, I used to love going to Applebee’s for lunch. They had a fried chicken salad on the menu that was my favorite. Now that I no longer live in a city with an Applebee’s restaurant and no longer work in corporate America, I’ve come up with my own version of that salad. This is great as a lunch dish or even a main dish salad for dinner. And it's the perfect way to use up any leftovers from my cornflake crusted chicken tenders recipe.

Chicken Tenders Salad

4 cups mixed baby greens

1 tomato, cut into chunks

2 green onions, sliced on the diagonal

2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered

½ recipe cornflake crusted chicken tenders

Divide all ingredients between two large bowls. Top with Honey Mustard salad dressing and fresh sourdough croutons and cracked black pepper, if desired.

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

¼ cup prepared yellow mustard

¼ cup Dijon mustard

½ cup honey

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 T. olive oil

1 t. finely minced garlic

Combine all ingredients in a jar. Shake well to mix.

Serves 2 as a main dish.

May 16, 2011: A Manly Salad and Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe

My husband had to go to the doctor last week. He’s really been trying to get healthier by quitting smoking and drinking (he only drinks a beer every now and then) but one thing he hasn’t done is eat better. I try my best to force veggies down his throat when he’s home for dinner but there’s not much I can do about the fact that he stops at Circle K on the way to work and buys a pastry for breakfast or a greasy fast food hamburger for lunch.

Well, at this last doctor’s visit, he was horrified to find out he’d gained another five pounds in the last month or so when he’d already started out heavier than normal. I guess this was his wakeup call, at least for a day or two (we’ll see how long his healthy eating habit lasts)…

So the other night he insisted we just eat salad. Although I’d had a veggie wrap for lunch, which is basically salad in a tortilla, I acquiesced. Although this salad isn’t exactly real low in calories, it’s not too bad since I made the salad dressing. Here’s what we put in our salads (I’m not including measurements here because that’s really up to you and the size of your bowl):

Manly Salad

Romaine lettuce
Green leaf lettuce
Shredded carrot
Heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
Black olives
Deli ham slices, cubed
Broccoli sprouts
Hard boiled eggs
Sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
Freshly ground black pepper

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

¼ cup honey
¼ cup olive oil
1 t. minced garlic
¼ cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup whole grain mustard

Mix all ingredients well. Makes enough for 2 large salads.