Nowadays we are busier than ever! However, it has become increasingly evident, that we must be vigilant about what we eat and what we feed our families. With our children’s weight on the rise, not to mention that we are one of the most overweight countries in the world, we must do something to stop this epidemic and find ways to eat well and healthy and keep our weight and health in good standing. While packaged foods are convenient, they are not necessarily healthy. They tend to have high levels of sodium, sugar and many chemicals that not many can even pronounce, used to preserve the food.

The goal is to get good food fast, and at a reasonable cost. One of the solutions is salad. I know most of us think of salad as a side dish or for a quick lunch, but the rules of salad can be broken and we can absolutely enjoy it as a main dish, for dinner even. To make a salad a hearty dinner dish a few things must be taken into consideration. You may use many ingredients that are good for you and filling. Some of the ingredients are not typically used in salads but are absolutely delicious in a salad setting. To make a great hearty salad items such as spinach, boiled eggs, strawberries, orange wedges, grilled chicken, steak, raisins, grapes, avocados, pecans, walnuts, Pignoli nuts, cucumbers, etc. all make fantastic filling ingredients that go a long way to making you a healthier and yes satisfied person. There are so many different salads to choose from and no, you don’t have to stick to the typically salad items, you can almost put anything in there. Here are a few of my favorite salads. They are easy delicious and filling.

Grilled Chicken Salad With Seasonal Fruit

• 1 package of ready prepared grilled chicken strips
•  1/2 cup pecans
•  1/3 cup red wine vinegar
•  1/2 cup white sugar
•  1 cup vegetable oil
•  1/2 onion, minced
•  1 teaspoon ground mustard
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
•  1 head of Bibb lettuce – rinsed, dried and torn
• 1 small package prewashed spinach
•  1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Directions

1. Lightly oil a medium frying pan. Warm chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, and slice.
2. Meanwhile, place pecans in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pecans until fragrant, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
3. In a blender, combine the red wine vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, onion, mustard, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.
4. Arrange lettuce and spinach on serving plates. Top with grilled chicken slices, strawberries, and pecans. Drizzle with the dressing to serve.

For a slight variation, you may use the pre-packaged grilled steak and instead of strawberries you can use orange segments.

Salmon & Wheat Pasta Salad

•  16 ounces dried wheat pasta
•  1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas
•  2 cups packed fresh spinach, chopped
•  1 (14.75 ounce) can salmon, drained and flaked
•  1 (8 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing
•  1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
•  3/4 cup red cherry tomatoes
•  3/4 cup yellow cherry tomatoes
•  1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
•  1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
•  1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in pasta, and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Drop frozen peas and spinach into boiling pasta during the last minute of cooking. Drain pasta, peas, and spinach in a colander. Return pasta, peas, and spinach to the pot.
3. Stir in salmon and salad dressing until well combined.
4. Chill in the refrigerator, about 20 minutes.
5. Gently stir in carrots, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, and lemon juice.

For a slight variation, you may use the pre-packaged, cooked, medium shrimp and instead of Italian style dressing, use vinaigrette.

Though light these salads are very filling. Add some garlic bread or bruschetta and enjoy!