Here we are in a new year and as usual I’m trying to eat better. I wish we didn’t have two major holidays at the end of the year because I feel like in between Thanksgiving and Christmas all I do is bake, eat, and cook. I think almost everyone gains weight because there are always sweets and treats around.
It’s not just sweets either. At work we had 3 luncheons the week before Christmas. The office bought us a meal one day, the PTA bought us a meal one day, and the Mexican restaurant brought us a meal one day. While this is awesome and I didn’t have to worry about packing a lunch it makes for a lot of weight gain at a crazy time of year.
So every year when January rolls around I start trying to eat better. In years past I started doing Zumba again in January but with J it’s hard to do. I’ve been back on MyFitnessPal which really helps and we take J to the mall and walk for 30 minutes to an hour every day so I am getting some exercise. I think that eating well is a major part of feeling better and getting healthier though.
One thing we don’t eat a lot of in the winter is salad. It’s often too cold outside and I don’t want to have a salad. I’m looking for hot comfort foods. However, the last week we’ve hit 50 degrees several days and it’s been warm enough for us to want a salad. I made this flavorful Thai Chicken Salad with homemade Lime Ginger Dressing and it was totally delicious.
The base of the salad is lettuce, cabbage, and shredded carrots. Both my husband and I ate all of our salad which we don’t often do and I think it’s because the base is more like a chopped salad then anything else. There’s also red peppers, cilantro, and scallions in it. Then you simply add grilled or sauteed chicken and a handful of crunchy cashews.
The dressing was good too. It had equal parts sweet, salty, and tangy. I think a splash or Sriracha or other hot sauce would be good in it as well but I left that out for now because I wanted J to eat some of the chicken. I also added some crispy Asian noodles on top which added to the crunch factor. Overall this was a tasty and healthy entree salad that didn’t really need a side dish in order to fill us up.
- 1 lb. chicken breasts
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 t. garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- 2 c. shredded cabbage
- 2 c. lettuce, chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 3 carrots, grated
- 2 scallions, chopped
- ¼ c. cilantro, chopped
- ¼ c. cashews, chopped
- 4 T. lime juice
- 2 T. fish sauce
- 2 T. soy sauce
- 1 T. ginger, grated
- 1 t. chili sauce
- 1-2 T. honey
- 3 T. olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Crunchy Asian noodles
- Put the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Sprinkle the chicken with garlic, salt, and pepper. Place in the pan.
- Saute for 5-7 minutes per side or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees. Remove from pan and slice into strips.
- Combine all ingredients for the salad and divide between 4 plates.
- Top the salad with the chicken.
- Place all ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar. Screw on the top and shake for 30 seconds. Pour over salads.
- Top with crunchy noodles.
Healthy Recipes
- Balsamic Chicken Fettucine by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Barbecue Chicken Spaghetti Squash Boats by Kate’s Recipe Box
- Beef Black Rice Casserole by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower by Palatable Pastime
- Healthier Chicken Paprikash by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Lightened Up Green Goddess Dip by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Moroccan Pad Thai by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Thai Chicken Salads by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Turkey Burrito Bowls by Sweet Beginnings
Wendy Klik
I love main dish salads. This recipe is going on my to make list.
Cindy
Great Asian flavor going on here. I think I’d use the crunchy noodles too. just for fun!