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Ambrosia Salad Recipe

Ambrosia salad is one of the easiest and most delicious recipes you can make and take to a potluck or summer get-together.  Also known by several other names, including 5 Cup Salad and Ambrosia Fruit Salad, this delicious and moist side dish uses as little as five ingredients, and doesn’t require any cooking or baking! Perfect for non-foodie types who need a fast and easy dish to take to an event.

While there are many variations, the easiest Ambrosia Salad Recipe is included below.  This has been a family favorite of ours for over twenty years, and is a staple of our family get-togethers. It tastes best if made the night before and chilled. In the summer I make it with multi-coloured mini marshmallows and plain or peach yogurt instead of sour cream.  We serve it at barbecues and put it out as part of the main course, though it is more of a dessert item.

It is easy enough for a child or teenager to make – just remind them to drain off the juice from the cans of fruit (we learned that one the hard way.) This versatile coconut and fruit salad can be enjoyed all year round and ambrosia salad ingredients leave lots of room for substitutions.

Presented in a crystal glass bowl and garnished with red maraschino cherries, it becomes a festive Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert. It is easy to double or triple – and make lots, as everyone loves it.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Ambrosia Salad

1 cup light sour cream OR yogurt

1 cup mini marshmallows (plain or multi-colored)

1 250 gram bag of shredded unsweetened or sweetened organic coconut

1 can of mandarin oranges

1 can of diced pineapple

maraschino cherries to garnish.

Mix the yogurt and mini marshmallows together in a large mixing bowl.  Add the mandarin oranges and diced pineapple slowly, stirring them in well.  Don’t be alarmed if the mandarin oranges start to break up a little; the flecks of orange against the creaminess of the sour cream or yogurt looks very pretty. Fold in the shredded coconut, and combine gently. Pour into a large crystal serving bowl, or individual glass dishes.  Chill  in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.  Just prior to serving, garnish with maraschino cherries.  Refrigerate unused portions immediately and use within three days.

Best Yogurt Fruit Dip Recipes

Yogurt fruit dip or dressings makes a light end to a heavier meal, and is perfect for hot weather entertaining.

The first recipe uses oranges poached in a spicy liquid combined with fresh berries and yogurt for a delicious fruit salad recipe that is suitable for late summer or autumn meals.

The second recipe focuses on a flavored yogurt sauce to add a zesty flavor to fresh pineapple and grapes.  Adapt yogurt fruit dip recipes to your family’s tastes.  If you like lemon use it instead of lime, if you prefer honey to brown sugar as a sweetener, by all means add it to your non-fat plain yogurt.  Creamy yogurt styles such as Greek yogurt make excellent toppings for fresh fruit and granola, and can easily take the place of higher-fat traditional fruit cobblers.

Orange Berry Salad Yogurt Fruit Dip

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1 cup white wine OR water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 whole cloves

1 2 inch stick of cinnamon

2 oranges, pelled, seeded, and sectioned

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

roasted pumpkin seeds

Yogurt Fruit Dip Recipe:

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

2 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

How to Make Yogurt Fruit Dip:

Use a large saucepan to combine orange juice, wine, granulated sugar, ginger, cloves, and the cinnamon stick over high heat.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, simmering until it has thickened a little.  This will take about five minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Add the orange sections and continue simmering for about five minutes.  Remove the saucepan from heat and let the pan stand until it has cooled.

For yogurt fruit dip: use a small bowl to combine the yogurt, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix well and set aside.

Once the oranges have cooled, use a slotted spoon to remove the sections from the liquid.  Divide the orange sections between four bowls, and top with sliced fresh strawberries.  Drizzle yogurt fruit dip over the fruit and toss gently to coat.  Add roasted pumpkin seeds and serve.

 Pineapple Grape Salad with Kiwi Lime Yogurt Dip or Dressing

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

2 tbsp organic honey

1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1 large kiwi, peeled and halved

1 fresh pineapple

1 lb seedless green grapes

pistachio nuts

Use a blender or food processor to mix the honey, lime juice, and one half of the kiwi fruit.  Pulse until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.  Scrape the yogurt sauce out of the blender container into a small bowl, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.  To prepare the pineapple, use a sharp knife to remove the pineapple skin and eyes.  Cut the pineapple in half length-wise and cut out the core from each half.  Slice both halves into 1/2 inch thick pieces.  Wash the grapes and slice them in half.  Using a large serving platter, spoon half the yogurt sauce onto the platter.  Arrange the pineapple chunks and green grapes over the yogurt sauce.  Slice the remaining kiwi fruit into thin slices, and use as a garnish.  Sprinkle pistachio nuts over everything. Serve immediately.

Chicken with Mango Dressing

Wraps are a great option for families looking for healthy lunch recipes, and a good way to use up leftover chicken breasts and salad from a previous evening’s dinner. The variety of wraps are endless.  Choose a whole-wheat or roasted red-pepper tortilla for your wrap, or visit your local health food store for one of the new options such as flax, multi-grain or spinach wraps.  The flavor of the dressing you choose can also significantly change the flavor of the finished chicken wrap recipe.

Chicken wraps are also a healthy lunch choice for picky kids.  My toddler loves chicken and avocado wraps and especially this recipe that uses mango dressing and dried cranberries.  Experiment with flavored tortilla wraps, dressings, veggie choices, and seeds and nuts (sesame, sunflower and flaxseeds are good choices) to find the perfect combination that your kids enjoy. Children love to help in the kitchen, and learning how to make a chicken wrap recipe is  a good opportunity to teach your kids about making healthy food choices, measuring ingredients, and also safe food preparation -scrub those little hands well prior to handling poultry and all other ingredients! Some picky eaters become less finicky when they have prepared the food themselves.

 

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced thinly

one handful of romaine lettuce, shredded OR

one handful of mixed greens, including mustard greens and arugula

1/4 cup shredded carrots

6 grape tomatoes, sliced

2 green onions, chopped finely

3 tablespoons of homemade or commercially prepared Salad Dressing (see Mango Salad Dressing Recipe below)

3 tablespoons dried cranberries, either original or orange-flavored

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 large tortilla wraps

How to Make a Chicken Wrap:

Lay tortilla wraps flat on a large work surface or dinner plate.  Line each tortilla with romaine lettuce or mixed greens.  Place sliced chicken in a horizontal line about 1/3 of the way up the tortilla.  Add shredded carrots, grape tomatoes,  and chopped green onions over the chicken.  Sprinkle salad dressing over everything, and add dried cranberries and fresh cilantro leaves to taste.  Carefully roll up wraps and slice in thirds. Serve with a glass of low-fat organic milk or almond milk for a healthy lunch, or add some fruit and yogurt for a healthy dessert.

 

Easy Mango Salad Dressing Recipe

3 tablespoons organic freshly squeezed mango juice

3 tablespoons vinegar

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients together well in a glass bottle. Store in fridge for up to one week. That’s it – super easy!

This recipe serves two adults for lunch, or one adult and two children.  It can be easily doubled or tripled.  This make-ahead lunch recipe can be taken to work or school and stored in a cooled and insulated lunch bag.

 

Seven Layer Salad

When I was a little girl, my mother would make a Seven Layer Salad for special family dinners.  This salad is different from others in that it is best served in a clear glass bowl instead of the traditional wooden salad bowl – part of the appeal of this recipe is how pretty it looks when you can see all seven layers at once.

This seven layer salad recipe makes a good brunch dish with a couple of substitutions; instead of frozen peas use small frozen broccoli florets, and instead of (or in addition to) the green pepper, use 3/4 cup of chopped ham with the chopped green onions and black olives.

Mexican Seven Layer Salad

If you are looking for a Mexican Seven Layer Salad simply use 1/2 can of black beans (drained and rinsed) instead of the eggs,  corn instead of the peas, 1 cup of crumbled tortilla chips instead of the bacon, and 1 tsp dried chili powder instead of the dill.  A Christmas Seven Layer Salad is easily created by using 1/2 green pepper and 1/2 a red pepper (instead of one whole green pepper).  This make ahead layer salad tastes best when it is made the day before serving, and refrigerated for at least 24 hours.

There are many, many versions of layered salads, but this is a good starter recipe and the light yogurt salad dressing is easily adaptable to whatever vegetables, beans or other proteins you add.  As you can see, it is easy to start mix and matching various ingredients to make your own version of this layer salad; with a little practice you will soon have your very own family favorite!

Ingredients:

1/2 small head of iceberg lettuce

1/2 small head of romaine lettuce

6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

350 gram (12 ounce) bag of small frozen peas

1 green pepper, diced

7 green onions or 10 chives, chopped

1/2 cup sliced black olives

13 slices crisp fried bacon, crumbled

1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1/2 cup non fat yogurt

1 cup low-fat sour cream

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dill OR 1 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 tbsp granulated sugar

1 1/2 cup low-fat shredded Cheddar cheese

8 grape tomatoes, halved

Method:

Wash and dry lettuce leaves.  Chop into small pieces, and layer in the bottom of a large glass or crystal serving bowl OR a 9 x 13 glass Pyrex lasagna dish.  Layer sliced hard-boiled eggs over the lettuce, then the peas over the eggs.  Combine the chopped green pepper, onions and black olives in a small bowl, then spoon carefully over the layer of peas.  Use 9 of your 13 pieces of bacon to make the next layer.  Use a small bowl to combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, sour cream, pepper, dill and sugar.  Mix well.  Carefully spread over the salad and make sure you completely cover the salad.  Combine remaining bacon with shredded Cheddar cheese and sprinkle over the mayonnaise layer.  Cover with Saran wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.  Just prior to serving, garnish with grape tomatoes. This recipe makes 10 servings.

Brown Rice Salad

Brown rice is an unusual addition to a salad, but it works surprisingly well.  The nutty flavor and chewy texture complement the tropical fruits in this recipe, and adding colorful fruits make this a pretty cold dish to serve at a summer buffet. This combination of brown rice, fruits and lettuce provides an excellent source of vitamin C, B vitamins, and fiber from the brown rice to aid in digestion and keep your stomach feeling full.  Gradually introduce brown rice into your regular meals instead of refined white rice.  The refining process strips white rice of the many nutrients and minerals found in brown rice, which is a very good source of soluble fiber to help keep cholesterol levels low.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown rice

2 cups boiling water

3/4 cup sliced celery

1 can (10 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 cup pineapple chunks

12 black olives, pitted and sliced

2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

romaine lettuce leaves, whole strawberries, sunflower seeds

Ingredients for Dressing:

1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

3 tbsp orange juice concentrate

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp liquid honey

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Method:

Place two cups of water in a large saucepan and bring to boil.  Add the rice, reduce the heat to medium and cover.  Cook rice for about 45 minutes or until cooked through and there is no more water remaining.  Cool.

In a medium bowl, add the cooled cooked brown rice to the chopped celery, mandarin oranges, pineapple, black olives and pumpkin seeds.  Set aside.

To prepare the dressing, combine mayonnaise, orange juice, oil, lemon juice, honey and seasonings.  Pour over the salad and stir gently to mix the dressing in.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Use romaine lettuce leaves to line 6 plates.  Portion the rice salad equally amongst the plates and garnish with strawberries and sunflower seeds.

This recipe makes 6 servings of 289 calories each.  There are 2 grams of dietary fiber, 10 grams of fat, 42 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein in each serving.

Chicken Mango Salad with Cilantro Yogurt Dressing

Mango is the perfect foil for hot or spicy meats.  Its cool sweetness helps cut the pungency and adds interest to the palate and the plate.  As mangoes are becoming increasingly available at neighborhood grocers and supermarkets, North Americans are looking for easy ways to use it in their meal planning and cooking.  Raw mango is a delicious snack, and can be eaten by the slice, cubed for fruit salads, or pureed for use in smoothies. This recipe combines mango with dark leafy greens and poached chicken for a mouth-watering main meal. Prepare it for your next romantic dinner – it serves two.  It is a great way to use up leftover chicken that has been cooked earlier in the week – I always cook more than I will need so that I can use the leftovers in a soup or salad. If company is coming, simply double or triple the recipe so your guests can enjoy it too!

Ingredients:

1 cooked chicken breast, shredded with two forks

1 ripe mango

4 cups of mixed field greens, baby greens or mustard greens

1 stalk of celery, chopped

1/4 cup of whole or chopped walnuts

For Dressing:

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp horseradish mustard (1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard with 1 tsp horseradish)

2 tbsp organic or homemade yogurt

fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Method: For the Mango – How to Peel a Mango: Wash the mango, and hold it on its side.  Use a sharp knife to slice lengthwise about 1/3 of the way into the flesh, just avoiding the large pit.  Turn the mango over and do the same thing on the other side.  Then use the knife to make a criss-cross pattern across the skin without cutting through the flesh. Begin to pull on the skin – you will see a lot of diamond shapes starting to pop out – cut them off close to the peel and voila, you now have mango cubes to work with!

Once your mango is chopped, use a medium bowl and a wire whisk to combine all the dressing ingredients.  Wash and dry your salad greens and divide them between two large dinner plates.  Sprinkle chopped celery pieces over the mixed greens. Place the shredded chicken, walnuts, andmango cubes on each plate, and drizzle with dressing.  Serve with extra dressing in a small pitcher on the table. NOTE: pecans can be substituted in for the walnuts. The cilantro and mango make an excellent flavor combination.

 

Mexican Salad

Here is a great way to boost your protein intake without upping the fat content.  By using ground turkey instead of ground beef the fat is reduced, and using whole-wheat tortillas adds fiber.

Ingredients:

4 whole-wheat tortillas

1 generous tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced, or 2 tsp diced garlic in oi

1/2 pound or 250 grams of extra lean ground turkey

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 cup water

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

19 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 large head of romaine lettuce

1 red pepper, diced

Method:

Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the tortillas into quarters and bake in the oven on a cookie sheet for about 5 minutes or until crisp. Leave them to cool on the cookie sheet while you finish making the salad.  In a large frying pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat.  Cook the chopped onion until it is translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and keep stirring for another minute, then add the ground turkey and keep stirring, breaking up the turkey while it browns.  Once it has browned, add your seasonings – chili powder, cumin and oregano.  Mix it all in well.  Pour in the tomato paste, water, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, stirring well after each addition.  Add the black beans and reduce the heat to medium.  The beans need to be warmed, so stir occasionally for the next 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture is heated through.  While this is warming, wash and chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces.  Portion the lettuce out evenly between four dinner plates.  Add one quarter of the bean mixture to each plate, on top of the lettuce, and add the chopped red pepper to the top. Add a dollop of low-fat sour cream if desired, or a slice of lime or avocado.   Serve with a glass of milk and the baked tortillas for a balanced meal that your family will love.

This recipe serves four.  Each serving contains 369 calories, 22 grams of protein, 11 grams of fat, 12 grams of fiber and 49 grams of carbs.

Grape Salad Recipe

Grapes are wonderful fruits either on their own, with wine and cheese,  incorporated into a fruit salad dessert, or tossed in a chicken salad.  Here is a grape salad recipe that is perfect for hot summer days, either as a quiet meal for family or served at a weekend barbeque. The combination of cantaloupe, green grapes, blueberries and pineapple is absolutely delicious and also makes a nice breakfast fruit salad all on its own.

Chicken Grape Salad Recipe

Ingredients – Salad

3 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cut into cubes

torn lettuce leaves – use a mixture of romaine, mustard greens, and arugula

3/4 cup of diced pineapple

1 small cantaloupe made into melon balls

1 1/4 cups strawberries, rinsed and sliced

1 cup green grapes

1/2 cup blueberries

2 tbsp pecans

Ingredients – Dressing

1/4 cup vinegar

3 tbsp organic liquid honey

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp poppy seeds

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

 

Method

Set the chicken cubes in a large bowl.  In a separate medium sized bowl, use a wire whisk to combine the vinegar, honey, lime juice, poppy seeds and dry mustard.  Gradually pour in a thin stream of olive oil while whisking.  Once the dressing is mixed, pour 1/3 of the dressing into a small glass container.  With the remaining dressing, pour it over the chicken cubes, gently mixing it in so that the chicken is completely covered.  Cover the bowl of chicken with saran wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about one hour.  When you are ready to serve,  use six large plates and arrange lettuce leaves as a base on your plates.  Set the cantaloupe melon balls in a ring on each plate, with the diced pineapple forming  an inner ring.  Use a spoon to place a mound of chicken cubes in the center.  Use a separate medium sized bowl for the strawberries, green grapes and blueberries.  Pour the dressing in the glass container over the fruit and toss gently.  Place several spoons of the berry mixture over the chicken and other fruit on each plate. Garnish with pecans.

This recipe makes six servings with 426 calories each.  There are 2 grams of dietary fiber, 7 grams of fat, 31 grams of carbs and 24 grams of protein in each serving.  This dish makes a lovely summer main course, and can be served with a chilled summer soup and whole grain bread.  For dessert serve a light pumpkin custard and your food groups will be covered!

 

Arugula Salad Recipe

Arugula is a pungent leafy green that is a zesty addition to any salad.  While it can be used alone, it is best suited to being part of a selection of mixed greens including watercress and radicchio.  Try this salad as a side dish to grilled chicken or your favorite barbecued sirloin steak recipe.

Ingredients

4 cups mixed greens including arugula

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts

Salad Dressing Recipe

1/4 cup organic orange juice

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp grated orange zest

1/4 tsp grated lemon zest

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Method

Combine the arugula greens mix, red onions and alfalfa sprouts in your salad serving bowl.  Cover with saran wrap and chill in the refrigerator.  To make the salad dressing, use a separate small bowl and pour in the orange and lemon juices.  Add the chopped mint, sugar and the orange and lemon zest.  In (yet another) bowl, place sliced strawberries.  Pour the citrus juice mixture over the strawberries, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Just prior to serving, pour the strawberry mixture over the arugula mix and toss gently.  This recipe makes 6 servings of side salad with just 23 calories per serving.  There is 1 gram of fiber, 5 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein.  Strawberries and dark leafy green (or purple) vegetables such as arugula combine to be an excellent source of folic acid and vitamin C.

Substitutions: This recipe is a great opportunity to try new things.  Try mandarin oranges (drain them first) or pears for some or all of the strawberries.  If you aren’t a fan of alfalfa sprouts, check out the produce section of your favorite supermarket for new varieties of sprouts.  Radish and mustard sprouts are becoming increasingly available and provide a unique and punchy flavor to your salads. Add crumbled feta or blue cheese to make this salad a little more robust, and garnish with pine nuts or toasted pumpkin seeds.   Be sure to rinse all vegetables including sprouts carefully before using them in your salads.

Warm Thai Chicken Salad Recipe

This Thai Chicken Salad Recipe is perfect for entertaining on a hot summer weeknight.  Marinate the chicken in yogurt sauce, make the dressing and cook the potatoes the night before your dinner.  All you’ll have left to do is simply grill the chicken and prepare the plates.  Add a glass of wine or beer and some fruit and yogurt for dessert for a perfect summer evening.

Thai Chicken Salad Recipe Marinade:thai chicken salad recipe

1 cup organic or homemade yogurt

1/4 cup organic milk

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

freshly ground pepper

Ingredients for Thai Chicken Salad Recipe

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

6 medium red-skinned potatoes that have been cooked and quartered

6 cups leafy green mixed salad greens

Thai Chicken Salad Recipe: The Dressing

1/3 cup organic or homemade low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup organic peanut butter

1/4 cup sliced green onions

3 tbsp rice vineger

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp grated ginger

1 tbsp sherry

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp granulated sugar

1 clove garlic, minced, or 1 tsp chopped garlic in oil

1/4 tsp table salt

Red onion rings

green onions, sliced

cherry tomatoes, halved

Method:

Use a shallow glass dish to mix the ingredients for the marinade.  Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, spooning some over each piece.  Cover with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

To make the dressing, use a blender or food processor and place all ingredients into the container.  Puree until smooth.  Pour into a glass container, cover and refrigerate.  This will keep well for about 24 hours.

Remove the chicken from the fridge and discard the marinade.  Grill each piece (or broil it) until it is no longer pink inside.  Add the cooked quartered potatoes for the last 8 minutes or so of barbecuing.  Remove the chicken from the grill and slice it diagonally into thin strips.  Place one generous handful of mixed greens on 6 large dinner plates. Arrange the chicken slices and potato quarters on each bed of greens. Place two to three red onion rings on each plate, and sprinkle green onions over top. Garnish with several cherry tomato halves. Drizzle with peanut dressing and serve.  Your guests will be impressed!

This Thai Chicken Salad Recipe serves six.  There are 400 calories per serving, 4 grams of dietary fiber and 42 grams of carbs.  The peanut butter and chicken provide a whopping 35 grams of protein, and there are 11 grams of fat.  Choose low-fat yogurt to reduce the fat content.