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Mediterranean grilled chicken salad loaded with fresh veggies and finished off with a simple lemon Dijon dressing! Meal prep this healthy salad ahead of a busy week, or throw together for a quick, wholesome dinner. This easy and delicious meal comes together in just 20 minutes.

lemon dijon dressing being poured over mediterranean grilled chicken salad.

What You’ll Need to Make Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad

Chicken Breasts – Take either two large chicken breasts and slice then into four thin cutlets, or buy four pre-sliced chicken cutlets from the store. A thinner piece of chicken cooks up faster, and locks in more flavor than whole chicken breasts.

Dried Oregano – This dried herb is commonly found in mediterranean recipes, which is exactly why we use it on both the chicken and in the dressing. If you don’t have any dried oregano in your pantry, I highly recommend you get some. It adds tons of delicious flavor to this salad recipe!

Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice tastes incredible in this lemon Dijon dressing. However, if you don’t have lemon juice, you can replace it with an equal amount of red wine vinegar.

Feta Cheese – Feta is perfectly salty and creamy in this grilled chicken salad. Add as much to your salad as your heart (or tastebuds) desire. Or, if you don’t like feta, you can use crumbled goat cheese instead.

Fresh Mint – Just a little bit of fresh mint takes this easy salad recipe over the top! Mint is another ingredient commonly found in Mediterranean recipes, and brings out the fresh flavors in this dish. Never tried mint in a salad before? Just trust me, it’s so so so good! But if you simply don’t like mint, try fresh chopped parsley instead.

close-up image of mediterranean grilled chicken salad in a bowl.

How to Grill Chicken

  • Start by seasoning your chicken very well with salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and garlic powder.
  • Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, or around 400° Fahrenheit.
  • Once preheated, place the chicken on the grill and leave to cook, without touching it, for about 4-6 minutes.
  • Then, flip each chicken breast, and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes on the other side.
  • Remove chicken from the grill and let rest on a cutting board while you prepare the rest of your grilled chicken salad.
mediterranean grilled chicken salad in a bowl with lemon dijon dressing on the side.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Dairy-Free: Either leave out the feta, or use your favorite non-dairy feta.I highly recommend this VioLife Vegan Feta – it’s delicious!

Make it Vegan: For a vegan summer salad recipe, take the dairy-free option above, then replace the grilled chicken with either grilled tofu or grilled cauliflower steaks.

overhead image of mediterranean grilled chicken salad in a bowl with fresh mint on the side.
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Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad

Mediterranean grilled chicken salad loaded with fresh veggies and finished off with a simple lemon Dijon dressing! Meal prep this healthy salad ahead of a busy week, or throw together for a quick, wholesome dinner. This easy and delicious meal comes together in just 20 minutes.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 1-2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut or pounded thin
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

For the lemon Dijon dressing:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice, or red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the salad:

  • 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 English cucumber, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
  • Pat chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then season with the salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and onion powder.
  • Grill 4-6 minutes per side, or until cooked through, then let rest on a cutting board while you prepare the rest of the salad.
    grilled chicken on a plate
  • Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
    all salad ingredients in a bowl
  • Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss. Then, slice your chicken and add to the salad. Finish off the salad with a drizzle of dressing, then serve immediately.
    lemon dijon dressing whisked together in a measuring cup

Notes

  • If not eating right away, prepare the salad without the dressing, then add the dressing right before serving.
  • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

    These summer rolls are loaded with fresh, crunchy vegetables and served with a savory peanut sauce! In just 20 minutes you’ll have a fun and healthy lunch or snack.

    overhead image of peanut dipping sauce on a serving platter with sesame seeds on the side.

    What are Summer Rolls?

    Summer rolls are a traditional Vietnamese side dish. They’re an assortment of vegetables wrapped in rice paper. Think of them like a sushi roll, but instead of rice and seaweed, you just wrap everything up in a thin sheet of rice paper.

    Summer rolls are most commonly served (and best served) with a side of savory peanut dipping sauce. The peanut sauce is honestly my favorite part. I could drink that stuff straight up. Creamy peanut putter, soy sauce, and fresh ginger come together in the most incredible, flavorful way possible! Dipping these summer rolls loaded with crisp, fresh veggies into luscious peanut sauce is nothing short of a dream come true. Guys, you gotta give this recipe a try. They’re vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free!

    summer rolls being dipped into peanut sauce.

    What You Need To Make Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce

    Rice Wrappers – You’d be surprised by how easy rice wrappers are to find! I often locate them in the ethnic/asian aisle of my grocery store. And if all else fails, I can always find them at my local asian markets. If you’re not familiar with rice wrappers, they look sort of like a thinner tortilla. When you remove them from their packaging you’ll find that they’re dry and stiff. Though they simply need a bit of water to help rehydrate them for this recipe. Try not to overthink the process, follow the steps in the recipe below to prepare your rice wrappers.

    Tofu – Tofu is an incredible source of protein and contains all nine essential amino acids! It also just sort of takes on the taste of whatever else you’re eating it with. In this case, the tofu soaks up the peanut sauce, which is DELICIOUS. Not only is tofu super easy to come by these days, but it’s super cheap too.

    Peanut Butter – To me, peanut butter is typically only ever associated with sweet recipes. Though we turn the tables here by adding savory ingredients such as soy sauce and rice vinegar to create this peanut butter-based sauce. I prefer creamy peanut butter for a smoother sauce, though chunky works too. Just please, whatever you do, make sure the peanut butter you use has NO added sugar! Any sugar in the peanut butter would completely throw off the balance of flavors in this delicious sauce.

    summer roll sliced in half on a plate, with cucumber, carrots, and tofu inside.

    Adjust This Recipe

    • Make it Nut-Free: For a nut-free sauce, replace the peanut butter with tahini.
    • Add Shrimp: Make my shrimp spring rolls recipe instead!
    • The types and amounts of vegetables and herbs are simply suggestions – you can swap or remove anything you like!
    summer rolls with peanut dipping sauce on a plate.
    5 from 1 vote

    Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

    These summer rolls are loaded with fresh, crunchy vegetables and served with a savory peanut sauce! In just 20 minutes you’ll have a fun and healthy lunch or snack.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings

    Ingredients

    • 12 spring roll rice wrappers
    • 14 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced into about 12 sticks
    • 1 cup julienned carrots
    • 2 cups julienned cucumber
    • 1 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced
    • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
    • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
    • 1/4 cup green onion, sliced

    For the peanut sauce:

    • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, optional
    • 1 garlic clove, grated
    • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
    • 2-3 tablespoons warm water

    Instructions

    • Fill a shallow bowl with warm water, submerge one sheet of rice wrapper in water for about 5 seconds then transfer to a clean, damp dish towel.
    • Place filling in the center of wrapper and fold the end closest to you over the filling, then tuck sides in and towards the center, finish rolling to create a sealed summer roll. Repeat with remaining rice wrappers.
    • Make the sauce by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking until completely smooth.
    • Serve summer rolls with peanut dipping sauce and enjoy!

    Notes

  • Change up the filling ingredients however you’d like, use up whatever leftover fresh veggies you have on-hand!
  • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

    More Healthy Vegan Recipes You’ll Love

    Fresh and delicious watermelon salad! This easy summer side dish is finished off with a tangy 3-ingredient lime dressing. Make this watermelon salad with feta, mint, and lime for your next summer party or barbecue!

    close-up image of watermelon salad with mint, feta, and lime

    What You’ll Need to Make Watermelon Salad

    Watermelon – Fresh watermelon is in peak season from May through September, so get your watermelon fix in while you can! Need help with how to cut a watermelon? Follow my step-by-step how to cut a watermelon post here. Or, save some time and buy pre-cut watermelon from the store.

    Cucumber – Half an English cucumber adds to the freshness of this delicious summer salad. Dice or slice your cucumber however you’d like for this recipe.

    Red Onion – Thinly sliced red onion adds a nice, tangy bite to this sweet and savory salad. However, if you’re not a fan of raw onion, you can totally leave this out.

    Feta – Add as much or as little crumbled feta to your salad as you’d like! Feta is deliciously creamy and salty, and tastes incredible in this watermelon salad recipe.

    Mint – Fresh mint takes this salad over the top! Not sure mint in a salad will taste good? Just give it a try, trust me.

    Lime Juice – The acidity in fresh lime juice brings out the freshness of all ingredients in this dish. A 3-ingredient lime dressing may sound simple, but it does a lot for this salad!

    lime dressing being poured over watermelon salad.

    Tips and Tricks

    • Feel free to prep this salad ahead of time! Make the salad, then whisk together the dressing, and store them separately. When ready to serve, pour lime dressing over the salad and enjoy.
    • Have fun with this watermelon salad, and customize it however you’d like. Add or remove any ingredients you prefer. I’ll sometimes add a small handful of chopped pistachios to this salad, and it’s delicious!

    Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Dairy-Free/Vegan: Either leave out the feta, or use your favorite vegan feta (I recommend VioLife Vegan Feta) for a vegan watermelon salad!

    Watermelon Salad with Feta, Mint, and Lime

    3 from 2 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Course: SidesDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    3

    servings
    Prep time

    10

    minutes
    Cooking time

    0

    minutes
    Total time

    10

    minutes

    Fresh and delicious watermelon salad! This easy summer side dish is finished off with a tangy 3-ingredient lime dressing. Make this watermelon salad with feta, mint, and lime for your next summer party or barbecue!

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups watermelon, cubed

    • 1/2 English cucumber, diced

    • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

    • 1 cup feta, crumbled

    • 1/2 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped

    • For the lime dressing:
    • 1/4 cup olive oil

    • 2 tablespoons lime juice

    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    Directions

    • Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and gently toss to combine.
    • In a separate small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.
    • Dress this watermelon salad right before serving.

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    Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

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    A lighter, but just as delicious skinny strawberry margarita! Shake up one of these ice cold cocktails at your next Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, or summer party. Made with fresh-squeezed juice, good quality tequila, and fresh strawberries for an incredibly light and refreshing cocktail!

    skinny strawberry margarita being poured from a cocktail shaker into a glass.

    What You’ll Need To Make A Skinny Strawberry Margarita

    Strawberries – Fresh (not frozen) strawberries are a perfect fruity addition to this classic cocktail! Slice off the tops of your strawberries, then gently muddle them in the bottom of your drink glass. Last, pour your shaken skinny margarita on top and give it a gentle stir to incorporate.

    Lime Juice – Fresh-squeezed lime juice is best in any margarita recipe. However, if you’re short on time, or making a large batch of these, go ahead and use bottled lime juice instead. Though when picking a bottled lime juice, make sure it has just one ingredient – limes – no added sugar, please!

    Orange Juice – Just like the lime juice, fresh-squeezed orange juice is best, and healthiest in this recipe. Most traditional margarita recipes have some sort of orange liquor which packs in extra calories and sugar. So by replacing the liquor with fresh-squeezed orange juice, we effectively turn this into a “skinny” cocktail!

    Agave Nectar – Another key component to this skinny strawberry margarita recipe. The agave nectar replaces simple syrup, with a very similar taste and sweetness! Though if you don’t have agave nectar, you can use honey or simple syrup to sweeten your drink instead.

    skinny strawberry margarita in a glass with fresh strawberries and lime wedges on top.

    Tips and Tricks

    • Craving a frozen strawberry margarita? Place all ingredients (strawberries, tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar) in a blender with a small handful of ice! I love making a whole pitcher of frozen margs for friends and family on hot summer days.
    • If you don’t own a fancy-shmancy muddler, simply use the end of a mixing spoon to muddle your strawberries instead. Preferably one with a wide, flat end – but really anything that allows you to press and crush your strawberries will do!
    • Switch up this summer cocktail recipe however you’d like! Rim the glass with just salt, or just sugar, based on your preferences. You could even muddle in some fresh mint leaves to make it even more refreshing! Or for a skinny blackberry margarita, check out my recipe here.
    overhead image of a skinny strawberry margarita in a glass.

    Make It A Mocktail

    For a virgin strawberry margarita, replace the tequila with 2 ounces of tonic or sparkling water!

    Skinny Strawberry Margarita Recipe

    3 from 4 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    1

    serving
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    0

    minutes
    Total time

    5

    minutes

    A lighter, but just as delicious skinny strawberry margarita! Shake up one of these ice cold cocktails at your next Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, or summer party. Made with fresh-squeezed juice, good quality tequila, and fresh strawberries for an incredibly light and refreshing cocktail!

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon sugar

    • 1 teaspoon salt

    • lime wedge

    • 3-5 strawberries, stems removed

    • 2 ounces tequila

    • 3 tablespoons lime juice

    • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

    • 1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar

    Directions

    • Mix sugar and salt together on a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip rim into sugar and salt mixture.
    • Place strawberries at the bottom of the glass and muddle until crushed, then fill the glass with ice.
    • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add in tequila. lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar. Secure lid and shake for 30 seconds, then strain into glass. Gently stir to combine muddle strawberries and shaken margarita.

    Recipe Video

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    Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

    Like this recipe?

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    Perfectly cooked and seasoned blackened salmon, served over coconut rice with a fresh pineapple salsa! This delicious dinner recipe is surprisingly easy to make, and comes together in about 30 minutes. It’s full of flavor, super healthy, and will quickly become a family favorite!

    close-up image of three blackened salmon fillets on a plate.

    What You’ll Need to Make Blackened Salmon with Coconut Rice and Pineapple Salsa

    Salmon – I prefer either atlantic or king salmon fillets for this recipe! Those varieties are thicker, and cook up perfectly flaky and tender. Another common type of salmon you’ll find at most grocery stores is sockeye salmon. However, sockeye is very lean, and doesn’t have nearly as much flavor as atlantic or king salmon.

    Fresh Pineapple – Peel, core, and finely dice fresh pineapple for your pineapple salsa! Pineapple is perfectly tangy and sweet, which helps to balance out the savory and spicy components of the rest of this dish. Not a pineapple fan? Try one cup of fresh diced mango instead.

    White Rice – Make sure you use a long grain white rice for this coconut rice recipe. Any other type of rice won’t cook the same. I love this organic long grain white rice – it’s delicious! Though if you’re looking for a grain free option, sauté up some cauliflower rice in about a tablespoon of coconut oil, instead.

    Blackened Seasoning – Sure, you can buy blackened seasoning from the store, but it’s just as easy to make yourself at home! It’s a simple blend of six spices, which you likely already have on-hand. And this way, when you make this blackened salmon seasoning blend yourself, you have complete control over the flavors. Feel free to add in as much or as little of each spice as you’d like!

    close-up image of blackened salmon served over coconut rice with pineapple salsa on top.

    Tips and Tricks

    • Not sure if your salmon is cooked through? Check by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of one of the salmon fillets. If the thermometer reads a minimum of 120° Fahrenheit, then your salmon is fully cooked and ready to eat!
    • Avoid heating your skillet to too high a temperature before cooking the salmon. I know this recipe is for blackened salmon, but we mostly achieve that blackened look through the seasonings we use. Not by cooking at a high temperature, which could easily burn and overcook our salmon fillets.
    • Switch up this recipe anyway you’d like! If you don’t like salmon, you can replace it with whatever fish you prefer. Blackened mahi mahi, halibut, or even red snapper would all taste delicious!
    overhead image of a blackened salmon bowl with pineapple salsa and coconut rice on the side.

    This Blackened Salmon Recipe is…

    Blackened Salmon with Coconut Rice and Pineapple Salsa

    5 from 1 vote
    Recipe by Samantha Course: MainDifficulty: Medium
    Servings

    4

    servings
    Prep time

    10

    minutes
    Cooking time

    20

    minutes
    Total time

    30

    minutes

    Perfectly cooked and seasoned blackened salmon, served over coconut rice with a fresh pineapple salsa! This delicious dinner recipe is surprisingly easy to make, and comes together in about 30 minutes. It’s full of flavor, super healthy, and will quickly become a family favorite!

    Ingredients

    • For the pineapple salsa:
    • 1 cup finely diced fresh pineapple

    • 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

    • 1/4 cup finely diced red onion

    • 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

    • 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped

    • 1 tablespoon lime juice

    • 1/4 teaspoon salt

    • For the coconut rice:
    • 2 cups long grain white rice

    • 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk

    • 1 1/4 cup coconut water, or plain water

    • pinch of salt

    • For the blackened seasoning:
    • 3 tablespoons smoked paprika

    • 1 teaspoon salt

    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

    • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

    • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

    • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

    • pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

    • For the salmon:
    • 4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets

    • 2 tablespoons avocado oil

    Directions

    • Start by making the pineapple salsa by adding all salsa ingredients to a bowl and mixing to combine. Set aside, leaving the flavors to develop and intensify while you prepare the rest of this dish.
    • Now, make the coconut rice by adding all coconut rice ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring rice to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
    • While the rice cooks, prepare the blackened seasoning by adding all seasoning ingredients to a small bowl and mixing to combine.
    • Pat salmon fillets dry with a paper towel, then sprinkle flesh side with blackened seasoning.
    • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once oil is hot, place salmon fillets in skillet, flesh side down, and cook 2-3 minutes. Then, flip salmon and cook 6-7 minutes, or until internal temperate of salmon reaches 120° Fahrenheit.
    • Divide the coconut rice between four bowls, place a salmon fillet into each bowl, then top the bowls with pineapple salsa.

    Recipe Video

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