I love a good salad. I like it better when someone else makes it. 😉 So when I decide to make a salad, I tinker with it until I want to eat it and my mouth waters when I think about eating it. Not only do I relish eating this salad, but I can get 2-3 other requests from my family to make this when I do.
When making this salad, it is time intensive. However, I’ve found that I can make salads ahead and put them in the fridge for meals in the next 3 days. If you are in a larger city with more grocery selection, you may even find short cuts to cutting up all the veggies. For me, the bonus of cutting up all the vegetables is that I know I will munch on them as I work, a nutritious reward for all the work.
This salad makes a great lunch for work. It is healthy and fun to eat.
Asian Inspired Salad
Ingredients:
1 uncooked chicken loin + 1 tsp. canola oil
or 1/3 c. precooked rotisserie chicken, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
1 c. romaine lettuce, sliced thinly
1/2 c. cabbage, sliced very thinly with strips no longer than 1″
1/2 medium sized carrot, julienned and cut into pieces no longer than 1″
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced and diced into 1/4″ pieces
1 table onion, sliced 1/4″ thick on the diagonal
1 T. sesame seeds
1/4 c. salad dressing (see below)
Recipe Instructions:
If you have an uncooked chicken loin, measure out 1 tsp. of canola oil and preheat a small skillet on low. Move the oil around to fry the chicken and keep it from sticking. Watch for the oil to shine. When it is shiny, add the chicken loin. Cover the skillet with a lid. When there is a crust on the bottom of the chicken loin, flip it over to create a crust on the top side. Continue to fry the chicken loin until the internal temperature is 165* (I highly recommend a food thermometer. If you don’t have one, make a small cut in the chicken and check that the juice runs clear and the meat is not pink.). When the meat is cooked through, turn off the stove, remove chicken from the skillet and let rest for 5 minutes.
Work through the vegetables by washing, cutting and/or julienne. Find a glass bowl or container that will hold 4 cups. Starting from the romaine, measure each vegetable and place it at the bottom of the bowl. Next, add the cabbage. You will be creating layers in your salad. Continue to add the carrot, bell pepper and table onion.
For the salad dressing, read below. When salad dressing is mixed up, put it in a 1/2 c. container with a lid if saving salad for later or add to your salad for immediate eating.
If eating right away, top with sesame seeds to give it a delightful crunch. If waiting for later, place in a separate tiny container or snack bag for later use.
If saving for later, make sure each of the three containers is sealed up for future use to retain the best flavor. Place the salad in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Asian Inspired Salad Dressing
Ingredients:
4 oz. of firm tofu
2 Tbsp. of Bragg’s amino acids (or soy sauce)
1 1/2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. flax seed
2 tsp. sriracha
2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 t. ginger
6 drops of clear stevia
1/4 c. water
Recipe Instructions:
For the tofu, press the tofu water out of the tofu before blending. In a blender (if you have a glass attachment for your blender, it works wonderfully), measure in all the above ingredients. Blend for 20 seconds. The salad dressing should be thick and well mixed (no tofu chunks). Place in a lidded container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
