Broccoli Salad

Continuing with my holiday nostalgia, broccoli salad was one of those dishes from my past that still rocks my socks when I think about it. So how do we make it healthier? Again, ditch the mayo and go Greek!

This is lovely and tastes delicious because the cranberries add that sweet while the almonds and broccoli have that crunch. I surprised myself a bit because I actually like this flavor MORE than the past versions!

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Broccoli Salad

2+ cups broccoli florets

1/2 c. Dried cranberries

1/2 c. sliced or chopped almonds

2 strips turkey bacon - cooked and chopped

Dressing:

1/2 c. Greek yogurt

1 lemon - juiced

1/4 c. White vinegar

1 tsp. dried ground mustard

1 tbsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. onion powder

1/8 honey mustard dressing

Cut stems off florets and make sure pieces are small and bite sized. Mix dry ingredient together. 

Combine dressing ingredients and pour over dry ingredients. Stir and serve or cool in fridge.

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I actually didn't want to open a package of turkey bacon his for two pieces so I chopped up some salami pieces we already had. Still tastes awesome! The honey mustard dressing I used is Brianna's Organic which I love to the money. You need the sweet of it to balance out the vinegar. You could also use Dijon and honey if you don't have the dressing around. My mouth is happy!

Challenge Friendly: Max Phase only. Y'all know I suggest going easy on the dairy during your challenge so just keep that in mind!

Fridge Oatmeal

This is a re-post from my old Challenge blog.
Yes this is Challenge friendly and was my breakfast for 10-days! Lots of variations to try, too. Check out the Pinterest Challenge Board for a Chai version!

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The recipe and idea I based this off is Overnight, No-Cook Refrigerator Oatmeal from The Yummy Life.

I bought the Freezer Storage 8 oz. Ball Jars to use. LOVE the fact Ball makes jars in plastic now so they are light and the lids won't rust, of course! The grains I used are from my local Health Food store so they are organic and sold in bulk. Everything is mostly an estimate. The only time I really use "measuring" is when I need precise liquids.

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Fridge Oatmeal

1/8 c. Steel Oats
1/4 c. Rolled Oats
A Squirt of Agave (natural sweetener)
Fruit
Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

Throw in the grains. They should fill an 8 oz. cup about half way or so. Chop up a fruit (I used 1-2 strawberries) and add to the top. Squirt in agave (we aren't supposed to have sugars ... but plain ole oatmeal with no butter or sugar is pretty PLAIN). Fill the cup to almost full with the Almond Milk. Put the lid on; shake; put in the fridge for at least 10-12 hours. Grab from the fridge on your way out the door.

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Note: you can use all rolled oats too. No big deal!
Challenge Friendly: YES

Super Simple Tuna Salad

It's amazing how after you have retrained your palate, some foods just don't taste right anymore. Take Miracle Whip, for example. I grew up with that awesomeness on my bologna sandwiches, in my egg salad, tuna salad, potato salad ... and now I try to use it and it's waaaaaay to sweet and creamy! *sadness* BUT I have found ways around it by using Greek yogurt to add the creaminess to my dishes so I'm totally comfortable with the substitution. The only thing with yogurt is that you have to flavor it up a touch.

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Super Simple Tuna Salad

1 small can albacore tuna
1 tbsp. Greek yogurt
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dill (I <3 dill!!)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard (or just a squirt)
1 tbsp. sweet relish

Mix together. Place in tomato for lunch or throw into a wrap.

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I'm a pickle whore. I lovvvve pickle or relish in my cold salad mix and it not only adds flavor, but those 4 grams of sugar are enough to satiate my sweet tooth now.

You may catch a glimpse of cheese at the bottom of my wrap. It's not necessary! But I wanted it today (some habits die hard even if I'm not using Miracle Whip!). And there is a smear of hummus on the very bottom for some extra flavor.

No matter what: don't forget your veggies! It may be tempting to leave them off ... But your body needs them :)

Talapia and Mango Salad

I have a special love for raw, cold salads that include fruit and citrus based dressings. There's something about it that make me feel like I might be able sit outside and survive the dry summer if I shovel it into my mouth. But then again, probably not! I'll sit inside and enjoy it in the comfort of my AC, please.

This is a great combo that not only fills you up but helps you feel like you ate light and cool after a hot day in the sun.

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Simple Fish Marinade

2 full Talapia filets
1/4 cup EVOO
1 lime (cut and squeeze juice)
1-2 cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp. coriander
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. basil
1 tbsp. rosemary
1 tbsp. agave (optional)

Combine everything in a baggie or pan and let marinade for 1-24+ hours.

Warm frying pan on medium/high heat with a touch of EVOO and place filets in pan to cook. About 5-6 minutes each side. You want the filets to flake when they are done.

Cold Mango Salad

1 cucumber (skin on or off is your choice)
1/2 red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 orange pepper
1/2 green pepper
1 mango or 1 cup mango (frozen)
1/2 cup red onion
1 cup red cabbage (thinly sliced and diced - OPTIONAL)

1 lime (cut and squeeze juice)
1/8 cup EVOO
1/8 cup white vinegar
1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp. dill
1 tbsp. rosemary
1 tbsp. basil

Dice all the veggies and mango up and place in a sealable bowl with the marinade mixture above. Toss with lid on and let set in the fridge for at least 4 hours to let the juice and vinegar do its work flavoring the salad. Serve cold with fish.

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Some things to remember: when I cook I use approximate measurements. I'm really bad about pulling out my cups an spoons and generally eyeball based on how I know what I'm adding is going flavor a dish. So feel free to add or subtract to your taste. Generally, I'm actually not using as much EVOO as I think which is a good thing!

The red cabbage in the salad is a great way to bulk it up and keep it light with some crunch. I LOVE red cabbage after it's been soaking in a vinegar mix mmmmmmmm