Healthy & Satisfying Recipe: Fresh Southwestern-Style Salad

We like salad as much as the next person (read into that what you will), but we do prefer salads that are hearty and full of flavor—as opposed to a plain, ol’ plate of lettuce with dressing from the back of the fridge. This Southwestern salad doesn’t take long to assemble and is the perfect meal for days when you need a lunch that really tides you over ‘til dinner or a dinner that isn’t too complicated after a long day. This protein-packed meal is so yummy and filling that you won’t even notice you’re eating salad (unless you already love salad, in which case this is a really great choice)!

Southwestern Salad

Serves 2

 Ingredients

• 5 cups romaine lettuce
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 avocado, pitted, sliced
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1/3 cup Monterey jack cheese (low-fat optional)
• 1/3 cup Cheddar cheese (low-fat optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• seeded crackers, optional garnish

• 3/4 cup cilantro,
• 1/2 cup plain, Greek yogurt
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon until dark and crispy. Remove from pan and drain fat.
2. Heat olive oil and, once hot, grill chicken breasts. When cooked through, 5-8 minutes, flipping in the middle, remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a food processor, combine cilantro, yogurt, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pulse together while drizzling in olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
4. In a large bowl, toss lettuce, cheese, avocado, bacon and chicken with cilantro lime dressing. Mix well and serve with crackers if desired.

Low-Calorie Recipe: Honey Glazed Chicken Wings with Garlic Yogurt Dip

Chicken wings are always a favorite, but they get even more love and attention during sports season. Unfortunately, these spicy and zesty bites can sometimes do more harm than good when you’re watching tv and not paying attention to how many you’ve eaten, accidentally consuming way more calories than you anticipated. These Honey Lime wings are a nice change of pace because they deliver on flavor, but are grilled instead of fried; plus we paired them with a delicious yogurt dip that cools you down without weighing you down. Now all you have to worry about is where to watch the game!

Honey Lime Chicken Wings w/ Yogurt Dip

Yields approx. 18-20 wings

Ingredients

• 4.5 pounds chicken wings (18-22 wings)
• 1/4 cup all-natural honey
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons low-sugar sweet chili sauce
• salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon chives, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Remove and discard skin and wingtips from chicken wings, and season with salt and pepper.
2. In a bowl, mix your honey, lime juice and chili sauce. Place chicken wings in a large Ziploc bag and pour in honey lime mixture. Seal and shake bag to make sure every wing gets covered in sauce. Refrigerate 4-8 hours or overnight.
3. In a separate bowl, combine your Greek yogurt, garlic, chives, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and mix well. Set aside.
4. Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and grill, flipping occasionally and marinating as needed, until browned on all sides and completely cooked through.
5. Let cool, garnish with green onions and dipping sauce.