Category: Salad

5 points

Yield:  6 servings

Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic

Steak:
Cooking spray
1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, trimmed
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

Salad:
3 cups trimmed watercress (about 2 bunches)
1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup julienne-cut carrot
2 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir well with a whisk.

To prepare steak, heat a large nonstick skillet or grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Rub both sides of steak with pepper. Add steak to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; place on a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Place steak in a bowl. Drizzle with half of dressing, and toss well.

To prepare salad, combine watercress and next 5 ingredients (watercress through carrot) in a large bowl. Drizzle with remaining dressing, and toss well. Divide salad evenly among 6 plates; arrange steak evenly over salad. Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon peanuts.

CALORIES 230 (40% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 4g,mono 4.2g,poly 0.9g); IRON 3.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 57mg; CALCIUM 68mg; CARBOHYDRATE 9.5g; SODIUM 327mg; PROTEIN 25.1g; FIBER 2g

3 points

Yield: 8-10 servings

• 2 (15 1/2 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 c frozen yellow corn kernels
• 1 c diced red bell pepper
• 1/3 c finely diced sweet onion
• 1/2 lb. peeled steamed shrimp
• 1/3 c fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Pour the beans into a colander.  Pour the still frozen corn on top of the beans and rinse well into cool tap water.  Drain well.  Pour the beans and corn into a 3 qt bowl.  Add the red bell pepper and diced onion.  Cut the shrimp into bite-size pieces and add to the bowl.

To make the dressing, drop the cilantro onto the moving blade of a blender or food processor.  Add the vinegar, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Scrape down the sides, and, with the motor running on high, pour the oil through the feed tube in a slow drizzle, and blend until well incorporated.

Drizzle over the bean salad and toss to mix well. Serve at once or chill until ready to serve.

Calories: 159, Fat: 5, Fiber: 6

4 points

Look for a mix of red, purple, and brown-skinned fingerling potatoes, so named because of their oblong shapes, to prepare this stunning salad. If you can’t find them, substitute small red potatoes. You can serve this dish at room temperature just after it’s tossed together, or make it ahead, refrigerate, and serve chilled.

Yield:  6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
2 pounds fingerling potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
3/4 cup vertically sliced red onion
3/4 cup diced zucchini
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Place corn and potatoes on a jelly-roll pan. Drizzle vegetables with 1 tablespoon oil; toss to coat. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Place mixture in a large bowl. Combine tarragon and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Drizzle potato mixture with dressing; toss gently to coat.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and zucchini to pan; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini mixture and tomatoes to potato mixture; toss gently to combine.

CALORIES 198 ; FAT 6.6g (sat 0.9g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.7g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 28mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.7g; SODIUM 438mg; PROTEIN 4.5g; FIBER 3.8g; IRON 1.4mg

4 points

Yield:  6 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

I had trouble finding bulgur, so used some other whole grains and it worked out fine.  I wanted more flavor, but that is partly my aging taste buds.  Vinegar?  Brown sugar?  Also, my nectarines weren’t quite ripe enough…

1 cup uncooked bulgur
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced nectarines (about 3)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped pistachios

1. Combine bulgur and 1 cup boiling water in a large bowl. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Stir in nectarines and remaining ingredients except nuts; toss well. Sprinkle with nuts.

CALORIES 188 ; FAT 9g (sat 1.2g,mono 5.9g,poly 1.4g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 24.7g; SODIUM 307mg; PROTEIN 4.2g; FIBER 5.7g; IRON 1.2mg

8 points (technically – must be from the fish))
If you can’t find arctic char, substitute another sustainable option like Alaskan salmon. I used tuna.

Yield:  4 servings

4 (6-ounce) arctic char fillets
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
5 cups loosely packed arugula
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (replaced with pepitas)
added: fresh tarragon – which was amazing, and fresh chopped chives

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fillets evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fillets to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn fillets over; cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove fish from pan; loosely cover, and keep warm. Wipe pan clean with paper towels.

2. While fish cooks, place vinegar in a medium bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk. Stir in shallots.

3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; sauté for 3 minutes or until tomatoes soften. Add tomatoes and herbs to vinaigrette; toss to combine.

4. Arrange 1 1/4 cups arugula on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 fillet. Spoon about 1/2 cup tomato mixture over each salad, and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons nuts.

CALORIES 342 ; FAT 20.5g (sat 3.7g,mono 10.4g,poly 4.8g); CHOLESTEROL 80mg; CALCIUM 72mg; CARBOHYDRATE 5.9g; SODIUM 522mg; PROTEIN 33.1g; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 1.5mg