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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Enlightened Greek Salad with Chicken

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I do a lot of magazine reading. Not only do I subscribe to several, but my friend Juli also shares a bunch with me each month. Needless to say, I typically have a stack of magazines ready to be read at all times. There are some that I flip through, and others that I read word for word, cover to cover. Cooking Light definitely falls in the 'read every word' category. They offer fabulous recipes each month in addition to tons of interesting articles about cooking techniques and trends.

When a representative for Cooking Light contacted me and offered to send me one of their cookbooks, I couldn't say yes fast enough. As expected, the book that arrived was just as wonderful as the magazine. They couldn't have picked a better cookbook for me--The Complete Quick Cook--because I am always looking for ways to get healthy meals on the table amidst an incredibly hectic schedule.
I've flipped through the book several times already, each time getting excited about a new recipe to try. I wasn't asked to blog about this cookbook or review it, I simply feel the need to share because I am loving everything in it. You can expect to see a lot made from it in the future! Up first was their Enlightened Greek Salad, which I added chicken to in order to make it a little more filling. Chock full of fresh vegetables and tossed with a homemade dressing, this salad was both quick and healthy. Cooking Light for the win! If you're wary of using anchovies in the dressing, you can likely omit. I'd probably reduce the amount of paste next time, I found it a bit "fishy" (Ryan, on the other hand, couldn't even taste it). I love the saltiness of Greek salads, thanks to the olives and feta, and this one did not disappoint!

Two Years Ago: Sweet Potato Bread

Enlightened Greek Salad with Chicken
slightly adapted from Cooking Light The Complete Quick Cook


Ingredients:
for the salad-
-8 cups torn romaine lettuce
-1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
-3/4 cup (1/8-inch thick) red onion slices, separated into rings
-1/2 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
-8 drained canned artichoke hearts, rinsed and coarsely chopped
-1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
-cooked & shredded chicken (1-2 breasts)

for the dressing-
-1 canned anchovy fillet (or 1/2 to 1 tsp anchovy paste)
-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
-2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1/4 tsp dried dill
-1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
-1 garlic clove, pressed

Directions:
1. First, make the dressing. Mash anchovy fillet in a small bowl with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until blended. (Can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 1 week).
2. To make the salad, combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss.