Whether eating at a restaurant or making it at home, a savory salad packed with fresh ingredients is one of my absolute favorite things to eat. There are so many different flavors and textures you can layer in a salad, making it a fun and creative process. Salads sometimes get a bad rap for being boring and flavorless, hence labeled “rabbit food,” but that’s not the kind of salad you’ll be served from my kitchen!
Salads can actually be one of the most delicious, nutrient-packed dishes you can make with the endless possibilities of ingredient combinations. It’s one of many reasons why I love them! I often find inspiration just walking through the produce section of the grocery store, with an abundant variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to choose from. Oftentimes, salad toppings are supplied on the periphery of the produce aisles with nuts, dried berries, croutons, and other options readily available and easy to find. In many grocery stores, there are chilled salad dressings ready to go in the refrigerated section with the pre-packaged salad mixes. I have discovered some very tasty ones from this section, including the one in this recipe!
To add a little protein, hit up the deli section for your protein and cheese, making it a quick, grab and go grocery run for this dish. Many times, the deli area will have rotisserie chicken that is freshly shredded and pre-packaged, ready to go. For those of you who are gluten-free, this salad is right up your alley! It contains nuts instead of croutons along with a delicious, gluten-free dressing.
Ingredients:
– 1 package triple-washed mixed greens
-1/2 red pear
-1/2 c. fresh raspberries
-1/2 avocado
-1/3 c. crumbled blue cheese
-1/4 c. honey-roasted pecan pieces
-2/3 c. shredded rotisserie chicken
-Marie’s White Balsamic Shallot Vinaigrette (gluten free)
-1 tsp lime juice
-dash salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Wash the produce thoroughly.
- Place pre-washed mixed greens in a salad bowl.
- Slice the read pear and avocado and set aside.
- Drizzle the avocado with a teaspoon of lime juice and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. This brightens and brings to life the flavor of the avocado!
- Combine ingredients and drizzle with Marie’s White Balsamic Shallot Vinaigrette.
This versatile salad works wonderfully for entertaining, or to indulge in as a hearty, nutrient-heavy, and flavorful lunch. It’s full of fiber, protein, and healthy fats to keep you full and satisfied for the remainder of your afternoon! (Makes 4 servings)
Nutrition Information
This salad is high in nutrients! Here is a bit of a nutritional breakdown for you:
Raspberries – high fiber, vitamins C, K, E, manganese, pantothenic acid, biotin, magnesium, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, and antioxidants.
Pears – high fiber, potassium, vitamin C.
Avocados – high fiber, potassium, vitamins K, A and B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, and mono-saturated fats which help lower cholesterol.
Mixed Greens – iron, potassium, vitamins A and C.
Pecans – 10% of RDV (recommended daily value) of fiber in 1 ounce, vitamins A, E, B vitamins, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.
Blue Cheese – vitamin B-12, calcium, phosphorus and protein. Eating blue cheese with a nutrient-rich meal helps increase vitamin and mineral absorption, just don’t go overboard with the helping per serving as it is a bit on the indulgent side with around 5 grams of saturated fat per 1/4 cup. Moderation is key – a little goes a long way with a rich kick of flavor, while still being calorie conscious.
Calorie Content
½ med pear: approx. 50 cal
½ medium avocado: approx. 120 cal
Mixed Greens: 40
1/2 c. raspberries: 32
¼ c. honey-roasted pecan pieces: 120 cal
1/3 c. Blue cheese: 157 cal
2/3 c. shredded rotisserie chicken: approx. 150
Marie’s White Balsamic Shallot Vinaigrette: 240 cal per ¼ cup
(Whole salad calories content: 907 calories / Split into 4 servings: approximately 227 calories per serving)
*to make 1 large, single serving salad for lunch with lighter calories, use ½ of the ingredients listed with produce, 1 tbsp pecan pieces, ¼ c. blue cheese, 1/3 c. chicken. Use 2 tbsp of the dressing with the calorie content clocking in at approximately 466 calories for a lunch that is packed with protein, healthy fats, and loaded with nutrients and fiber.