Main Course Salads

The high yesterday was 97! It was definitely a day for salads. What better way to make dinner refreshing than to serve a cool main course salad? The great thing about a pretty plate of salad greens is that you can arrange the other ingredients on top to make an impressive presentation. Eye appeal is always important; however, it is even more so when appetites are dulled by hot, humid weather. A little fresh baked or toasted wholewheat bread will round out the menu.
I am listing some of my favorites below, but the combinations of greens, vegetables, toppings and dressing are endless. Experiment!

Blackened Tilapia Topped Salad
When I worked in Atlanta, I often had a similar salad at a favorite haunt. I do not remember the exact ingredients except that the blackened fish was surrounded with apples, garnished with walnuts and served with a sort of sweet dressing. I came up with this:

4 cups colorful salad greens (I like spring mix)
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Lime Vinaigrette Dressing (below)
1 apple, cored and sliced into thin wedges
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Blackening Spice (below)
1 pound Tilapia filets (about 4)
Cooking Spray
Olive Oil
1/2 cup pecan or walnut halves

Toss the salad greens, cucumber, tomatoes and onion with 3 tablespoons of the Lime Vinaigrette Dressing. Divide the salad among 4 dinner plates. Meanwhile, toss the apple slices with the lemon juice to keep them from browning. Set aside.

Rub the Tilapia filets with the spice mixture. Spray a heavy cast iron skillet with the cooking spray and heat until it begins to smoke. Cook the filets 1-2 minutes per side or until the fish is opaque. If you need to, add a bit of olive oil to keep them from sticking.
Top each salad with a Tilapia filet. Arrange the apple slices around the fish. Sprinkle with the pecans. Sprinkle each salad with a tablespoon of Lime Vinaigrette.

Blackening Spice
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Lime Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
3 tablespoons measures-like-sugar sweetener
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Pepper
Pinch of salt, optional
Whisk together the lime juice, lime zest, honey and mustard. Slowly add the vegetable oil in a stream whisking constantly. Season to taste with pepper and salt, if using, to taste.

Grilled Chicken Topped Caesar Salad

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 heads Romaine lettuce, coarsely torn
2 tomatoes, cut into 16 wedges
Caesar Dressing (below)
wholewheat croutons (below)

Pound the chicken breasts with a meat mallet until a bit thin, but not as thin as for a scallopini. Mix the remaining ingredients in a shallow container and add the chicken. Marinate 4 hours or so in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile toss the lettuce and tomatoes in a large bowl with enough dressing to coat, but not enough to make the salad soggy. Divide the salad among 4 plates.

Grill the chicken breasts on a charcoal grill or under the broiler (5 inches from the heat) until done, turning once–about 6 minutes per side. Cut the cooked breast into strips, but not all the way through. (The idea is to keep the breasts intact.) Using spatula, top each salad with a chicken breast. Drizzle each breast with a bit of dressing and garnish the salad with croutons.

Caesar Dressing
1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Juice of one lemon
3 drops of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup liquid egg substitute
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the garlic, lemon juice Worcestershire sauce and egg substitute in a medium bowl. Whisk until well blended. Drizzle in the olive oil a bit at time, whisking constantly, until incorporated and smooth. Whisk in the yogurt and Parmesan cheese until smooth.
Whole Wheat Croutons: To make wholewheat croutons: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet or shallow baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Cut leftover wholewheat bread into cubes and put them on a baking sheet. Give them a spritz of cooking spray. Toss them with garlic powder and herbs. Bake about 10 minutes or until crisp.

Avocados Stuffed with Shrimp Salad

1/2 a pound cooked shrimp, shelled, deveined, tails removed
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dried dill, or 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fat free sour cream
2 ripe avocados
Dill sprigs, optional

Mix the shrimp, celery, onion, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, the mayonnaise and the sour cream. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit. Brush with the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice. Fill the avocado halves with shrimp salad. Garnish with dill sprigs, if desired.