I made a delicious salad for Valentine’s Day last week, and It was so delicious! I’ve been hooked on it all week long. I was so excited to hop on here and share the recipe with you all. 

We enjoyed our salads with roasted potatoes and chicken cordon bleu. 
 
This salad has the best combination of ingredients.

WATCH RECIPE VIDEO BELOW

Balsamic Vinaigrette
Greek Vinaigrette
Cherry Tomatoes
Arugula
Goat Cheese
Peppered Salami
Gluten-Free Naan Bread
Red Onions
Balsamic Glaze
Honey Almonds

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Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese, Peppered Salami, & Balsamic Glaze

This salad is refreshing, filling, crunchy, and so full of flavor.

Course Lunch, Dinner

Keyword salad, healthy, lunch, dinner, fresh food, gluten-free, tomatoes, garden, salad ideas

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Taralynn McNitt

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Sliced Naan Bread Bfree gluten-free bread
• 10 Cups Arugula
• 2 Cups Chopped Kale
• 2 Tbsps Balsamic Vinaigrette
• 2 Tbsps Greek Vinaigrette
• 1/4 Cup Red Onion
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
• 6 Oz Peppered Salami
• 1/4 Cup Goat Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Honey Roasted Almonds
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic Glaze

Instructions

• Toast the naan bread on the stovetop with olive oil.
• Toss arugula and kale with the balsamic and Greek vinaigrette.
• Top the salad with red onion, cherry tomatoes, peppered salami, goat cheese, and honey roasted almonds.
• Drizzle the balsamic glaze on top, and add the naan bread.
• Enjoy!

This salad is good when served with grilled chicken, steak, or salmon! 

I hope you enjoy this recipe! It’s time for me to lace up the shoes, and go enjoy this gorgeous 70-degree weather! 

Questions for you!

1. What is your favorite protein source to add to salad?
2. Do you crave more salads in the summer?

Kale & Chickpea Pasta Ingredients

Banza Chickpea Pasta – Substitute with any pasta kind you’d like! I’ve made this pasta with a multi-grain bowtie. 
Purple Onion
Chickpeas – White northern beans are perfect as a substitute 
Kale
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Fresh Mozarella – Omit the mozzarella if you want to make this recipe plant-based.

Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients

Olive Oil – You can sub for avocado oil
Pinenuts – The pinenuts make the basil vinaigrette taste like parmesan. If you don’t want to use pinenuts, you can use almonds (pre-soaked in water) or parmesan cheese. 
Fresh Basil
Black Pepper
Sea Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Honey – Or a sweetener of your choice
Lemon Juice

I love that you can keep this pasta salad in the fridge for a week, and it just gets better each day as it marinates in the honey basil vinaigrette! I love using kale because it never gets soggy like other lettuce. 

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Kale & Chickpea Pasta Salad with Honey Basil Vinaigrette

Delicious and easy recipe filled with healthy ingredients!

Course Appetizer, dinner, lunch,, Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword salad, gluten-free, dairy-free, healthy recipe, pasta salad, basil, salads, vinaigrette, easy recipes

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 20

Author Taralynn McNitt

Ingredients

Kale and Chickpea Pasta Salad

• 7 Cups Cooked Pasta I used chickpea pasta
• 1 Cup Grape Tomatoes Sliced
• 1 Cup Cucumbers Chopped
• 1/2 Small Red Onion Chopped
• 1 Cup Chickpeas Washed & Drained
• 1 1/2 Cup Fresh Mozzarella Chopped
• 7 Cups Fresh Kale Chopped

Honey Basil Vinaigrette

• 1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Pinenuts
• 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
• 2 Teaspoons Honey
• 1 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

Honey Basil Vinaigrette

• Add olive oil, chickpeas, lemon juice, honey, black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and basil to the blender. Blend on high for 30-seconds.

Kale and Chickpea Pasta Salad

• In a large bowl, mix the pasta, kale, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and chickpeas together.
• Pour the honey basil vinaigrette on top, and coat well.
• Fold in the mozzarella, and season with extra black pepper.

Notes

Store in the refrigerator! 

I hope you try out this recipe and love it!  

Questions for you!

1. What is your favorite type of pasta?
2. Have you ever tried pumpkin pasta?

I love keeping large salads and wraps in the fridge to eat throughout the week. This makes it much easier to eat when I’m hungry instead of having to chop vegetables and clean up the mess each time. I don’t have time for that anymore. I’m learning that food prepping is a great way to get meals in when you have a child. As soon as I try to eat, it’s like he knows!

I love using kale for meal prep salads because the leaves do not get soggy. They get tastier the longer they marinate in the salad dressing.

What Ingredients Should I add to a Kale Salad?

Chopped Kale
Salad Toppers | Cranberries, Blueberries, Almonds
Butternut Squash
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Cherry Tomatoes
Red Onion
Homemade Vinaigrette
Goat Cheese
Brussels Sprouts
Grilled Chicken

My other favorite salad ingredients are avocados, cucumber, roasted carrots, quinoa, strawberries, feta, croutons, and chickpeas.

Marinating Chicken Breast

One of our favorite ways to marinate chicken is with Greek Dressing and a few tablespoons of Mayonnaise. This makes the chicken so juicy and crispy on the outside!

Roasted Brussels sprouts & Butternut Squash

I coated the brussels sprouts and butternut squash with olive oil and baked them at 400 degrees for 25-minutes. 

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Grilled Chicken Chopped Kale Salad With Honey Dill Vinaigrette

Course Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword kale, salad, tossed salad, chopped salad, grilled chicken, healthy eating, gluten-free, healthy diet, meal prepping

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Taralynn McNitt

Ingredients

Chopped Kale Salad

• 14 Cups Kale Chopped
• 1/4 Cup Red Onion Finely Chopped
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes Chopped
• 2 Cups Roasted Butternut Squash
• 2 Cups Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• 1 Cup Salad Toppers dried berries and almonds
• 1/4 Cup Goat Cheese Crumbled
• 4 Cups Grilled Chicken Breast Sliced
• 8 Large Hard Boil Eggs

Honey Dill Vinaigrette

• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Tsp Fresh Dill Weed or dried
• 1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder

Instructions

Grilled Chicken Chopped Kale Salad With Honey Dill Vinaigrette

• Mix all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl
• Massage the chopped kale with the honey dill vinaigrette dressing in a large bowl.
• Add onions, tomatoes, goat cheese, salad toppers, brussels sprouts, and butternut squash to the bowl with the kale. Toss well.
• Top the salad with grilled chicken and hard-boiled eggs.

I put this large salad in a giant container for the week. It has been delicious and so easy for whenever I’m hungry. This has helped me make better food choices, especially during my postpartum weight loss journey. For example, I wanted pizza so bad last night after my workout. I probably would have caved in and ordered pizza if I didn’t have my prepped salad in the refrigerator. There’s nothing wrong with pizza, but I promised myself I’d eat healthier after having my son, and I’ve been doing well so far! I like saving my pizza nights for Friday to reward myself after a healthy week! 

Questions for you!

1. What is your favorite ingredient to pick up at the farmer’s market?
2. Do you prep food for the week?
3. What is one ingredient you have to have on your salads?

I had so many people asking for this recipe when I made it on the 4th of July! It is delicious, but look how pretty and refreshing it is for summer! You can customize this recipe in many ways. Change up the pasta, swap the cheeses, and use different vegetables or meats.

One of the best parts about this recipe is how easy and quick it is to make. There is no baking involved, and it’s a great last-minute option if you’re heading to a summer party or need a last-minute dish for a potluck.
 

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Ultimate Summer Pasta Salad

The easiest summer pasta salad to throw together!

Course Salad

Cuisine Italian

Keyword charcuterie, pasta salad, summer, potluck, salad, refreshing, no bake, party, appetizer, cheese

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 20

Author Taralynn McNitt

Ingredients

• 4-5 Cups Cooked Spiral Pasta you can use gluten-free!
• 1/4 Cup Italian Dressing I used Olive Garden's
• 1 1/2 Cups Diced Pepperoni
• 1 1/2 Cups Diced Salami
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
• 1 1/2 Cup Cubed Cheddar Cheese
• 1 1/2 Cup Cubed Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 Small DicedRed Onion
• 2 Cups Sliced Grape Tomatoes
• 1 1/2 Cups Diced Cucumber
• 2 Cups Cannellini Beans
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Onion Salt
• 1 Tsp Honey

Instructions

• Toss all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and top with parsley.

  Add more Italian dressing if you you wish!
• Serve cold!

Questions for you!

1. Are you a fan of summer pasta salads?
2. Do you feel like the months are flying by?
3. What are you most excited about this summer?

VIDEO: Ultimate Greek Salad with Seasoned Shrimp & Crumbled Feta

In the summer, I love having giant salads for dinner. I also like changing up the recipes, so I don’t get bored. I’ll usually eat one combo until I’ve had enough! Sometimes they are super fruity, and sometimes they’re on the savory side.

One of my favorite salads to make is a Greek salad. They are so tasty with seasoned shrimp, and I love how quick and easy shrimp is to make. I think this weekend; I’ll make these Greek salads for my parents with a side of Greek fries inspired by one of my favorite local restaurants. 

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Ultimate Greek Salad with Seasoned Shrimp & Crumbled Feta

Course Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Greek Salad, Shrimp, Feta, Salad, Healthy Dinner, Pitas, Onion, Avocado, Tomatoes, Toasted Pecans

Servings 1 Salad

Author Taralynn McNitt

Ingredients

• 4-5 Cups Fresh Romaine Lettuce
• 2-3 Tbsps Greek Dressing Farmer Boy Brand
• 1 Medium Roma Tomato
• 2 Petite Cucumbers
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Red Bell Peppers
• 2 Tbsps Chopped Red onion
• 1/4 Cup Toasted Unsalted Pecans
• 1/4 Cup Crumbled Feta
• 1/2 Small Avocado
• 1 Whole Grain Pita I used the Joseph's pita bread with oat, flax & whole grain.
• 1 Cup Cooked Seasoned Shrimp Cooked the shrimp in a few tablespoons of the Greek dressing, dill and avocado oil.

Instructions

• Add a drizzle of avocado oil into a pan on high heat. Add in fresh shrimp, one tablespoon of Greek dressing, black pepper, and a splash of dill weed. Cook until the shrimp is pink and firm. Set aside.
• In a bowl, toss the lettuce with the Greek dressing.
• Top the lettuce with Roma tomato, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, toasted pecans, avocado slices, feta, pita bread, and seasoned shrimp!
• Toss & enjoy!

I hope you all enjoy this salad as much as we do!

Questions for you!

1. Would you like me to start making individual recipe posts for some of the recipes in my recaps?
2. What is your favorite combo during the summer?
3. What kind of protein do you like to add to your salads?

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Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts with a Honey Soy Sauce

This recipe will make you fall in love with brussels sprouts. They are easy to make and super crispy without using an air fryer.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword brussels sprouts, glutn-free, dairy-free, vegetables, baked veggies, dinner, easy recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Ingredients

• 4 Cups Brussels Sprouts
• 3 Tbsps Avocado Oil
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 3 Tbsps Soy Sauce gluten-free soy sauce if making this recipe gluten-free
• 1 Tbsp Honey or maple syrup to keep recipe plant-based

Instructions

• Heat oven to 425-degrees
• Add the brussels sprouts to a pot of boiling water, and boil until they are fork-tender.
• Transfer the cooked brussels sprouts to a large mixing bowl. Coat them with avocado oil, garlic, powder, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
• Use the bottom of a cup or your hands to smash the brussels sprouts. If you're having trouble smashing the brussels sprouts, try cutting them in half first.

  Add the smashed brussels sprouts to a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes (flipping them halfway is optional)
• Mix the soy sauce and honey. Drizzle the sauce over the baked brussels sprouts.

And did I eat that entire bowl by myself? You bet I did.

Questions for you!

1. What’s your favorite way to eat brussels sprouts?
2. Did you like brussels sprouts the first time you tried them?

Whenever I make this dressing, I keep a small bowl of lettuce next to me to dip it into the dressing! I use it for my taste test to see if it needs any more garlic, salt, pepper, honey, etc. It’ll all depend on your preference! Some people like dressing on the saltier side, and some like it on the sweeter side. It’s up to you!

My parents and I have a trade-off deal. Each year, their backyard vegetable garden grows bigger and bigger! I make them a bottle of my dressing to go with their fresh vegetables, and they drop off all the extra vegetables and lettuce for us! I think it’s a pretty fair trade. They are going to help me do my own vegetable garden next year! 

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Blueberry Pecan Salad With a Honey Citrus Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword salad, blueberry, citrus, summer, healthy eating, goat cheese, homemade, salad dressing, vinaigrette, dinner, vegetarian, healthy food, lunch

Ingredients

Honey Citrus Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1 Cup Avocado Oil or olive oil
• 3 Tbsps Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/3 Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice or your choice of citrus fruit
• 3 Tbsps Honey or agave
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Dillweed
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1 Tsp Dried Parsley

Blueberry Pecan Salad

• 5 Cups Mixed Greens (baby kale, spring mix, kale, spinach, arugula)
• 1/3 Cup Broccoli Sprouts
• 2 Tbsps Goat Cheese
• 3 Tbsps Chopped Pecans
• 1/2 Medium Avocado Sliced
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Blueberries
• 3 Tbsps Honey Citrus Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing

Instructions

Honey Citrus Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing

• Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Give the dressing a taste test to see if it needs more seasonings or sweetness based on your preference.
• Store outside of the refrigerator (unless you're adding Greek Yogurt)

I hope you all try out this recipe and enjoy it as much as we do!

Questions for you!

1. Do you make your own salad dressing?
2. Do you grow any fruits or vegetables?
3. What is one salad topping you cannot live without?

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Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

The most delicious and creamy cranberry chicken salad recipe served on a multigrain croissant with fresh arugula greens.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword healthy chicken salad recipe, chicken salad, multigrain croissants, chicken, shredded chicken, cranberry pecan chicken salad, dairy free, picnic, summer food, yum

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Taralynn McNitt

Ingredients

• 3 Cups Cold Shredded Chicken (easiest with rotisserie)
• 1/2 Cup Light Mayonaise
• 1/2 Tbsp Honey
• 1 Tbsp Tahini
• 1 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Dillweed
• 1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Red Onion
• 3 Tbsp Chopped Celery
• 1/4 Cup Pecan Halves
• 1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries

Instructions

• Coat the three cups of shredded chicken with light mayonnaise, honey, tahini, and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl.
• Season the chicken with black pepper, dill weed, sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Give it a little taste test to see if it needs any extra seasoning.
• Fold in the chopped red onion, celery, pecan halves, and dried cranberries.
• Slice a multigrain croissant (or your choice of bread) in half and top it with 3/4th cup of the cranberry pecan chicken salad and a handful of fresh arugula or spinach.

 You can make the same recipe using tuna or even crushed chickpeas to make it vegan (swap the mayo for veganaise.) There are so many ways to make this recipe your own! And if you don’t like cranberries or pecans, try using chopped apples, sesame seeds, or dates. I hope you all enjoy this recipe! I can’t wait to have it all summer long.

Questions for you!

1. What is your favorite way to eat chicken salad?
2. Do you like summer picnics?
3. Favorite meal to have by the pool/beach?

This salad did not disappoint, and it was even better after my evening walks! I loved knowing that dinner was ready whenever I wanted it. And if you’re not a fan of salad, the tangerine dressing may change your mind on that one! This salad has Brussels, sweet potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, goat cheese, tofu, cranberries, walnuts, white beans, and kale. Not only does it have almost every important food group, but it’s also pretty seasonal.

 Once it was time to make a salad, I added a little extra goat cheese, dressing, and avocadoes on top!

Questions for you!

1. What is your favorite salad topping?
2. What do you meal prep in the winter?
3. What are you having for dinner tonight?

I’m still stuffed from yesterday’s dinner. We decided on an outdoor date night last night to make up for the time spent on the couch all weekend. We got sucked into several shows and with it being brutally hot outside, the couch, and a good t.v. binge sounded fantastic. We finished an entire season of Normal People and now are about halfway through Indian Matchmaker. 

We decided on Caesar salads for dinner after brainstorming what we hadn’t had in a while. With cooking at home more, we’ve recycled through a ton of go-to recipes. We had meatloaf at least eight times in the past two months. Although I love my meatloaf recipe, even that can get tiring. I wrote down a long list of recipes I want to make, and I hope to bring more date-night menus to the blog, like this one. I know most people know how to make a Caesar salad, but everyone has their own spin on it. 

These date-night Caesar salads are so refreshing for summer, and they were completed with a gluten-free angel food cake topped with lemon icing, peaches, and raspberries. Kyle and I used to love having date-nights at Reid’s. We would always order their grilled chicken Caesar salads, and they never disappointed. Of course, we’d order truffle fries and fried Brussels sprouts to go along with it. I think it’s safe to say it may be one of the best Caesar salads in Charlotte. It’s what inspired our Sunday night menu. And our angel food cake was a little inspiration from our picnic at the Duke Mansion. 
We stopped at Whole Foods to pick up all the ingredients.

ingredients:
Romaine lettuce
Baby tomatoes
Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Chicken breast
Caesar dressing
Gluten-free bread
Thyme
Black Pepper
Garlic Salt

dessert:
Kinnick Gluten-free angel food cake mix
powdered sugar
lemon extract
carton of egg whites
vanilla extract
peaches
Raspberries
We marinated the chicken breast in 1/2 cup of Caesar dressing and black pepper overnight. We wanted the chicken breast to be extra flavorful. One of our neighbors gave us the tip to marinate the chicken in either mayonnaise or a creamy sauce to give it a better flavor. He was definitely right about this one.

Kyle is always on grill control because he chars the chicken perfectly. While he was preparing the chicken, I put together all the ingredients for the salad.

The toasted crostini was by far my favorite part of the salad. If you’re not eating gluten-free bread, use ciabatta or baguette for this part. Luckily, Canyon Bakehouse (my favorite gluten-free bread brand) makes a bread called “Heritage style whole grain,” and it’s unbelievable. Nothing compares! It makes the most perfect crostini. I usually find this bread in the freezer section at my local grocery store. 

In a pan heated on medium-high, I added a coup of tablespoons of olive oil. I placed the sliced bread onto the pan and sprinkled them with thyme, garlic salt, and black pepper. If you have any onion salt from Trader Joes, use that, too! 
I was excited because three of the tomatoes we used on our salads were from my crate garden. A few other steps I did was cutting up the tomatoes, slicing the parmesan, cleaning and chopping the romaine, and slicing up the chicken. 
For our drinks, I filled two glasses up with sliced lemons, blueberries, sparkling water, and ice. Sparkling water and salads go together well. 
We enjoyed our dinner outside after a quick rainstorm. It has rained almost every night for the past two weeks here, which is great because it cools things off in the evenings. We had a fan installed on our back porch, which also makes sitting outside a little more bearable.
While we ate dinner, I had the angel food cake baking in the oven. 

The Caesar salad was so delicious and the perfect summer dinner.

I topped the angel food cake with a lemon glaze that reminded me of the duke mansion pound cake. 

In a small bowl, I mixed 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp lemon extract, and one tablespoon of water together. If you want a thicker glaze, add in a 1/2 tbsp of meringue powder with it. I would have done that if we had any in the house.

I drizzled the glaze all over the cake. I dusted an extra pinch of powdered sugar in our bowls for even more sweetness. It’s safe to say that our bellies were full and our appetites content after Sunday night’s dinner. Tomorrow, we’re having good ole fashioned midwestern walking tacos! Stay tuned for that one.
I hope you all have a fantastic week and I’ll catch you in the next blog post! 

Let me know if you try out this salad! It won’t disappoint  

Questions for you!

1. What do you add to your Caesar salads?
2. Any shows you’re currently binging?
3. What should I make for dessert tomorrow night?