Southern Protocol

We’re still on our healthy food kick here at Southern Protocol, because let’s be honest – as good as heavy, creamy meals taste, we all want to feel light and fit during the warm bathing suit months!

This particular feel-good salad hails from the Southern Living All Time Favorites cookbook… and I can guarantee it will become a favorite of yours and your family. The sweetness of the fruit and balsamic vinegar make you forget you’re eating something so healthy!

Summer Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette (makes 6-8 servings)
8 cups mixed salad greens
1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
1 pint fresh strawberries, halved
2 nectarines, sliced (can substitute peaches or chopped cantaloupe if you don’t have nectarines)
Blueberry vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Drizzle with 1/3 cup of Blueberry Vinaigrette, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with almonds.

Blueberry Vinaigrette (makes 1.5 cups)
1/2 cup blueberry fruit spread
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup minced onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Whisk together first 5 ingredients. Gradually whisk in oil until blended. Refrigerate leftover vinaigrette for up to two weeks.

Enjoy!

It’s Cinco de Mayo week! OLE! For those of you who have opted to throw a fiesta in the comfort of your own home as opposed to heading out to all the super crowded Mexican haunts this Wednesday, here’s a delicious (and so pretty!) appetizer to try. It’s simple and fresh, which honestly is a great improvement over the greasy quesadillas and burritos that you would get at traditional restaurants.

Crab and Avocado Margaritas (Makes 4 servings, recipe courtesy of gourmetfood.com)
1/2 cup kosher salt (for salting grass rims)
2 limes
3 avocados, thinly sliced
1 tsp homemade seasoning (mix the following to taste: paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt)
1 pound lump crabmeat
2 tablespoons lime juice
3/4 cup diced tomatoes
4 margarita glasses

Pour the salt onto a dinner plate. Slice one lime into four wedges, and rub one wedge around the rim of each glass. Twist each rim into the salt.

Fill the bottom of one glass with avocado slices, then sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of the seasoning onto the avocado. On top of the avocado, spread two tablespoons of diced tomatoes.

Spread approximately 2 tablespoons of the crab on top of the tomatoes, and sprinkle with one teaspoon of lime juice. Create a second layer in the same glass. Repeat in other glasses.

Garnish each glass with 3 slices of avocado. It can be served either as a dip (with simple Tostitos) or as a salad (with a fork!).

Yum! Enjoy, and Happy Margarita Day!

We’re getting closer and closer to warm weather, meaning we’re also getting closer and closer to beach season and light clothing. So we figured we’d start your week off with a healthy, delicious, filling salad. At the risk of sounding like Ina Garten on Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa, it’s a relatively simple, low-prep recipe – so be sure to use the best quality of ingredients to make it truly mouthwatering.

Argulua and Pear Salad with Toasted Walnuts (4 servings)
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups baby arugula leaves
2 Bosc pears, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; whisk to combine. Add arugula and pears to bowl; toss to coat. Place about 1.5 cups salad on each of four plates, then sprinkle with toasted walnuts.

The recipe, courtesy of Myrecipes.com, even comes with nutritional info:
168 calories
12.5 g of fat (all good fat!)
2.6 g of protein
15.1 g carbs
3 g fiber

(To toast your own walnuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place walnuts in single layer on baking sheet, bake for 5-10 minutes. Halfway through, shake pan a bit. Remove and chop into desired size pieces!)

Enjoy!