Gluten Free: Spinach Salad, Potato Soup, Healthy Chicken Salad, Honey Lime Fruit Toss

It's been cold here. Very cold, like in the single digits. I've often commented on how we eat a lot of soups in the winter time. It seems to just go to the core and help give us some warmth.

This meal is pretty healthy. The potato soup is very good. Most of the healthy things we eat are flavorful, and also much, much better than eating out. I always use fresh ingredients, occasionally frozen, so as to keep the sodium level controllable. Have you ever looked at the sodium content in canned goods??? Yikes! Hubby needs to watch his sodium, so I do not use salt in my cooking. I also use mostly no or low sodium ingredients. If this is not an issue for you, adjust as necessary!

The chicken salad is healthy because it does not use mayo for a base, which is good. It can be eaten on bread or alone. And spinach salad......I can't say enough about spinach and salads. Spinach makes wonderful salad, and the health benefits of spinach are out of this world!!

By the way, this meal is gluten free!

Dinner Tonight is:

Spinach Salad
Potato Soup
Healthy Chicken Salad
Honey Lime Fruit Toss
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Spinach Salad

• 8 ounces fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup feta or goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
  
• 1 tablespoon toasted sliced almonds (optional)

• Dressing:
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional)

1. Wash and clean spinach. Tear into bite size pieces and place in a serving bowl. Add half of the feta or goat cheese and onion; toss to combine.
2. Combine dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with dried tomatoes and almonds. Serve immediately.

Potato Soup

• 1 3/4 cups diced peeled potatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
  
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth (Swanson's Natural Goodness is gluten free)
  
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk, divided (use Carnation)
  
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon real bacon bits (like Hormel)

1. In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, onion, celery, broth and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Combine cornstarch and 1/4 cup milk until smooth; stir into potato mixture. Add the remaining milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Serves 5

One serving equals 178 calories, 2 g fat (0 saturated fat), 9 mg cholesterol, 274 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 14 g protein


Healthy Chicken Salad

• 4 chicken breasts, baked or boiled, and shredded
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/4 cup celery, diced
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Serve on wheat bread, or alone.




Honey Lime Fruit Toss

• 2 1/2 cups freshly cut pineapple
• 1 1/2 cups orange segments, cut in half
  
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 2 medium firm bananas, sliced
• 2 kiwifruit, peeled, halved, and sliced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lime peel

1. In a bowl, combine the pineapple, mandarin oranges, strawberries, bananas and kiwi. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, honey, lime peel. Pour over fruit; gently toss to coat.

One serving (3/4 cup) equals 133 calories, 1 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 7 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 1 g protein.