Baked Potato Salad

Nothing says summer cookout better than potato salad, but some traditional recipes overload the dish with high calorie ingredients like sour cream and mayonnaise.  This lightened up version has all of the flavor with less than half the fat of other potato salad recipes, so you can feel good about sharing this All-American dish with friends and family.

Baked Potato Salad

2 lbs red potatoes, washed
1 1/4 cup plain fat free Greek Yogurt
2/3 cup Olive Oil Blend Mayonnaise
1/2 cup The Delicious Dietitian White Muscadine Vinegar
2 tsp The Delicious Dietitian Southern All Purpose Spice Blend
1/2 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin


Add potatoes to a large pot of water, bring to a boil.  Cook potatoes until fork tender.  Remove from boiling water and cool.  When cool, cut into 1 inch pieces.

Mix yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, and spice blend in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, mix dressing and potatoes.  Stir in cheese and
green onions.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

Italian Pasta Salad

This fresh, summery pasta salad works great as a meatless lunch, or as a side dish for grilled chicken.  Find mozzarella balls in the deli section of your local grocery store. If you can't find them,  use fresh mozzarella sliced into 1 inch pieces.

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
1 container grape tomatoes
1 cup small mozzarella balls (celingini)
1 cup baby arugula
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp Red Muscadine Vinegar
1 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Italian Spice Blend


Boil pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  Drain and set aside.  Slice grape tomatoes and mozzarella balls in half, set aside.  Sauté garlic in 2 Tbsp olive oil until soft and fragrant.  Add garlic to drained pasta.  Whisk together remaining olive oil, vinegar, and Italian Spice Blend.  Add tomatoes, mozzarella, and arugula to pasta.  Drizzle oil and vinegar mixture over pasta mixture and mix well.

Serving size, 1/2 cup

Alabama Style White Barbecue Sauce

Nothing says Memorial Day and summertime like a big cookout, but you don't have to barbecue ribs, hot dogs, or other high calorie meats to get big flavor.  Instead, try smoking a turkey breast or chicken for a lighter option.  Add lots of fresh veggies, and you can start out the summer on a healthy, and delicious note!

White barbecue sauce is considered by some to be a local Alabama delicacy, and by others as a travesty against "real barbecue" but we can all agree that the tangy flavor perfectly complements chicken and turkey.  Drizzle over cooked meats or use as a topping on sandwiches.  Celebrate the official start of summer this Memorial Day weekend with friends and family, and share this lightened up "Alabama Style" White Barbecue Sauce for big time down home flavor.

White Barbecue Sauce

2 cups olive oil blend mayonnaise

3/4 cup White Muscadine White Vinegar

3/4 cup lemon juice

2-3 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp sugar substitue (like Truvia or Splenda) optional

Whisk together all ingredients and refrigerate until time to serve.  May store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.  

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato and Parmesan

If you've never tried spaghetti squash, you are missing out on a great weeknight staple! It's called spaghetti squash because when the cooked insides are pulled from the squash they look like spaghetti noodles!  This is a great way to get kids to try a new veggie!

• 3-pound spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise, the seeds discarded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves plus additional for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon The Delicious Dietitian Italian Spice Blend
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 cup thinly sliced cherry tomatoes

In a glass baking dish arrange the squash half, cut side down, pour 1/4 cup water around it, and cover the dish tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave the squash for 12 minutes, or until it is soft when pressed, and let it stand, covered, for 3 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together the oil, 1/4 cup of the basil, the Italian Spice Blend, and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, stir in the tomatoes.  While the squash is still warm scrape it with a fork to form strands, add the strands to the tomato mixture, and toss the mixture until it is combined.  Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan over it, and garnish it with the additional basil.

Southwest Black Bean Salad

This black bean salad makes a great weekday lunch served in a whole wheat wrap, or a crowd pleasing (and healthy!) appetizer.  

Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

2    cup    cooked black beans

1    cup    tomatoes, diced

1    cup cooked fresh or frozen corn

1   Avocado, diced 

1/2    cup    green onion, chopped

4    oz    2% mozzarella

2    tbsp    olive oil

1    tbsp    Red Muscadine Wine Vinegar

1    Tbsp Southwest Spice Blend

1    tbsp    garlic, minced

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and serve in whole wheat tortilla or as a dip

TDD Southern Chicken Salad

TDD Southern Chicken Salad

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

¼ cup diced celery

¼ cup dried cranberries 

¼ cup of plain, fat free Greek Yogurt 

2  TBSP Olive Oil Mayo 

¼ tsp Southern All Purpose Spice Blend

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Chill for at least 30 minutes to let all  flavors combine.

Can be served in a wrap, sandwich, on a salad or with crackers.

Creole Oven Roasted Veggies

This is an easy and delicious recipe to increase your vegetable intake.  These roasted veggies pair perfectly with grilled chicken! 

Creole Oven Roasted Vegetables

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

1 sweet onion

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 package sliced mushrooms

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Creole Spice blend

Preheat oven to 450°.  Cut all vegetables into bite size pieces.  Toss vegetables in a large bowl with olive oil and Creole spice.  Place vegetables into a large casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.