Salads!

For years, if someone mentioned salads, it usually meant lettuce, tomatoes, occasionally onions, and salad dressing - unless you said egg salad.

Thank goodness, salads have grown beyond that! The only thing limiting salads is one's imagination. Here are six yummy (and diabetic-friendly) salads to help you through the day, including Smoked Turkey Waldorf Salad and Corn and Black Bean Salad. Enjoy!

TORTILLA SALAD

Recipe Yield: Yield: 2 servings

Source: Mix 'n Match Meals in Minutes

Book Title: Mix 'n Match Meals in Minutes

View online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/tortilla-salad

Ingredients

4 cups washed ready-to-eat shredded iceberg lettuce

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

2 tablespoons Paul Newman's Oil and Vinegar Salad dressing

1 cup broken tortilla chips

Directions

Toss iceberg lettuce, black beans, and cheese together in a salad bowl. Add dressing and toss to mix. Sprinkle tortilla chips on top.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 323; Fat: 15 g; Sodium: 356 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Protein: 12 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 Starch, 1 Lean Meat, 2 Fat

GREEN BEANS AND RED ONION SALAD

This recipe begins, “This picnic salad is perfect to pack along for a meal alfresco. If made ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.”

Recipe Yield: Serves 4

Source: NPB

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/green-beans-and-red-onion-salad.

Ingredients

1 10-oz package French-cut green beans

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons non-fat Italian dressing

Directions

Cook green beans according to package directions, drain and place in serving dish; toss gently with red onion slices and dressing and serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 30, Sodium: 150 mg, Protein: 1 g, Carbohydrates: 7 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Vegetable

CHICKEN AND SPINACH SALAD

Recipe Yield: Yield: 14 cups (7 - 2 cups servings)

Source: Cooking Healthy and Fast

Book Title: Cooking Healthy and Fast

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/chicken-and-spinach-salad

Ingredients

6 oz. fresh spinach

2 oranges, peeled and cut into chunks

2 cups cooked and cubed chicken

2 cups fresh strawberries

Dressing:

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp. orange juice

1-1/2 Tbsp. canola oil

1/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/3 tsp. poppy seeds

Directions

Mix dressing ingredients and regrigerate. Wash spinach and tear into bite size pieces. Add oranges, chicken and strawberries. Serve with dressing.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 135; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 46 mg; Cholesterol: 31 mg; Carbohydrates: 10 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 fruit, 1 1/2 lean meat

TOMATO AND RED ONION SALAD

This recipe begins, “This salad is best in season: With summer-ripe tomatoes, sweet onion and chives from the garden this is summer eating at its best.”

Recipe Yield: Serves 8.

Source: NPB

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/tomato-and-red-onion-salad.

Ingredients

4 large ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced

1/2 large red onion, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Arrange tomato and onion slices in shallow bowl. Stir together oil and vinegar, season to taste. Drizzle dressing over tomatoes and onions. Let stand for 30 minutes; garnish with chives.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 50, Fat: 3 g, Sodium: 300 mg, Protein: 1 g, Carbohydrates: 4 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Vegetable

CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALAD

This recipe begins, “Purple black beans, golden sweet corn and diced red and green bell pepper make a colorful medley in this easy salad. Make it ahead and refrigerate; it keeps up to 5 days.”

Recipe Yield: Makes 4 cups. Serving size about 1/2 cup.

Source: NPB

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/corn-and-black-bean-salad.

Ingredients

1 (15-oz.) can cooked black beans, drained

1 (10-oz.) can corn kernels, drained

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

2 green onions, sliced

2 tablespoon minced parsley

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

In large bowl, toss together ingredients, except pepper. Generously sprinkle salad with pepper. Cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 120, Fat: 6 g, Sodium: 60 mg, Cholesterol: 66 mg, Protein: 6 g, Carbohydrates: 20 grams

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Bread/Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1 Fat

SMOKED TURKEY WALDORF SALAD

Recipe Yield: Yield: 2 servings

Source: Mix 'N Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes

Book Title: Mix 'N Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/smoked-turkey-waldorf-salad

Ingredients

2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 celery stalks, sliced (1 cup)

2 small red apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (2 cups)

1 tablespoon broken walnuts (1/4 ounce)

1/2 pound smoked turkey breast cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Several romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried

2 slices whole-wheat bread

Directions

Mix mayonnaise and lemon juice together in a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper.

Toss celery, apples, walnuts, and turkey in the mayonnaise. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Place lettuce leaves on 2 dinner plates and spoon salad onto leaves. Toast bread and serve with salad.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 354; Fat: 10 g; Sodium: 1427 mg; Cholesterol: 65 mg; Protein: 27 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 3 Very Lean Meat, 1-1/2 Fruit, 1-1/2 Fat