Denver’s Nutty Crunchy Salads

 

“A HEALTHY NUTTY CRUNCHY SALAD.” VERSION 1

This adaptation of salad is crunchy from the nuts and seeds, slightly sweet from the coconut, and fresh-tasting from the greens.

A restaurant we once frequented had a mango chicken salad. We wrote down how we remembered it to be, got the ingredients, and recreated this “masterpiece salad”.

We baked some chicken, and chopped the meat,

we sliced up some red bell pepper and some radishes,

we did a large dice of an avocado,

did a small dice of some red onion,

cube a mango (sans skin & seed)

and lightly toasted some pecans.

Starting with some chopped romaine lettuce tossed in a champagne vinaigrette, we sprinkled the other ingredients in layers on top of a bed of lettuce.

Ending with the pecans on top.

Ahhhh – life is good! You should try this one!!!!

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“A HEALTHY NUTTY CRUNCHY SALAD.” VERSION 2

with CHICKEN

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup of chopped nuts (your choice, we like walnuts or almonds)

* 1 lb chicken breasts cut into strips

      – poach in chicken broth with a shake of Southwest seasoning

      – diced in 1/2″ cubes

      – marinated in a few shakes of Italian Dressing

* 1/4 cup green onions, diced

* 3/4 cup of sweetened coconut flakes

* 2  Poblano chili peppers (mild)

      – roasted & skinned

      – 3 grinds of salt

      – diced and mixed

* 1/2 lemon (squeezed)

* 1/4 white onion, diced

* 1/4 cup salted sunflower seeds

* 1/4 cup mild salsa (tomato, onion, peppers, cilantro)

* Salt

Directions:

1 – Cut chicken breasts into strips (or buy pre-cut breast strips)

2 – Poach chicken in chicken broth with a shake of Southwest seasoning – cook 3-4 minutes per strip in near-boiling broth – make soup from the broth another day.

3 – Drain chicken on paper towels, then cut into 1/2″ cubes

4 – Place chicken in a mixing bowl and add a few shakes of Italian Dressing – mix to coat

5 – Add salsa

6 – Add diced green onions

7 – Add seasoned, diced Poblano chili peppers

8 – Add chopped nuts & sunflower seeds

9 – Add diced white onion

10 – Add coconut flakes

11 – Add lemon juice

12 – Toss to mix well

13 – Chill for 30 minutes

14 – Taste for seasoning, add Salt and Pepper as needed.

15 – Place a hearty scoop of chicken pepper mix onto a bed of your favorite lettuce greens.

Serve.

(Source: This is an original recipe from the Atkinson Family Cookbook)

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