Orange Chicken Salad with Sweet Potato Croutons

Running, weights, and bike rides 

I was awake at 3:40 am and the alarm had just begun to glow.  I decided I would wait for it to sound instead of getting up.  By 4:10 I was in the gym.  Shoulders and abs were on tap today.  Great workout for shoulders, 12 reps per set and beginning with cables: presses x 4 sets.  upright rows x 4 sets. lateral raises x 4 sets.  Using a set of 20 lbs dumbbells, I did more presses x 4 sets.  In between the shoulder sets, abs were worked x 4.  16 sets of shoulders and 16 sets of abs.

Sine it was still a bit early, I started my run on the treadmill for 20 minutes then took it outside when Shane came downstairs.  Total running miles for Thursday:  6.54 easy miles, finishing with a negative split.

Here’s another running quote I thought was worth posting….

The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat – Bill Squires (known for coaching some great marathoners)

Bike ride tonight.  Yes, I’m going and it will be about 25 to 27 miles.  Hopefully an alternate route around the loose gravel because last week I was clenching my teeth so hard for about a miles worth of tricky riding.  Ted asked why I rode so fast if I was nervous?  My response was I just wanted to get it over with.  “MAKE IT GO AWAY!!!!”

Summer salads are the best. Crisp, cool, refreshing and loaded with all sorts of fresh produce from  your garden or the closest farmers market. Geesh! My mouth is watering.

The so called croutons are not crispy pieces of bread instead they are tiny squares of unadulterated oven roasted sweet potato. Chopped fresh sweet potato sprinkled with olive oil, salt, pepper and some seasoning, then oven roasted until tender.

There is a crunchy bite to this salad though.  That’s because you add deliciously toasted walnut pieces to all the greens and fruits. 

Orange Chicken Salad with Sweet Potato Croutons – Serves 2

• 1 large sweet potato – peel and chop into small pieces about 1/2 inch square.
• 1 TBS olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 of a small yellow squash – sliced

• 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
• 2 cooked chicken breasts – sliced thin *For Vegetarian, use 1 Quorn cutlet (microwave 1 minute on high. The flavor will come from the dressing).

• 1 Bosc pear – core and cut into slices
• 2 TBS olive oil
• orange zest  from 1/2 an orange
• juice of one orange
• 1 TBS Greek Style yogurt

Preheat oven to 425 F and toss the sweet potato pieces onto a flat baking sheet with the salt, pepper, olive oil and Italian seasoning. Roast for 30 minutes.

On serving plates, divide evenly the salad greens, spinach, yellow squash slices, walnuts, chicken strips, and pear.

In a contain with a lid (one you can shake), add the 2 TBS olive oil, zest, juice, and yogurt.  Shake until blended.  Pour on top of the greens and other items set out on your plates.

When the potatoes are cooked, add to the salad. 

The best part about adding sweet potato and fruit to a dinner recipe is that it curtails dessert cravings. You get your dose of sweet in your healthy main course.  How great is that?!!!

Do you make your own salad dressings or do you prefer grocery store options?

Joanne