No Cook Vegetarian Taco Salad

This is my favorite summer go-to dinner recipe. Black beans replace ground beef for as an easy and healthy variation. No cooking required! Keeps the kitchen cool and is ready to serve in just 15 minutes!

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mixed greens, torn into bite size pieces

1 (15-ounce) can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1/2 package taco seasoning mix (.5 oz)

tortilla chips (plain or flavored)

shredded cheese

avocado (sliced or diced)

sour cream

salsa, or catalina dressing

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Combine taco seasoning mix with black beans. Top torn lettuce with beans, crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sliced avocado, etc. Serve with sour cream and salsa or dressing. 

Oriental Chicken Salad (Applebee's Copycat Salad)

Dressing

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup mayo

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon honey mustard (optional)

Salad  Romaine lettuce (chopped)

cabbage (purple and or green, chopped)

breaded chicken breast (sliced)

mandarin oranges

sliced almonds

crunchy rice noodles

Adapted from here.

Apple Pecan Chicken Salad

1 (12-ounce) can Sam's Club canned chicken, drained (or 9 oz equivalent chopped/shredded chicken)

3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise (start with 3)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 small apple, peeled and diced

1/4 cup chopped pecans

fresh cracked pepper

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Shred chicken with fork. Combine with rest of ingredients. Season to taste with pepper. Chill until ready to use. Serve on sandwich bread, rolls, croissants, or crackers.

Homemade Poppy Seed Fruit Salad Dressing

1/3 cup fruit juice or 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries*
1 T vinegar** 
2 T sugar***
3/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 t onion (or small chunk of onion) 
2 cloves garlic (or 1 tsp minced from a jar)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Mix first set of ingredients in blender or food processor until everything is pureed and well mixed. Strain seeds if necessary and add more sugar, vinegar, or salt to taste. Stir in poppy seeds. Store in refrigerator and use within a week.  * I have used lemon juice, lime juice, fresh pomegranate juice, fresh apple juice, peaches, mangos, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries. If you use a fruit with lots of little seeds (like blackberries) you will need to strain it before adding the sugar. If you use juice your dressing will be thin, if you use fresh fruit it will be thicker and more like what you would find in a store bought bottle (you may need to add a tablespoon or two of water to thin it out). I also found that with fresh fruit the oil in the dressing didn't separate out right away.** I prefer using white vinegar. I have tried red wine and rice but I think they are too strong. *** I add more sugar depending on the sweetness off the juice/fruit (may need up to 1/2 cup if using lemon or lime juice)

Joey's Mama's Coleslaw

A friend in college who was from the south gave me his mom's recipe for coleslaw. It's the best and so easy to make. Many people have asked me for this recipe when I bring it to a potluck. I like to chop the cabbage and carrots in my food processor rather than shred them. I think the chopped texture is better. It looks and tastes similar to the coleslaw at Chick-fil-A. Perfect for complementing your 4th of July barbecue. Makes about 4 servings.

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1/2 head of cabbage
1medium carrot (or equivalent in baby carrots)
1/2 cup mayo
2-4 T sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1/2 T of sweet relish
1/2 T of dried parsely flakes

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Cut cabbage into large chunks and peel carrot. Put in food processor and chop to small pieces. Mix dressing and add a little bit at a time and stir. Depending on how big your head of cabbage is, and how dry or wet you like your coleslaw, you may need more or less dressing so adjust accordingly. Store in fridge and eat within a day or two.