SUMMER PIZZA PASTA SALAD

Summer salads are a must in our house. Our meals are always a bit lighter and much more healthful. Today I have a Pizza Pasta Salad recipe that received such rave reviews from hubby, I thought it was a must share. I know my brother is going to love it too!
Take a glance at that color.........

END THE SUMMER DINNER DILEMMA

Good Morning Monday!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We enjoyed the company of our southern friends. It's always good catching up with old friends and this is the first time they have ventured to our northern home. 

Dinner, dinner what's for dinner? How many times have you asked yourself that question? The grill is wonderful and I love to grill everything, but sometimes I like a nice cold salad! I've been having a lot of fun trying new summer salad recipes. 

Today's blog recipe is Chicken Caprese Tortellini Salad. It can be served for lunch of dinner. We had it for dinner with fresh fruit.....such an easy meal packed full of protein! Yes, it was hubby approved!

Look how delish this looks and it's best served the 2nd day!
You may find the recipe here:
http://www.thecreativityexchange.com/2014/07/chicken-caprese-tortellini-salad.html


The next time you need a go to recipe on a hot summer day, give this recipe a try!

Have a beautiful SUMMER day!

Kathleen

***Thanks for stopping by!

SUMMER--ANTIPASTO PASTA SALAD

There's nothing easier on a hot summer day than making a salad. I often switch up our meals in the summer by using a salad as our main course. I've been searching for new salad ideas.......boy there sure are lots of recipes out there!

Today's blog features an Antipasto Pasta Salad. I made this for Friday night's dinner last week, added a tray of fresh veggies with hummus and pita bread, along with slices of watermelon for a little something sweet. How easy is that? I'm also thinking next time a glass of a nice cold Pinot Grigio would be a good accompaniment!

The salad contains some of the typical items found in an antipasto platter; marinated artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, grated Parm, prosciutto, and olives. I used whole wheat penne pasta, and Good Seasons Italian dressing and it was hubby approved.

Look at how colorful and beautiful it is!

You may find the recipe at:  http://www.chatelaine.com/recipe/vegetarian/antipasto-pasta-salad/

Give this easy and delicious salad a try. It's great for lunch, dinner or sharing a dish at a party and tastes even better the second day!  Have a wonderful weekend! 

Bon Appetit!

Kathleen

***Thanks so much for stopping by. See you on Monday!

HEALTHY TWIST ON AN OLD SALAD & YUMMY SWEET KIWI BITES

Welcome to Healthy Foodie Friday!

I was thinking about what recipes to share today because I really wanted to keep with my theme of "healthy" summer salads. I think we should enjoy the fresh summer produce while it is in season. 

Today at my house we are having a quiet celebration. My husband is a guy that doesn't require a lot of attention.....fanfare is not his thing. But he has always told our daughters that we need to celebrate the "wins!" So today I made a special dinner for him.....celebrating his win. And what a wonderful "win" it is!

When I started planning dinner I started with a nice steak. We rarely have red meat so this would be the ultimate treat for him. Then I searched for a new salad recipe. I found a Cauliflower "Potato" Salad recipe that sounded kind of strange, but as I read the ingredients listed, they actually were quite an interesting combination. A cauliflower salad that looked like a potato salad? Hmmm........he loves cauliflower, but would he like it in a salad, with dill pickles?

He sure did like it! As you can see it looks like a potato salad. It was great with our steak. Although, he thought it was mayo on the salad when he tasted it, the actual ingredient is a much healthier sour cream base. Surprise!

There are 165.7 calories per serving, making this salad a great healthy choice and a wonderful side for those summer meals.

The original recipe may be found at:http://healthyrecipesblogs.com/2013/10/22/cauliflower-potato-salad/

 So---everyone needs a little something sweet when they celebrate. He's not a big cake guy (unless it's carrot cake), so I decided to try these KIWI BITES. It has always intrigued me to use chocolate and fruit together....how delicious!

Ingredients needed:

• Bar of 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate 
• Popsicle stick
• Kiwi slices

1. Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Timing it based on how much chocolate you require for your slices.

2. Slice the kiwi in a rather thick slices. (see above)

3. Thread the kiwi on to the popsicle stick.

4. Dip in melted chocolate.

**I propped my sticks so that they leaned against the side of a small jar. You can use anything, they just need to be stored upright and placed in the frig to chill once dipped.

KIDS would LOVE these too! 

Hope you enjoyed this segment on Summer Salads and Sweet Treats keeping an eye towards the healthier side of eating.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kathleen

****Do you have a favorite summer salad you would like to share with us? 
Thanks so much for stopping by The Lavender Bouquet. See you on Monday!