Delicious Spring Chicken Salad Recipe

This recipe is a delicious twist on traditional chicken salad. It's also a quick option for busy weeknights!

Ingredients
*1/2 pound small red-skinned potatoes, halved
*Kosher salt
*2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
*2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
*2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
*1/4 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
*Freshly ground pepper
*1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
*4 romaine hearts, torn
*1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded (about 2 cups)
*1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced
*4 radishes, cut into wedges
*1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced


Directions
Place the potatoes in a small pot and cover with water. Season with salt, cover and boil until fork-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and cool.

Meanwhile, pulse the chives, tarragon, vinegar, yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and pulse to make a thick dressing.

Toss the romaine, potatoes, chicken, cucumber, radishes and bell pepper with the dressing in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.


Recipe Courtesy Food Network.com Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

The Energy of the Mind is the Essence of Life

It's super easy to get bogged down by the stresses of everyday life; work, family, friends. All of this stress can rob you of tons of energy.

There are lots of ways to reduce our stress and maximize our energy level including; exercising regulary (BLS has great group fitness classes), laughing and sleeping more, learning a new hobby, meditating, journaling, vacationing, eating healthy and drinking plenty of water.

Eating healthy may be one of the best things you can do to relieve stress, increase energy and reduce the risk of certain cancers and other diseases.

Here are foods to keep your energy level high throughout the day:
Almonds

Apples

Bananas

Hard Boiled Eggs

Hummus

Oats
Salmon

Vegetables - especially leafy greens

Whole Grain Crackers

Plain Yogurt with fresh fruit

Foods to avoid:

Candy

Energy Drinks
Fried Foods

Potato Chips

Red Meat

Eating smaller portions and making healthier choices will boost your energy and help relieve some of your daily stresses.

The Benefits of Bulgur!!

My new favorite whole grain is Bulgur Wheat; it is so yummy!

This form of wheat results when wheat kernels are boiled, dried, cracked, and then sorted by size. It's super versatile and can be used in all sorts of dishes and is very filling. I eat it for breakfast every morning.

Not only is Bulgur Wheat super delicious, it's also a Superfood! Bulgur has 7 grams of fiber which is 28% of the daily value. It also has 5 grams of protein and 30 grams of carbohydrates. Each serving has around 140 calories only 5 of which are calories from fat. Whole grains have also been shown to significantly reduce the risk of some cancers and they help fight obesity.

This recipe is a staple in Middle Eastern cooking. It's light, refreshing and full of veggies.

Tabbouleh (Bulgur, Parsley and Mint Salad)

Ingredients:
2 cups presoaked** Bulgur Wheat (I prefer Bob's Red Mill Brand; you can find it in the rice section at most supermarkets)
3 cups Parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup Fresh Mint, chopped
3 Scallions, finely minced
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Cumin, ground
2 Tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tbs Lemon Juice
3 Tbs Oil (Safflower and/or Olive)
1 head Romaine Lettuce
2 medium Cucumbers, sliced

Directions:
In a large bowl, gently mix together all the ingredients, except lemon juice and oil, with a wooden spoon. Add the lemon juice, toss and chill for 1 hour to blend the flavors. Before serving, toss again with the oil. Serve in a mound with romaine lettuce leaves arranged like the spokes of a wheel. Scatter cucumber slices over the lettuce. Makes 6 Servings.

* To presoak Bulgur: Place 1 cup Bulgur in bowl. Pour 1 cup tap water over Bulgur and let stand for 1 hour. Yields 2 cups presoaked Bulgur.

Nutritional Information:
Serving Size: 1 Serving (266g)

Calories 190, Calories from Fat 70, Total Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 35mg, Total Carbohydrates 28g, Dietary Fiber 7g, Sugars 4g, Protein 5g.

Recipe Courtesy: Bob's Red Mill