18 | CFHN centralfloridahealthnews.com All The Protein, All The Protein, None of the Heat None of the Heat Pesto Chicken Salad (Adapted from Primavera Kitchen) Thai Chicken Quinoa Jar Salad (Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen) Ingredients: Chicken 1 medium skinless chicken breast 2 tbsp pesto, plus 2 tbsp Salt and pepper to taste Salad 5 cups romaine lettuce ½ small red onion, sliced 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup cucumber, diced ½ avocado, sliced 1 tsp feta cheese, crumbled 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped Dressing 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp dijon mustard Salt and pepper to taste Ingredients: 1 cup grilled chicken breast, diced 2 tbsp peanut dressing ¼ cup diced red bell pepper 2 tbsp sliced scallions 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks ½ cup cooked quinoa 2 tbsp diced cilantro 1/3 cup diced pineapple 1 cup chopped romaine ¼ cup roasted cashew halves 1 16-oz mason jar HEALTHY COOK Summer Salads Guaranteed to Summer Salads Guaranteed to Fill You Up and Keep You Fill You Up and Keep You Out of the Hot Kitchen Out of the Hot Kitchen by RYAN MILEJCZAK by RYAN MILEJCZAK Directions Begin by preheating your oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, season chicken with salt, pepper, and pesto and bake until fully cooked, about 30 minutes. Remove and let cool. While the chicken rests, arrange lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber, and avocado in a bowl. Dice chicken, transfer to a small bowl, and add pesto. Stir well then place chicken on top of the salad. To make the dressing, whisk together vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over the salad and finish with a sprinkle of goat cheese and parsley before enjoying. Directions Add ingredients to the mason jar in the following order: dressing, bell pepper, scallions, carrots, quinoa, cilantro, pineapple, chicken breast, lettuce, and cashews. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days; to serve, pour ingredients into a bowl and enjoy. G etting enough protein in your diet is essential, even if you aren’t a body builder. Besides supporting muscle growth, protein is essential for supporting your immune system, regulating hormones, and repairing damaged tissue in your body, plus it helps keep you full longer. But during the heat of the summer, firing up the grill or the stovetop isn’t always the most enticing. So why not prepare a cool, refreshing salad instead? Despite their reputation as “rabbit food,” it’s actually easy to make protein-packed salads. By combining ingredients like meat, beans, and quinoa, you can get all your protein without breaking a sweat.
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