Coleslaw doesn't have to be heavy and full of fat, just use some yogurt in the dressing. It's nice and brightly flavored, so you might even prefer it to classic mayo-heavy...
Time: under 30 minutes
Low Fat Salads
If you are watching your calories, salads are a great way to get filled up without packing on pounds.
The base for many of these salads is lettuce which is rich in nutrients but low in calories. The basic rule is that the greener the lettuce, the healthier it is for you. For example, choosing romaine or bibb lettuce is a healthier choice than iceberg lettuce.
The usual calorie pitfall for unsuspecting dieters is the dressing on the salad. The dressing alone can turn a healthy salad into the equivalent of a fast food burger calorie-wise. These recipes all have healthy options for both dressings and salad add-ins.
For non-lettuce based salads you'll find healthy grains like quinoa, beans that are rich in fiber and low in calories, and whole wheat pasta. You can also lower the fat content in most salad recipes by substituting fat free or low fat versions of ingredients like mayonnaise, vinaigrette dressings, or sour cream.
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Creamy Coleslaw (Low Fat)
Salachat Chatzilim (Eggplant Salad)
Made with red pepper flakes, onions, parsley, limes, eggplant, garlic, cumin, olive oil, lemon
Method: outdoor grill
Time: under 30 minutes
Low-Fat Coleslaw
Made with cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, celery seed, caraway seeds, black pepper, green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot
Time: 1-2 hours
Curried Chicken & Pasta Salad
Made with cooked chicken, shell pasta, almonds, curry powder, mayonnaise, plain yogurt, mango chutney, turmeric, ground cinnamon, ground red pepper
Method: stovetop
Time: under 30 minutes
Low Fat Southwestern Rice and Bean Salad
Made with cumin, mayonnaise, salsa, fresh cilantro, rice, black beans, frozen whole kernel corn, red bell pepper, green onion
Time: under 30 minutes
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Fruit Salad With Curry Dressing
Made with apple, green grapes, banana, buttermilk, mayonnaise or salad dressing, sugar, curry powder, pineapple tidbits, mandarin orange
Time: 30-60 minutes
Fajita Salad with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Sauce
Made with red onion, Monterey jack cheese, ripe olives, pinto beans, tomato, sour cream, mayonnaise, skim milk, lime juice
Method: stovetop
Time: under 30 minutes
Guilt Free Potato Salad
Made with white pepper, potatoes, eggs, onion, celery, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, sugar
Method: microwave
Time: 30-60 minutes
Low-Fat Fruited Chicken Salad
Made with green onion, pineapple chunks, grapes, apple, raisins, almonds, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, curry powder, pineapple juice
Time: 1-2 hours
Low-Fat Summer Seafood Salad
Made with salt, hot pepper sauce, rice, crab meat, water chestnuts, celery, green onions, plain nonfat yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice
Time: under 30 minutes
Tropical Pasta Salad
Made with seasoned rice vinegar, spiral pasta, raisins, papaya, nectarine, mango, fresh basil
Time: under 30 minutes
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