Summer Chicken Salad

I love to grill in the summer!  Something about cooking outside makes cooking in the summer much more enjoyable.  When I grill chicken, I grill more than I will need for the meal and use the left-over chicken for quick, easy, and delicious summer salads.  Here is a simple summer chicken salad recipe:

Ingredients
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups diced chicken (left-over grilled chicken)
1 cup finely diced celery
1/3 cup slivered almonds

Directions
Combine lemon juice, mayonnaise, and salt.  Stir in chicken, celery and almonds.  Serve on bread or crisp lettuce. 

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Fruit Smoothies

Smoothies are a nice cool and refreshing treat on a hot summer day.  We love smoothies for refreshing snack or breakfast at our house.  Dust off your blender and treat yourself to a great taste of summer.

Ingredients

1 medium banana, peeled and sliced

2 cups frozen strawberries, raspberries, or cherries

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup apple juice

Directions

Put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

1 cup chopped frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and diced

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed

2 tbsp water

4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese

4 oz Greek yogurt

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp low-fat milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 pinch ground black pepper

Directions

Combine diced artichoke hearts and chopped spinach in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water, cover bowl with plastic and poke a few holes in it to vent.  Microwave vegetables on high for 6 minutes.  Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Add the artichokes and spinach and cook over medium/low heat, stirring often for 10 minutes or until simmering.  Just before serving, broil the dip in an oven-safe dish for 1 to 2 minutes (on high) or just until slightly brown on top.  Serve with crackers, toasted bread, pita chips or raw vegetables.

Nutritional Facts

For 1 (1/2 cup) serving

230 calories 
14 g fat