Chicken salad with pineapple - fresh summer salad, perfect for picnics or the beach

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I think for most people, something with chicken, salad impressive. I think a very difficult period, someone does not want (except, perhaps, a vegetarian, but I want to introduce you to them - if they have forgotten or do not know who ate chicken - would have liked). So, this is a pretty good base - I think.

I also think that most people like sandwiches. Mixing the two ..? Sounds good, right? I think so, and you are likely to try this recipe. Let'sgo!

For this dish you will need the following things:
cooked chicken, finely chopped
Salad dressings (mayonnaise is the usual, but use what fits with the chicken).
To taste, salt and pepper.

As you may know, when it comes to salads, there are lots of ways to vary this is (there are a lot of optional ingredients that you might want to try or not). I'll give you some examples of these (as in silence, simply no good reasonall of them, and most importantly, it would take weeks).

Let's start with the vegetables start-things: broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, carrots, peppers (and many others). You can also completely different things, such as olives, crushed fruit, spices that you do not like cucumbers, hard boiled eggs.

Actually, what I've done so far is the basic ingredient in "a sandwich with salad." We go to a chicken salad sandwich real!

They are, in addition toI mentioned as basic ingredients, the following:
cooked chicken - 2 cups, finely chopped
4 green onions, chopped
4 slices of bell pepper
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 can of crushed pineapple
Salt and pepper

For the dressing, you must:
Dijon mustard - 2 tablespoons
Lemon / lemon juice - 2 tablespoons
Mayonnaise - 4 tablespoons

This is how this dish that is designed for 4-6 sandwiches made:
Cook the chicken, then cool. If youis cooled, cut into small pieces - and give in a bowl. Add to admit the bowl, the other ingredients and mix. Add salt and pepper.
Or eat immediately or refrigerate for several hours.

Picnics and Backyard Barbeque - Plan a Healthy Deck Party

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Picnic and BBQ season is still going strong. There's nothing more fun than having a few friends or neighbors over for a barbecue. Don't think you can plan a healthy deck party that everyone will enjoy? Well think again. Use these simple steps for your next summer gathering and everyone will have a smile on their faces and want to come back next weekend!

Ten Simple Steps to a Healthy Deck Party

1. Use your grill. Grilling is a low fat cooking method since no fat is added, and the fat in the food item drips off.

2. Think outside the beef box. Sure, a grilled steak is great, but poultry and fish are wonderful on the grill too. Choose "meaty" fish such as salmon filets, shark, tuna steaks or swordfish. It's worth investing in a grill plate so that items such as fish don't disappear into the grill rack and into the fire.

3. Remove most of the skin from the chicken pieces. While a little bit of skin will add flavor and keep the chicken moist, the skin is high in saturated fat, which is not healthy for your heart.

4. Add lots of flavor. There are a number of grilling sauces and rubs available on the market today. Be sure to choose one that is fat free or low in fat. Keep an eye out for excess sodium on the label too. Some sodium is okay, but if the sauce or rub does contain sodium, be aware that you won't have to add additional salt.

5. Use the grill for the whole meal. Even if you don't have a side burner, you can grill the vegetables too. Grill them first, and then set them aside while you grill the chicken, fish or meat. Simply brush the veggies with some olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and grill. They only take a few minutes, so check often, and then remove to a platter. They can be eaten as is, or chopped into a salad or rice pilaf. Vegetables like zucchini, squash, eggplant, onion slices, and bell pepper halves work well.

6. Try some healthier options to the traditional side dishes. Instead of an old-fashioned mayonnaise-laden macaroni salad, try a pasta and vegetable salad that is tossed with a vinaigrette dressing; instead of baked beans, try a three bean salad; instead of chips, try pretzels or a cereal mix; instead of potato salad, try a mixed green salad tossed with greens, sliced strawberries, slivered almonds, and a vinaigrette; instead of cole slaw, try a mixed rice and spinach salad.

7. Include some fresh fruit. You do not have to be fancy or make a time-consuming fruit salad. Just serve a platter of sliced melon, a bowl of grapes, a bowl of berries or nectarines. Let everyone help his or her self.

8. Along with the fruit, include a dip with low fat whole grain crackers while everyone is waiting for dinner. Try the low fat artichoke dip recipe below.

9. Instead of a bucket of soft drinks for the children, purchase small water bottles or mix up your own lemonade. Lemonade can contain less sugar than soda, and a child may drink less of it when it is served in a smaller cup, and you will have less waste. For the grown-ups, summertime is a great time to try some lighter white wines. Try a Pinot Grigio, a Riesling, or a Sauvignon Blanc.

10. Don't tell anyone that is it "low fat" or "healthy". Just sit back, take the compliments, and watch them enjoy the meal.

Enjoy your backyard or deck, and keep your friends and family healthy this summer.

Light and Healthy Artichoke Dip

14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

1/2 cup grated Romano or parmesan cheese

4 ounces light cream cheese, softened (Neufchatel)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon hot sauce, like Frank's (optional)

1. Spray a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Mix all ingredients in medium bowl until well combined.

4. Place mixture into prepared 3 quart baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbly and slightly golden.

Picnics Made Easy

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A picnic meal need not be a complicated event. Offering cold food items makes the menu easier to control. There will be less equipment to bring and fewer cleanups afterwards.

Sandwiches are a preferred picnic item. In the past a sandwich consisted of two pieces of bread and lunch meat. Sandwiches have been given an overhaul in recent years.

To add variety to ordinary sandwiches, choose from a variety of breads. Sandwiches are being made from pitas, flatbreads, and tortilla wraps. Cut the bread the night before and store in an airtight container.

Buy meats from the deli counter at the grocery store. Fresh turkey breast, ham, chicken breast, and salamis are options. Put the sliced deli meats in the freezer. The morning of the picnic, take them out so they can slowly thaw and stay cold until they are ready to be consumed.

You can run into trouble with condiments at a picnic, especially anything that is made from dairy products. Refrigerate mayonnaise based foods and dips until ready to pack the cooler for the picnic. To avoid having condiments containers sitting out without refrigeration, use condiment packets like the ones available at fast food restaurants.

Salads of all types are awesome cold picnic options. Macaroni or potato salad is best when served cold. If your get together is large, investing in single serving plastic cups with lids will avoid bringing too much to the picnic. When mayonnaise based salads come to room temperature they begin to get soupy and could spoil.

Rather than a fruit salad, bring along whole fruits. Fruit need not be refrigerated. It can be cleaned off before you leave the house and kept from the light in a paper bag. Choose a selection: apples, peaches, oranges, plums, and etcetera. Fruit makes a nutritious dessert alternative than ice cream or candy. Plus it has natural sweetness.

Individual pouches of chips and other snacks keep everyone's hands from reaching in the same bag, dirty and clean. There will be no opened bags of chips to transport home. This gives picnickers more variety without having to spend a fortune on snacks. It also allows everyone to choose the snacks or chips they prefer so everyone gets what they prefer most.

Nuts make an easy snack for a picnic. They need no refrigeration and can be easily transported. For easy handling by others, separate nuts into individual snack bags. Any bags that are not consumed can be emptied back into the can to be eaten later.

Cold food items equal a convenient and simple picnic menu. There is no need to use a grill. Packaging foods individual allows for less mess and easier serving.