BROCCOLI GRAPE HARVEST SALAD

So I made a variation of this salad almost 2 years ago, but this is by FAR soo much better! I found this recipe in an older issue of Southern Living over the weekend and made it for our tailgate on Sunday. Ohh my gawd was it delicious, but I did make a few tweaks though to the original recipe. Instead of using an entire cup of mayo I chose to use only a half cup of mayo and substitute the rest with a half cup of non-fat plain yogurt.

Best. Decision. Ever.

Throw together some fresh broccoli, red grapes, turkey bacon and chopped pecans and you’ve got the perfect pasta salad for any occasion! This was specifically perfect for tailgating since it tastes best after being chilled not to mention its incredibly filling and has something for everyone!

So in other news, my poor sweet grandma was back in the hospital last week which is why I’ve been pretty absent. She’s finally back home now, but I’m planning on staying with her for awhile until she gets back on her feet. It’s so hard seeing someone you love so much grow older and older. She’s one of the strongest women I know though and I sure love her for it.Anyway, hope you like this pasta salad! It mixes my favorite flavors of summer with some great tastes of Fall all into one dish that I’m sure everyone will love.

broccoli grape harvest salad

Yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 (16 oz) box whole wheat farfalle (bow-tie) pasta

• 1 lb. fresh broccoli

• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 2 packets Stevia

• 1/3 cup diced red onion

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 2 cups seedless red grapes

• 6 cooked turkey bacon slices, crumbled

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan for about 6 minutes until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Then prepare pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems and separate into small pieces using a paring knife. In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, yogurt, Stevia, red onion, vinegar and salt and toss with broccoli, hot cooked pasta and grapes. Stir to coat.

3. Cover and chill for up to 3 hours. Stir in bacon and toasted pecans just before serving, enjoy!

NOTES Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup • Calories: 244 • Fat: 5.5 g • Carbs: 41.2 g • Fiber: 4.2 g • Protein: 7 g • WW Points+: 6 pts

1. Whole-Wheat Orzo Salad with Broccoli-Pine Nut Pesto

Ingredients Ingredient Checklist

• Fine-grained sea salt

• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat orzo

• 5 cups broccoli florets and thinly sliced stems

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled

• 2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup creme fraiche

• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
  

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt, add orzo, and cook according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well again.

• Step 2Meanwhile, cook the broccoli. Bring 3/4 cup water to a boil in a large pot. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for 1 minute until bright green but still slightly crunchy. Drain the broccoli in a strainer and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and set aside.

• Step 3Make the pesto: Combine 2 cups of the cooked broccoli, garlic, three-quarters of the pine nuts, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in olive oil and creme fraiche and pulse until smooth.

• Step 4Toss orzo and remaining cooked broccoli florets with about two-thirds of the broccoli pesto and the lemon zest. Thin with a bit of warm water to desired consistency. Adjust seasoning by adding more salt, lemon juice, or pesto as desired. Fold in avocado. Serve topped with remaining pine nuts.

20 Minutes10 DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY VEGGIE SALADS

I love veggie salads but honestly, I’m not very good at making them, or maybe I’m just lazy :D. I always ask someone else to make the dressing, actually, I never tried to make it myself. Yes.. Lazy… just as I said. But those times are over! I just saw some amazing veggie salads recipes and decided to share them with you. I’ll even try some of them myself and this time I’ll make them on my own from scratch.

I also found a great photo on Pinterest with 6 dream veggie salads dressings (unfortunately I didn’t find the source so if you know who made it, let me know, and I’ll post it here). They seem so easy even I can do them.

1. Whole-Wheat Orzo Salad with Broccoli-Pine Nut Pesto

2. Broccoli Grape Harvest Salad

3. Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Olives & Capers

4. Lemon Cilantro Avocado Pasta Salad

5. Long Weekend Grilled Veggie Salad

6. Quinoa with Corn and Scallions

7. Detox Salad

8. Crispy Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Dressing

9. Cucumber and Zucchini Carpaccio Salad

10. Grilled Kale Salad with Beets, Figs, and Ricotta

6 Dream Salad Dressings: Citrus vinaigrette, balsamic vinaigrette, mustard-herb vinaigrette, fresh raspberry vinaigrette, sesame-ginger vinaigrette, chipotle-honey-lime vinaigrette.