Healthy Macaroni Salad

I’ve got a macaroni salad for you that taste like Grandma’s but, with creamy yogurt and tangy feta stepping in to replace the heavy mayo-based salad. With crunch, color and cool, your picnic will be the envy of them all.

·         1 pound dried whole wheat macaroni (or other noodle of choice)

·         1 1/2 cups 2-percent Greek yogurt

·         1/2 cup crumbled feta (about 4 ounces)

·         1/4 cup olive oil

·         Zest of 1 lemon

·         2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         1 clove garlic

·         1 bell pepper

·         3 stalks celery

·         1 bag frozen peas (thawed)

·         Red onion (optional)

·         DIRECTIONS

·         Bring a large, generously-salted pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to package instructions. Drain in a colander and run under cold water until the macaroni is completely cooled. Shake the colander well to get rid of excess water. Transfer the macaroni to a large bowl. 

While the macaroni is cooking, make the dressing. Combine the yogurt, feta, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper and garlic in a food processor. Blend until well mixed. Scrape the dressing into the bowl with the macaroni. Add the bell pepper, celery, and peas.to the bowl and toss well. Check for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if desired.

Healthy Baked Shrimp Egg Rolls

Healthy Baked Shrimp Egg Rolls
(Courtesy of Neal Lockhart)

I love egg rolls, but the deep fried food doesn't sit well with me later and is DEFINITELY not a healthy choice. I wanted to make my own. My husband, Neal found a great recipe. He worked with the recipe and created this; a delicious healthy baked shrimp egg roll that is low in salt (skipped the soy sauce), great in taste, AND with only about 60 calories for one egg roll!! You can substitute the shrimp for another protein like pork, and add other veggies of your choice too, like mushrooms! 

INGREDIENTS

12 egg roll wrappers
1 cup cooked baby shrimp
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 (16 ounce) bag shredded cabbage and carrto coleslaw mix
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce




PREPARATION

Make filling:

Stir together oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved. Set aside.

Place the bag of coleslaw mix into a pan of boiling water and cook for two minutes. Immediately transfer cabbage mix to a strainer sitting in a bowl of ice water. When cabbage mix is cool, transfer to a salad spinner and spin dry. It is important that the cabbage mix is as dry as possible, so your egg rolls will be crisp. (You can place the mixture on a towel and dry too if needed).

Place the shrimp in a pan and sear in the pan for a few minutes, enough to take some of the moisture out of them.

Add the filling and shrimp to the cabbage mixture, and stir well.

With an egg roll wrapper sitting in a triangle toward you, place a large spoonful of filling about 2 inches from the point of the triangle. fold the point up and over the filling. Fold the left side over and the right side over. Roll toward the top of the triangle. Leave about an inch to the end and brush egg on the corner and fold over. Place the egg roll on a cookie sheet (I prefer Pampered Chef stones), and brush with egg. Repeat with the other egg roll wrappers.

Bake at 350 degrees until egg rolls are browned. Continually check on them and brush more egg on top for a crisper egg roll. Let cool and enjoy!