Recipe: Chicken, Pistachio and Grapefruit Salad

Now let me tell you a little bit about my history with salads.

I hated them.

My mum is a very Asian cook. She stir fries everything; even lettuce. Growing up I enjoyed nothing raw and my perception of salad was all things green and yuck (I hated my veggies then!). I didn't have salad in any shape or form until less than 2-3yrs ago! Now I am an avid searcher of different salads to try that go beyond different types of lettuce in a bowl. Salads are so refreshing in summer and great to eat when you feel like nothing at all. The following healthy salad only has 1 piece of lettuce I promise =)

The other day my mum brought home a huge grapefruit and it sat on my computer speaker for over a week, waiting for the right time to be devoured. It made my whole room smell so citrus-y and lovely I was tempted not to eat it! Then I came across the perfect recipe at the perfect time: Chicken, pistachio and grapefruit salad.

Mum had brought home some BBQ chicken the night before and I remember seeing some pistachio in the pantry so today I set out to make the colourful salad:

Chicken Salad with Grapefruit and Pistachios

Recipe adapted from: Lifestyle Foods

Serves 2
Cost: <$2.50 per serve (The chicken was the most expensive ingredient and price will vary depending on purchase location)

Salad
2 shredded skinless chicken breast from last night's BBQ chicken
30g peeled pistachio
2 peeled grapefruit segments broken up to bite sized pieces
1 large washed cos lettuce leaf
1 Slice of toasted crusty bread diced

Dressing
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pepper to taste

Method
  1. Lay down the Cos lettuce leaf on a plate
  2. Place the chicken, pistachio, grapefruit and bread on the lettuce
  3. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl with a fork
  4. Drizzle dressing over the salad
  5. Gently toss the salad and eat!
Now for some lovely photos!


Energy: 1662kJ Protein: 35.4g Fat: 19.3g Saturated Fat: 3.3g Carbohydrates: 17.7g Fibre: 4g Sodium: 180.6mg

As much as this dish seems very easy at first glance, I made a HUGE mess in the kitchen. There was breadcrumbs everywhere, pistachio shells scattered across the table and chunks of grapefruit peel all over the place but it was all worth it for this delicious dish!

As you can see my fridge was otherwise quite empty and I didn't include half the ingredients from the original recipe... The salad was wonderful and a great mix of tangy, sweet, sour, bitter and nutty flavour. For me the pistachio was the star of the dish but if you're watching your weight go easy on them as they are high in energy.

Nutritionally speaking the dish is high in good fats, protein and fibre with little sodium (pick unsalted pistachios). Grapefruits are in season in winter and are great sources of vitamin C and soluble fibre (the kind that lowers cholesterol). Grapefruits are also a great source of antioxidant and by picking the most vibrant pink ones the more lycopene antioxidant it has!

Please note that grapefruits have a number of interactions with drugs, most commonly with blood cholesterol lowering drugs such as statins. Please see your doctor first if you have any concerns.

Try out this cholesterol lowering, antioxidant rich dish as a light lunch or make smaller portions for a side salad today!

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The information presented on this blog acts as general nutrition advice and is not tailored to meet individual needs. It should not be used as a replacement for any medical advice you have recieved from medical practitioners. Please discuss any concerns for your health with your doctor or Accredited Practicing Dietitian before starting a new dietary or exercise regime as they can give more personalised recommendations.

I make every effort to ensure information on Nutrition with Wendy is correct and up to date however nutrition is an evolving field and discrepancies can arise. If the information here appears incorrect or out of date please let me know and I will do my best to update my posts.