Ellie’s 5-Minute Salad: Tricolor Salad 
with White Beans and Parmesan

Ingredients

• 5 cups lightly packed arugula
 (about 5 ounces)
• 1 head radicchio, core removed, 
sliced
• 2 Belgian endives, bottom ½ inch 
removed, sliced
• 1 15-ounce can white beans (such as cannellini; preferably low-sodium), drained and rinsed
• ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8 Italian breadsticks

Directions

1. In large bowl, toss together arugula, radicchio, endive, beans, and Parmesan.
2. In small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and salt.
3. To serve, place 3 cups of salad into large bowl or lunch container. If preparing a salad to-go, put 1 ½ tablespoons of dressing into small container. Toss with dressing right before eating. Serve with breadsticks on side.

Pasta Salad with Salmon, Peas, and Herbs

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup plain Greek-style nonfat 
yogurt
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon 
zest
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill, or 
2 teaspoons dried
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black 
pepper
• 1 (14-ounce) can wild red salmon, 
drained, skinned and boned, and 
cut into chunks
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen 
peas, defrosted
• ½ pound bowtie or corkscrew 
pasta, cooked according to package directions and cooled
• 2 scallions (white and green 
parts), minced (about ¼ cup)
• 8 cups chopped red-leaf lettuce

Directions

1. Combine yogurt, lemon juice, mayonnaise, lemon zest, dill, salt, and pepper in bowl and whisk to incorporate.
2. Add salmon, peas, pasta, and scallions and toss to incorporate.
3. Pasta salad will keep up to 2 days in an airtight container in refrigerator.
4. To serve, mound 2 cups of lettuce onto each plate or into to-go containers and scoop about 1 ¾ cups of pasta salad on top.

Grilled Thai Beef Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound top-round London broil or flank steak, 1 to 1 ½ inches thick
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 ½ teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1 ¼ teaspoons red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce
• Cooking spray
• ½ head red-leaf lettuce, torn (about 5 cups lightly packed)
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced (about 
½ cup)
• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh 
cilantro leaves
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced 
into ribbons

Directions

1. Rinse meat and pat dry and place in sealable plastic bag or small glass dish.
2. In medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, soy sauce, oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red curry paste.
3. Pour half of mixture into bag with meat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to bag. Seal tightly and marinate meat in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
4. Reserve rest of mixture to dress salad.
5. Coat a grate or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat until hot.
6. Grill steak until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side or to your desired degree of doneness.
7. Let it rest 
for 5 minutes until room temperature, then slice thinly against grain.
8. Combine lettuce, shallots (reserving a few slices for garnish), cilantro, basil, and beef in large salad bowl.
9. Add reserved dressing and toss to coat.
10. Divide salad among 4 plates and garnish with sliced shallots.

Wheat Berry Salad with Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 cup hard wheat berries
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley
• ⅓ cup tart dried cherries, chopped
• 1 small scallion (white and green parts), chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus 4 lemon wedges for serving
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cups lightly packed baby 
spinach leaves
• 1 recipe Lemon-Cumin Grilled 
Chicken Breast (recipe follows)

Directions

1. In medium-size pot, combine wheat berries and enough water to come 2 inches above wheat berries. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook, uncovered, until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, toast walnuts in a medium-size dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. In large bowl, combine wheat berries, toasted walnuts, celery, parsley, dried cherries, scallions, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Salad will keep up to 5 days in airtight container in refrigerator.
4. To serve, place 1 cup of spinach leaves on plate or in to-go containers. Mound ¾ cup of wheat berry salad on top of each serving. Top with slices of Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken. Place lemon wedge on side of each serving.
5. Right before eating, squeeze lemon wedges on top.

Lemon-Cumin Grilled Chicken

A touch of aromatic cumin and a citrus punch take basic grilled chicken to the next level. Pack it in your lunch box on top of the wheat berry salad.

Ingredients

• ¼ pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Put chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound slightly with mallet or rolling pin to even thickness of about ½ inch.
2. In small bowl, combine cumin, salt, and pepper.
3. Rub chicken breasts on both sides with olive oil. Then rub spice mixture on both sides.
4. Spray grill or nonstick grill pan with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat.
5. Grill chicken until grill marks have formed and chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
6. Remove from heat, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice into ½-inch thick slices. Drizzle with lemon juice.
7. Chicken will keep for up to 3 days in airtight container in refrigerator.

Navy Bean Soup with Ham

Try this healthy version of a classic bean soup on a cold winter night. Photo from Comfort Food Fix: Feel-Good Favorites Made Healthy by Ellie Krieger (John Wiley & Sons).

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried navy beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 tablespoon crumbled fresh 
sage
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground 
black pepper
• 4 ounces lean ham steak, cubed
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

1. Pick over beans and discard any stones.
2. Soak beans in cold water for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse well.
3. Heat oil in soup pot over medium-high heat.
4. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
5. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Add carrot, celery, and sage and cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
7. Add beans, beef broth, water, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper and bring to boil.
8. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook until beans have begun to soften, about 1 hour.
9. Add ham and cook, uncovered, until beans are soft and soup has thickened, about 30 minutes more.
10. Serve garnished with parsley.