Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad

Tonight's blog is just showing that you can make quick meals that are healthy and can also fit your need whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain your weight, or even gain weight.  As, I was finishing up my workout today I figured I would see what some people would suggest that I cook for dinner in a last minute situation.  One of my friends suggested a Grilled Chicken Mediterranean Salad.  I had to pick my brain and remember what I had at the house and what I might need to pick up at the store.  A quick trip to the local Trader Joe's and I was set for my meal.  I used a mixture of some leftovers that I had at home and a few things that I normally don't carry that I picked up.  Here is the line up of what went into my salad:

So in the salad tonight I decided I would have a spring mix in place of the regular romaine lettuce.  Also, in the salad I had tomatoes, red onion, kalmatta olives, feta cheese, whole wheat pearl couscous, grilled chicken, and I used a Greek dressing from the store as well. 

Here at this starting stage is what makes salads such a versatile meal.  You can combine and mix ingredients in your salad to provide you what you are wanting as far as calories, carbohydrates, fat, and protein.  For me tonight I did a workout so needed a nice mixture of protein and carbohydrates to replenish what I used during my workout.  Therefore, I added in some couscous and grilled chicken.  If you are looking to keep calories low though you just look at omitting the carbohydrates and look to keep your portion size of protein to a small one.  Again, salads can be what you want and need them to be.

Once everything was chopped up you just start putting it together.  Here is everything that I added chopped up, so you can see the onions, tomatoes, olives, and chicken ready to be added to the spring mix.

Now, is the time that you get to dress everything up if you want to or you can throw everything into a bowl add you dressing and enjoy.  The dressing is another place that you can look to cut calories if you are watching your daily intake, or you can just keep your portion size in mind as you pour your dressing over the top of you creation.  Here is my final project from tonight:

Hope you enjoy this blog and feel free to experiment with what you add to salads and the flavors that you can take away from them.  For me there is no right or wrong in making a salad.  The most important thing is that you enjoy the flavors that you put into it and enjoy every bite.  That is what food is supposed to do; provide us with the vitamins and minerals we need, but also to provide us with enjoyment.  Bon appetit!!!!