Super summer salads

In this health-conscious, watch-what-you-eat era that is consuming the lives of more and more people, salads have become a more popular selection for those who are concerned about a healthy diet. And the choices are numerous. For instance, although it has been a classic favorite, no longer are we just settling for the traditional lettuce, tomato and cucumber combination, evidenced by the popularity of various green salads, main-dish salads, fruit salads, gelatin salads and many others creations that highlight the creative spirits of individual preparers. The recipes on these pages are representative of some sumptuous, easy-to-make salads that can be among the ingredients for a memorable, satisfying summer.

Old-Fashioned
Potato Salad

6 medium potatoes, cooked,
  peeled and cubed
4 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 2-ounce jar chopped pimiento, drained
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix together potatoes, eggs, celery,
onion, pimiento and pickle relish in large
bowl. Combine the mayonnaise, mustard,
seasoned salt and pepper. Pour mayonnaise
mixture over the potato mixture and gently
toss to coat potato mixture. Garnish with
eggs and parsley if desired.

Yields 8 servings

CALORIES 240, TOTAL FAT 21G, CHOLESTEROL 0MG, CARBOHYDRATE 14G, PROTEIN 3G, SODIUM 79MG.

Easy Asian
Chicken Salad

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Oriental salad dressing
  1-ounce package Italian or Hearts
  of Romaine salad blend
1 15-ounce can pear halves,
  drained and sliced
1 cup fresh peapods, stringed
  and halved crosswise
3/4 cup shredded Jarlsberg lite cheese
  Crushed red pepper to taste

Heat the oven to broil and/or 550 degrees.
Arrange chicken breast on broiler pan
rack. Measure 2 tablespoons dressing and
brush 1 tablespoon dressing over chicken.
Broil 8 to 10 minutes, turning once and
brushing again with dressing, until chicken
is done and no longer pink in center.
Cool for 5 minutes. Cut the chicken breasts
into bite-size strips. Mix together the
chicken strips, salad blend, pears, peapods,
cheese and crushed red pepper in large
bowl. Drizzle remaining dressing over
salad and toss to coat.

Yields 4 servings

CALORIES 408, TOTAL FAT 22G, CHOLESTEROL 87MG, CARBOHYDRATES 19G, PROTEIN 34G, SODIUM 542MG.

Pasta Nicoise Salad

Salad
1/2 pound fresh green beans, diagonally
  sliced or 1 cup frozen green beans
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 6-ounce cans solid white tuna, drained
2 hard-cooked boiled eggs, chopped
1/3 cup sliced ripe olives
1 small red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 anchovy fillets, chopped, if desired
1 pound dried rigatoni or other pasta,
  cooked and drained

Vinaigrette
2/3 cup olive or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or
  fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried basil or marjoram

Cook green beans until tender in salted
boiling water and drain. Cool the green
beans. Place remaining salad ingredients
in large bowl. Combine olive oil, vinegar,
garlic salt, mustard and basil in small
bowl. Pour vinaigrette over salad ingredients.
Toss gently to coat. Let stand 10
minutes. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Yields 6 servings

CALORIES 634, TOTAL FAT 28.6G, CHOLESTEROL 81MG, CARBOHYDRATE 65G, PROTEIN 29.5, SODIUM 449MG.

Tomato Salad with
Dilly Lemon Vinaigrette

2 1/2 pounds firm ripe tomatoes,
  cut into wedges
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh dill weed or 1
  teaspoon dry dill weed
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Arrange the tomatoes in a bowl or on
a platter. Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic
salt, Dijon mustard, dill weed and lemon
juice in airtight jar. Close and shake to
combine ingredients and dissolve the salt.
Shake again before using. Drizzle the salad
dressing over tomatoes and garnish
with fresh dill if desired.

Yields 8 servings

CALORIES 109, TOTAL FAT 9G, CHOLESTEROL 0MG, CARBOHYDRATE 7G, PROTEIN 1G, SODIUM 78MG.

Easy Mediterranean
Salad

Basil Salad Dressing
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1
  teaspoon dried basil
1 clove garlic, crushed
  Salt and pepper to taste

Salad
4 medium tomatoes, each cut into 3
  slices
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, cut
  into halves
18 thin slices provolone cheese
24 thin slices salami (about 4 ounces)
18 pitted ripe olives, cut in halves

Shake all Basil Salad Dressing ingredients
in tightly covered container until
well-blended. Place the tomatoes, onion
and artichoke hearts in ungreased rectangular
baking dish. Pour the Basil Salad
Dressing evenly over vegetables. Cover
and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Remove
vegetables from dressing with slotted
spoon; reserve dressing. Arrange vegetables,
cheese and salami on lettuce. Garnish
with olives. Serve with reserved dressing.