Healthy New Year Salads

One of the hardest parts of sticking to New Year's Resolutions to lose weight is eating right. Healthy eating, which includes low fat and low calorie dishes, doesn't have to be boring! Mixing different textures, flavors and colors to create healthy, tasty salads will make all the difference in keeping that New Year's Resolution to eat better. Here are two easy and tasty recipes adapted from the Maine Nutrition Network.

Broccoli Salad
This salad is a great mix of sweet and tart flavors. The green of the broccoli and the red onion make it an eye pleaser as well as palate pleaser.

Ingredients:

1 head fresh broccoli (about 1 pound) ½ cup raisins

1/3-cup low-fat mayonnaise optional: ¼ cup walnuts or ¼ cup

3 tablespoons sugar chopped red onion. Shredded carrots

1-½ teaspoon vinegar or chopped apples can also be added.

1-½ teaspoon low-fat milk

Directions:

1. Wash broccoli, cut heads into florets. Dice stems. Place florets and diced stems in

a bowl.

2. In a small bowl, combine low-fat mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and low-fat milk.

Mix well. Add to diced broccoli.

3. Add raisins, walnuts and onions to mixture. Stir to coat all pieces.

4. Chill at least two hours before serving. Serves 6.

Main Dish Salad

The name of this salad says it all! With a hearty mix of greens, beans for protein, cheese and vegetables, you can make this salad in no time. Top it with your favorite fat free dressing. This is an ideal dish to pack for lunch at work. All of the ingredients can be found in most grocery stores all year long, so eating well in the New Year shouldn't be a problem.

Ingredients:

1/2 head red cabbage

1/2 head romaine lettuce

3 medium carrots

1 cucumber

1 green pepper

2 stalks broccoli

3 medium tomatoes

32 ounces cans kidney beans or garbanzo beans

6 ounces cheese, grated low fat cheddar

1/4 cup salad dressing, nonfat

Directions:

1. Wash and drain all vegetables well.

2. Thickly slice red cabbage, tear lettuce into pieces, peel and grate (or slice) carrots and cucumber, cut broccoli into

3. Combine all salad ingredients in a bowl.

4. Add salad dressing and toss together lightly just before serving. Serves 12.