Add curry to that salad for some Badass kick!

Hopefully by now it's clear that I am all about moderation on the road to Badass.

That means we don't declare foods off-limits. We don't starve ourselves, nor do we don't stuff ourselves on a daily basis. We eat real foods, not junk science monster food. And in the interest of being stronger and fitter we find ways to work our favorite treats into our meal plans.

This time of year, don't ask my why, I crave a really good, really creamy tuna or chicken salad. You know: The kind they stuff into a sandwich at a great deli or into a big ripe juicy tomato. Unfortunately, the tuna salads and chicken salads offered in restaurants are usually made with a lard-ass amount of that fatty substance we know as "mayonnaise." A deli tuna salad sounds so healthy, right? But it is often a few hundred calories more than a less-healthy-sounding ham and cheese sub.

So what's a Badass to do? Make your own, of course! I am not one to keep a great recipe to myself - especially when it brings together wonderful ingredients like Greek yogurt, curry powder and apples. That's a Badass Trio right there! And tuna is one of the cheapest but best proteins around. And all it takes is a can opener, no cooking! This salad can also be made with chicken you prepare yourself - or shredded from a pre-made rotisserie bird. Easy breezy -- kind of like spring afternoons.

I took a recipe I found in a magazine awhile back and tweaked it to my liking. Hopefully it's to your liking, too! So as the days get warmer and your winter layers have to come off lest you pass out of heat exhaustion, whip up this low-fat, high-protein salad for lunch or a light dinner.

Let those deli diners have their high-fat, high-calorie "salads." Know that this one is the better choice for a leaner Badass.

Springtime Curry Salad

• 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest or 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 to 2 tablespoons seedless raisins
• 1/2 Granny Smith or other tart apple, peeled and chopped
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 can Tongol or Albacore Tuna, drained or 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, curry powder, green onions, lemon zest or juice, celery, apples, raisins, salt and pepper, and tuna or chicken. If you like your salad more dry or more creamy, adjust the Greek yogurt by a tablespoon or so. Serve immediately over a bed of greens or on a whole-grain bread or wrap. It's also great to cover the mixture and let the flavors come together while it sits in the refrigerator for half an hour or so.  This is great to make on the weekends, and double the recipe for a few days' worth of lunches. Enjoy!

  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming tomorrow: The Badass Foodie says it's Good (Fish) Friday!