Giada's Feel Good Food (12 page)

I am a big lover of sweet potatoes. Why? Because they're
sweet
! But, they're also good for you. Tofu adds a little protein to this recipe. Instead of adding it directly to the sweet potatoes, I use it to make a creamy but tangy vinaigrette.
serves 4

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Toss the sweet potatoes, olive oil, and salt on the baking sheet. Roast until golden and tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

Pour the vinaigrette over the potatoes. Add the apple, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds. Toss until all the ingredients are coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and process until smooth. The vinaigrette will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

I love chopped salads; you get so many great tastes in one bite. This recipe is my twist on a traditional chicken chopped salad. Instead of mixing in the lettuce, I use it as a wrap for the salad, which—like every good chopped salad—is studded with so many yummy flavors: chunks of chicken, creamy avocado, salty feta, crunchy fennel, peppery arugula, and bits of sun-dried tomatoes and briny olives. If packing this up to go, keep the salad and lettuce separate so the lettuce leaves don't wilt.
serves 6

for the dressing:
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gradually add the oil, whisking until the dressing is thick.

for the salad:
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, arugula, avocado, fennel, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, salt, and pepper. Add the dressing to the salad and toss to coat.

Fill the lettuce leaves with the salad. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and serve.

My mother-in-law first introduced me to Waldorf salad a long time ago. What I love in a Waldorf are the crunchy grapes, apples, and nuts; and I always thought I'd prefer the salad without the mayonnaise. So I kept the parts I like and turned the dish into something lighter by adding whole-wheat pearl couscous and substituting an apple cider vinaigrette for the mayo dressing.
serves 6

for the couscous:
In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and toast until the couscous is lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Add ¾ cup water and the salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so that the water simmers, cover the pan, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Uncover the pan and set aside to cool.

for the vinaigrette:
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, and oil.

for the salad:
In a large bowl, toss together the apple, fennel, grapes, walnuts, and couscous. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, tossing until coated.

Put 1 radicchio leaf on each plate. Spoon the salad into each leaf, allowing some to spill over.

This recipe makes a slightly spicy, boldly flavored, creamy salad by substituting Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise that overpowers so many curried chicken salads. Here the sweet-tart mango chutney and fresh mint really shine. In case you hadn't noticed by now, I am a big fan of using whole-wheat wraps instead of bread. They satisfy my carb cravings without overdoing it.
serves 4