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DOUBLE-DUTY DINNERS by Susan Nicholson
FIRST NIGHT: Prepare AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD (see recipe) for your mother on her special day. Serve with steamed FRESH ASPARAGUS and TOMATO WEDGES drizzled with olive oil. Add DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, buy the prettiest MOTHER'S DAY CAKE you can find and serve it with Mom's favorite fat-free ICE CREAM. (Mom would like a nice gift, too.)
SUSAN'S TIPS: Save 2 cups of the chicken salad and some cake for later.
FOR LATER: For a quick meal, make CHICKEN SALAD WRAPS using the leftover chicken salad. Spoon 1/2 cup each of the salad onto 4 warmed fat-free flour tortillas lined with a lettuce leaf. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and chopped tomatoes. Roll up, secure with wooden picks, cut on the diagonal in half and place on a plate. Add VEGGIE CHIPS and SWEET PICKLES. For dessert, enjoy some of the leftover CAKE.
SHOPPING LIST
Poultry: cooked chicken
Produce: celery, avocado, lemon, parsley, asparagus, tomatoes, lettuce
Bakery: dinner rolls, Mother's Day cake, fat-free flour tortillas
Pantry items: reduced-fat mayonnaise, capers, olive oil, walnuts, veggie chips, sweet pickles
Refrigerated/freezer case: egg, fat-free ice cream
Seasonings: garlic salt, hot pepper sauce
AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD
Makes 4 servings for now, plus 2 for later
Preparation time: 15 minutes
For the chicken:
3 (9- to 10-ounce) packages refrigerated cooked chicken or 5 cups diced cooked chicken
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 diced avocado
1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
For the dressing:
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons drained and chopped capers
Place chicken in a large bowl; add celery. Set aside.
For the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic salt, hot pepper sauce, parsley and capers. Pour over chicken; toss to combine. (Reserve 2 cups for later.) Divide remaining chicken salad among 4 plates. Sprinkle one-fourth of diced avocado on each portion. Sprinkle with egg for garnish.
Per serving: 338 calories, 39 grams protein, 17 grams fat (44 percent calories from fat), 3.6 grams saturated fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 152 milligrams cholesterol, 445 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanner@mindspring.com.
