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Healthier Avocado Macaroni Salad

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Everyone loves a great macaroni salad. This healthier version is a fun twist on a classic and is always a hit at summer barbecues. I make this avocado macaroni salad several times a month during the summer and it always hits the spot.

Macaroni salad is a summer classic but its often loaded with fat. This healthier version uses plain greek yogurt as an alternative to mayo and includes avocados, which takes this macaroni salad to another level.

I never used to be a huge macaroni salad fan. I find that most of them have so much mayo that all I end up tasting is mayo.

If you are watching your carbs or you are gluten-free, choose your macaroni noodles carefully. I like these Light Elbows for a lower carb option.

This keeps in the fridge for several days (without the avocado and parsley) and makes a great addition to summer barbecues.

Avocado Macaroni Salad

Avocado Macaroni Salad

This twist on a traditional macaroni salad is a great addition to any summer meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp honey
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped into thin matchsticks
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion
  • 8 oz dry macaroni
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large avocado, diced
  • parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Cook macaroni according to the directions on the package.
  2. Once cooked, rinse with cold water and set aside to cool completely.
  3. Combine the Greek yogurt, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
  4. Combined cooed macaroni with the bell pepper, carrots, celery, onion, eggs, and avocado. Stir gently.
  5. Pour dressing on top and combine.
  6. Top with chopped parsley and serve.

Notes

If you are making this ahead of time, leave out the avocado and parsley. Add them in just before serving.

© Rachel
Cuisine: Salads / Category: Sugar-free Recipes

Cucumber Radish Salad with Lemon Dressing

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This cucumber radish salad with lemon dressing makes the perfect side dish for a summer barbecue. This salad recipe only has a few ingredients but all of the flavors really pop and it’s absolutely delicious on a hot day.

I’m a big fan of cucumber salads of any variety. We always have them on hand in the summer so it is easy to throw together a quick salad when we need a fresh side dish. We often do tomato cucumber salads but radishes are a tasty addition that give this salad just the right amount of bite.

Radishes are very easy to grow yourself so it may be fun to add them to your garden this summer. They are usually the first thing I start my kids gardening with because you can harvest them so quickly.

The dressing on this is made with fresh lemon juice and is so simple but absolutely amazing in this and any other summer salad.

I love this salad just as much the next day so if you want to make a big batch and have it on hand it can really simplify mealtime. We will often grill up some meat and just make a quick meal out of meat and this cucumber radish salad. I’m a seriously lazy cook in the summer. The heat gets to me and I’d rather just have a few favorite meals ready to go.

I always like having something fresh on hand though and this salad holds up really well in the fridge. It’s the perfect light meal during the summer and it’s easy to dress things up if you want to for a crowd.

Healthy Eating Tip

I’m not the best at prepping meals ahead of time. I’m working on being better at it but I like most recipes made fresh so I do what I can. I do find that I’m MUCH better at sticking to my healthy eating goals when I have a few things ready to go in the fridge.

I’m pretty good about dinner but I’m the worst about waiting until I’m starving to grab lunch. I’ve been trying to practice intermittent fasting so I don’t often eat breakfast and by the time I get around to eating lunch I’m starving. Having a few things like this salad ready to go makes it so much easier to grab something quickly and avoid just saying forget it and eating cereal for lunch.

Cucumber Radish Salad with Lemon Dressing

Cucumber Radish Salad with Lemon Dressing

This cucumber radish salad with lemon dressing makes the perfect side dish for a summer barbecue. This salad recipe only has a few ingredients but all of the flavors really pop and it's absolutely delicious on a hot day. 

Ingredients

  • 1 large cucumber, sliced
  • 2 bunches of radishes, sliced thinly
  • 1/4 onion, sliced thinly
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Thinly slice your radishes and cucumbers. Slice larger pieces in half.
  2. Thinly slice your onion.
  3. Layer all veggies in a bowl.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice.
  5. Whisk with a fork then toss with your veggies.
  6. Salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Serve immediately or let it marinate overnight.
© Rachel

Tomato Cucumber Salad with Avocado

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There are very few things I love more than a nice, fresh salad. I find that I will happily fill up on fresh produce over something sweet if it is on hand and doing that is so helpful to control sugar cravings. This Tomato Cucumber Salad with Avocado always hits the spot.

Tomato Cucumber Salad with Avocado

This tomato cucumber salad is a twist on a classic. The addition of avocado really takes it to another level. I love avocado so I add it to anything I can and it is absolutely amazing in this.

Avocado makes this filling enough that it works for a light lunch. Make it ahead of time and you’ll have something ready to grab when you are short on time. The high vinegar content keeps the avocados from going brown for a day or two so it will keep just fine for a lunch.

I have a horrible sweet tooth, so cutting sugar out of my diet is a struggle. Spicy food makes me crave sugary deserts but foods that are acidic, like this one with its vinegar base, really do a fabulous job at knocking out sugar cravings for me.

I have no idea why, but it works and this is a fresh and healthy snack/meal/side dish so it works for me.

This salad is so quick to throw together and it’s always a favorite.

Tomato Cucumber Salad with Avocado

Tomato Cucumber Salad with Avocado Ingredients

  • 1 large English cucumber, sliced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1 Avocado, diced
  • 1/2 white onion, sliced thinly
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Tomato Cucumber Salad with Avocado

Tomato Cucumber Salad with Avocado

Slice your cucumber then quarter the slices. I leave the skin on, but you could peel your cucumber if you’d prefer.

Slice your grape tomatoes in half.

Half your avocado, remove the pit, and peel off the avocado skin. With the flat side down, slice the avocado into cubes.

Slice the onion in thin slices and separate the pieces.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Gently toss the cucumber, tomatoes, onion slices, and avocado with the dressing.

You can serve this right away or let it sit in the fridge for a few hours so the flavors can come together.