Category Archives: Salads

Gluten-Free Chicken Salad Recipe

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chicken saladThis delicious gluten-free Chicken Salad recipe is perfect for hot summer days. Here is the basic recipe Pilot used. You can add nuts and grapes if you like.

  • 1-2 cups diced cooked chicken (store bought rotisserie chicken works great)
  • 1 single rib (piece) of celery, diced
  • 2 tablespoons dried minced onions
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
  • 2-3 tablespoons dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon pickle juice (Pilot uses sweet juice, but you can use dill)
  • 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
  • 1/4 cup bottled Ranch Dressing (use more or less, depending on how much the salad needs to bind together)

Mix all ingredients together. Chill before serving.

Enjoy!

You can find my July Inspire a Fire post here. Please stop by and read it.

I wish you well,

Sandy

Gluten-free Grape Salad Recipe

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This super simple delicious Gluten-free Grape Salad Recipe was one of my mother’s favorites. It is great for special events and buffet dinners.

  • 3 pounds green grapes
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 8 oz sour cream
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Beat together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.

Add sugar and vanilla.

Refrigerate.

Blend brown sugar with the pecans and sprinkle on top of salad just before serving.

Enjoy!

You can find my May Inspire a Fire post here. Please stop by and read it.

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Gluten-free Chicken Fruit ‘N Nut Salad Recipe

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Here’s a tasty, easy to prepare gluten-free Chicken Fruit ‘Nut Salad recipe for those days when easy works best. This recipe can be served over salad greens, in a sandwich, or on its own.

  • 15 oz canned chicken, drained
  • 1 medium apple OR pear, cored and sliced
  • 1/2 cup seedless grapes cut in half
  • 1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
  • coarsely chopped walnuts for garnish

Mix first three ingredients together. Add ranch dressing. Top with walnuts.

That’s all there is to it.

Enjoy!

I wish you well.

Sandy

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You can find my June Inspire a Fire post here. Please stop by and read it.

Gluten-free Pineapple Salad Recipe

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This gluten-free Pineapple Salad recipe is another gluten-free recipe from the way-back machine. When I saw it highlighted in a magazine, it brought back memories of church potlucks from the 1960s and 70s. Perhaps it will find a place on your table this holiday season.

  • 20 ounces crushed pineapple with juice
  • 6 ounces lemon gelatin
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Boil pineapple with juice in medium saucepan and add lemon gelatin. Stir until gelatin is dissolved.  Remove from heat.

While gelatin is still warm, add softened cream cheese. Stir until fully melted.

Stir in mayonnaise until fully mixed.

Add chopped celery and pecans.

Pour into an 8X8 inch glass baking dish and refrigerate until set. About four hours.

Enjoy.

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Gluten-free Cucumber Tomato Linguine Salad Recipe

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This gluten-free cucumber tomato linguine salad is perfect for summer meals, picnics, and potlucks.

  • 1 lb. box gluten-free linguine. Spaghetti noodles work fine if you can’t find g-f linguine.
  • 2 cucumbers, peeled, sliced, and quartered
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 16 oz bottle Italian Dressing
  • 1/2 bottle McCormick’s Salad Supreme seasoning

Cook linguine per package directions.

Cool.

Chop vegetables add to cooled noodles.

Add Italian dressing and Salad Supreme.

Mix all ingredients well.

Marinate for 24 hours.

The longer this salad sits, the more intense the flavor.

Enjoy!

I wish you well,

Sandy

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Gluten-free Avocado Fajita Chicken Salad Recipe

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by Sandy Kirby Quandt

This refreshingly tasty Gluten-free Avocado Fajita Chicken Salad Recipe is simple to make and full of flavor.

  • 1 package frozen chicken fajita meat
  • 2 ripe Beefsteak tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives
  • 1 cup canned chick peas, drained
  • 2 ripe avocados, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons parsley
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 cup vinaigrette dressing
  • corn chips

Heat chicken fajita meat until warm per package directions.

Place diced tomatoes, drained chick peas, and olives in a large bowl.

Add parsley and paprika.

Gently toss in vinaigrette.

Place in serving bowls. Top with sliced avocado and fajita meat.

Add corn chips crumbled or whole.

Enjoy!

I wish you well,

Sandy

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[bctt tweet=”This refreshingly tasty Gluten-free Avocado Fajita Chicken Salad Recipe is simple to make and full of flavor.” username=”SandyKQuandt”]

Gluten-free Pineapple Fluff Salad Recipe

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By Sandy Kirby Quandt

After my mother’s funeral in November, the ladies at her church served lunch for the family. Among the salad dishes was a fluffy pineapple concoction. It was delicious.

My mother-in-law told me I had to get the recipe. I agreed.

When I asked about the recipe, I was told the luncheon had been catered, and they didn’t have the recipe. Phooey.

So, I searched the internet.

What I found, and what I’m sharing with you today, is a super simple recipe for a pineapple pie filling, which I simply turned into what I call Pineapple Fluff Salad. Pilot thinks it would make a great pie filling with a gluten-free graham cracker crust. And it would.

Pilot also said he believes the dish we ate had pecans in it. I honestly don’t remember, but if you want to add pecans pieces, 1/2 to 1 cup should do.

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 20 oz crushed pineapple, drained well
  • 8 oz whipped topping, thawed

Beat sugar into softened cream cheese. Add well-drained crushed pineapple. Blend in whipped topping. Add pecans, if using.

Refrigerate.

Enjoy!

If you think others would appreciate reading this please share it through the social media buttons.

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Don’t Judge a Fish-or Mammal-By Its Fins

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By Sandy Kirby Quandt

Have you ever made judgements based on what you think is true, only to find what you thought was so, isn’t?

When you think of hot surf spots does Surfside, or Galveston Beach, Texas come to mind? Probably not…unless you live on the Gulf Coast of Texas.

Pilot surfs. I don’t. Although Pilot has tried to teach me to surf, and teaches others the skill, I blame back issues and a lack of ability to stand up on the board for my not conquering the sport.

Several years back, Pilot and I had a lovely picnic dinner at Surfside beach the day before school began. I had a broken bone in my foot, which refused to heal, and was content to dangle from my boogie board while Pilot surfed.

While I dangled and twirled in the water, a school of silver bait fish jumped over my head. My first thought was Beautiful. In an instant, my second was Oh, no!

Pilot had just ridden a wave to shore. He turned, saw the fish, and had the same thought I did.

SHARK!

Being an intelligent person, I realized  none of the ripples which passed for waves that day would take me safely to shore. With my broken foot, I knew I’d never out swim a shark.

I resigned myself to having Pilot call in a substitute teacher for me while I  spent at least the first day of school in a hospital, recovering from a shark bite. It’d make a great story to tell my fifth graders, don’t you think?

As Pilot rushed to reach me, the shark got closer…

and turned into a dolphin.

Thank you, Jesus!

Like me mistaking a dolphin fin for a shark, have you ever looked at a situation, circumstance, or person, and made a judgement which upon closer inspection, turned out to be incorrect?

Maybe said something we shouldn’t have, based on what we thought were facts? Acted on errant truth and done more harm than good? Stayed away from a safe situation because we were suspicious?

We lacked discernment. The ability to see and understand people, things, or situations clearly and intelligently.

Are there situations or people we need to deal with differently? Probably. Words we need to leave unspoken? Most assuredly. Words of life we need to speak? Undoubtedly.

Are we mistaking dolphins for sharks?

What to do? I think one thing would be to ask God to give us discernment and wisdom to know the difference. He will, you know. Another thing is to keep pressing on…even when we still don’t get it.

Leave your comments below to share your thoughts on the subject. If you think others would appreciate reading this, please share it through the social media buttons.

But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. James 1:5 (GNT)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Gluten-free Linguine Salad Recipe

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Here is another delicious summer salad recipe from the way-back machine. This recipe makes a lot of salad. It is good to take to a pot-luck dinner, or picnic. Leftovers are tasty, but the longer it sits, the stronger the spices become, so beware. The recipe can easily be halved with no problem for smaller amounts.

  • 1 lb. box gluten-free linguine  Spaghetti noodles work fine if you can’t find g-f linguine. I use Schar noodles.
  • 2 cucumbers, peeled, sliced and quartered
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 1/2 regular size bottle Viva Italian Dressing
  • 1/ bottle McCormick’s Salad Supreme

Cook linguine as per package directions. Cool.

Chop vegetables

Add Italian Dressing and Salad Supreme

Mix all ingredients well.

Marinate for 24 hours.

Honestly, I’ve never let the salad set this long before eating it for the first time. But, it tastes better if you have let it sit for at least 6 hours.

Enjoy!

I wish you well,

Sandy

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Gluten-free Crab Salad Recipe

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Here is another of Pilot’s signature dishes. It is perfect for those hot summer days, when you don’t want to heat up the kitchen. Add Against the Grain baguettes, and you’re set to go.

 

  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 1 cucumber peeled, seeded, and chopped
  • 1 pepper chopped (you can use green, yellow, red, or any combination of the three)
  • 15 oz Mandarin oranges chilled. Reserve 1 tablespoon juice from can.
  • 8 oz crab chilled (imitation or real works)
  • 2 tablespoons Ranch Dressing. Just enough to coat ingredients
  • Juice from 1 lime or lemon
  • 2 tablespoons mint – fresh or dried
  • 1 teaspoon basil – fresh or dried
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
  • Pepper to taste
  • Pilot adds pepperoncini peppers and cherry tomatoes for garnish

 

Mix all ingredients together. Serve.

Enjoy!

I wish you well.

Sandy

PS

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