Chinese Chicken Cabbage Salad

This is the summer of salads at our house. Salads, in part because it's hot and they just make sense, but also because I have a mean 40 pounds of pregnancy weight to shed. I've done it three times before, so even though it doesn't sound like much fun, I know it's possible. But while there may be a lot of salads on my table right now, I'm making the weight loss journey a little easier by making sure they are all delicious!

This Chinese Chicken Cabbage Salad has all the elements of a perfect salad: Flavor, Crunch, and Color. Plus, it's filling enough to be a meal all by itself. It is certainly satisfying all my cravings lately!

I've never been one for diets or diet food, but I think it's safe to say that this is a pretty healthy salad. I've always operated under the assumption that if I cook good food with real ingredients, then I don't need to worry much about diets and calories and all that stuff that can turn a good meal into a chore. This salad falls under that umbrella: good food + good ingredients = good for you. (Food math is the only kind of math I'm any good at.)

That being said, 40 pounds isn't a small number so I'm still trying to talk myself into some sort of exercise routine. I hate exercise. Holding a 10 pound baby all day should count for something, right?

This salad is really good though. So, whether you are one of those people I hate  admire who can snap on the spandex and go for a long run or you are one of those who, like me, want to count unloading the dishwasher as a midday workout, this salad ought to do the trick.

2 cups diced, cooked chicken

2 cups shredded red cabbage

2 cups shredded green cabbage

4 green onions, sliced

½ cup slivered almonds

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

4 packages ramen noodles, uncooked (12 oz total)

Dressing:

¼ cup grape seed oil (or flax seed oil, or vegetable oil)

¼ cup vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Toss all of the salad ingredients together, except the dry ramen noodles, in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and toss until well coated. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Serve chilled. Crunch dry noodles over the salad just before serving. Serves 6