Americans love Greek Salad… Look on the menu of most restaurants and you’ll find one. They’re loaded with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, feta and olives. All good-for-you stuff. The problem is most Greek salads are also loaded with fat and calories. Restaurants pack on the cheese and toss in high-fat dressing. This skinny salad has the same great taste sensations but much lighter. I’m using fat-free feta and tossing the salad with a store bought light vinaigrette that I’ve doctored up a bit. Each main course salad, 194 calories and 11 grams of fat. A half portion of California Pizza Kitchen’s Greek salad called “Mediterranean Salad” still has 555 calories and 28 grams of fat. Serve as a vegetarian first course salad or a main course salad for lunch or dinner. Add grilled chicken to make it even more substantial. This salad is crunchy, light and simply delicious!
Ingredients
Ingredients For Salad:
- 1 bag romaine lettuce, about 6 cups
- 1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped, about 2½ cups
- 3 medium tomatoes, chopped, about 2½ cups or cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium red onion, chopped, about 1 cup
- 16 Kalamata olives, sliced in half
- ½ cup fat-free feta cheese, crumbled
Ingredients For Dressing:
- ¾ cup Cardini’s Light Caesar Vinaigrette, Girard’s Light Balsamic Vinaigrette or Paul Newman’s Light Balsamic Dressing
- ⅓ cup fat-free feta cheese
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add all salad ingredients except feta cheese. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, add dressing ingredients. Whisk together to blend well. Refrigerate until ready to toss.
- To serve: toss dressing with salad. Divide among 4 plates. Top each with 2 tablespoons of feta cheese. If you’re serving buffet style, add feta cheese to the salad before tossing.
Notes
Makes 4 main-course salads (about 3½ cups each serving)
Food Fact
Adding lettuce to a Greek salad is the American way to make it. In Greece, however, an authentic Greek salad doesn’t contain lettuce at all.
Healthy Benefits
Cucumbers are over 90% water. They contain a significant amount of vitamin C and potassium. Tomatoes are extremely rich in antioxidants, especially lycopene, and vitamins A, C, and K. Red onions contain a significant amount of vitamin C and some B6.
Shopping Tips
Most supermarkets sell fat-free feta cheese in containers. Many display it in the gourmet cheese section or the cheese aisle. I found it at Trader Joe’s. Kalamata olives can also be found in most supermarkets. Trader Joe’s sells them too. Buy the kind packed in brine not oil.
Substitution Tip
Whether you choose to use Cardini’s Light Caesar Vinaigrette, Girard’s Light Balsamic Vinaigrette or Paul Newman’s Light Balsamic dressing, still add the oregano and feta cheese to the bottled dressing. In addition, add 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Whisk all together. Adding these flavors to a store bought dressing, helps to create a more authentic Greek salad dressing taste.
Serving Tip
Serve this salad with warm or toasted whole wheat pita bread. *If served as a side salad, the Skinny Facts and Weight Watchers Points can be cut in half.
Weight Watchers (old points) 4 (for a main course portion)
Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 5 (for a main course portion)
Food Fact
Adding lettuce to a Greek salad is the American way to make it. In Greece, however, an authentic Greek salad doesn’t contain lettuce at all.
Healthy Benefits
Cucumbers are over 90% water. They contain a significant amount of vitamin C and potassium. Tomatoes are extremely rich in antioxidants, especially lycopene, and vitamins A, C, and K. Red onions contain a significant amount of vitamin C and some B6.
Shopping Tips
Most supermarkets sell fat-free feta cheese in containers. Many display it in the gourmet cheese section or the cheese aisle. I found it at Trader Joe’s. Kalamata olives can also be found in most supermarkets. Trader Joe’s sells them too. Buy the kind packed in brine not oil.
Substitution Tip
Whether you choose to use Cardini’s Light Caesar Vinaigrette, Girard’s Light Balsamic Vinaigrette or Paul Newman’s Light Balsamic dressing, still add the oregano and feta cheese to the bottled dressing. In addition, add 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Whisk all together. Adding these flavors to a store bought dressing, helps to create a more authentic Greek salad dressing taste.
Serving Tip
Serve this salad with warm or toasted whole wheat pita bread. *If served as a side salad, the Skinny Facts and Weight Watchers Points can be cut in half.
Weight Watchers (old points) 4 (for a main course portion)
Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 5 (for a main course portion)
| SKINNY FACTS: for 1 main course salad(about 3½ cups each serving) including dressing 194 calories, 11g fat, 9g protein, 17g carbs, 4g fiber, 975mg sodium, 11g sugar |
| FAT FACTS: for CPK’s Mediterranean Salad (half salad) 555 calories, 28g fat, 19g protein, 55g carbs, 8g fiber, 592mg sodium, 25g sugar |
Skinny Facts
Serving: 3.5cupsCalories: 194kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 9gFat: 11gSodium: 975mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gPlus Points: 5
Your website is fantastic! Very neat, well organized, easy to read! Great photos! Great recipes! Happy to find it! THANKS!!!!!!
Thanks so much, Janice!
All the best,
Nancy