Just this week I have two potluck dinners. During the holidays, it is not unusual have one or two a week. Often these experiences can pack on the pounds, especially when I do not plan and prepare for them.
When I am in China and eating out with friends, it is just like eating at a potluck. They want me to feel welcome so they order or cook food as if it were a festival meal. A month ago when I was in Beijing, my friends (with whom I exercise in the park) invited me to a farewell lunch. I do not speak Chinese and they do not speak English, so I told my friend who was interpreting I only needed a couple of dishes because I don’t want to gain weight. We ended up with eight big plates of food for just the four of us! But I learned they have a wonderful salad, which was one of the dishes. It is a very fresh salad with over seven vegetables. Not only is it colorful, it is delicious. I depend on this salad for events when so much food is served.
Last week, I attended a weeklong storytelling seminar sponsored by the Timpanogos Storytelling Institute. We stayed in a beautiful cabin above Sundance, Utah, for the week. The food was fantastic but my favorite was the Asian Salad brought by Karen Acerson. It was just like the one I order when I’m in China.
For Thanksgiving dinner, I requested to bring the Asian Salad. For the first time I did not gain a pound at Thanksgiving dinner! It worked like a charm. My plate looked like a paint pallet. Around the outside, I took very small portions of each of the dishes served and then I filled the middle of my plate with the Asian salad. I ate very slowly and by the time the meal was over, I had not eaten so much I felt stuffed like a turkey. My plate had been filled with food and I was happy and satisfied with my meal. The best thing was I did not have that heavy hangover feeling I often do when I have a big thanksgiving meal. WOW!!! It worked!
I have decided that this holiday, I am going to take the Asian salad to every potluck dinner I attend. Pretty, delicious, healthy food to enjoy with good friends, and not a pound to gain!
Here is the recipe and best thing is you do not have to measure anything. You can even leave out items if you do not have them or add other that you would like, just go slow when you add a high calorie item such as nuts or dried fruit.
Asian Chicken Salad:
Celery, colored peppers and green onions diced, carrots, cabbage, and romaine lettuce shredded, mandarin orange (drained), toasted silvered almonds, lean chicken cubed, cilantro, water chestnuts sliced. The dressing that I put on mine is Paul Newman’s lite Sesame Ginger, which is only 35 calories for 2 T.
Take this simple, easy and delicious salad to get you though those high calorie potluck and dinners that await you this holiday.
Dian new book: titled Tipping the Scales in Your Favor. View Dian’s weight loss journey on a new video by BYU and get her new book. Deseret Book and LDS bookstores carry Dian’s new book or order at www.dianthomas.com.
Order Dian’s Holiday 5 books and 1 DVD Gift Book Special: It has been 36 years since Dian started her media career with an appearance on the NBC Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Right now she has a special on her five books (sold over a million copies) and one DVD for the blockbuster price of $36.00 (regular price is $95.00). Go to www.dianthomas.com to take advantage of this limited offer.
TV Appearance: Dian will be on KUTV Channel 2 Salt Lake Dec 2, at noon.