NIÇOISE SALAD
Classic salade Niçoise from the South of France is a relatively light dish to start. With only 477 calories per serving in the original, I was challenged on this one. There was wiggle room, though: My version trims a bit here and there by calling for canned tuna packed in water, egg whites only (instead of whole eggs), a lighter vinaigrette than the traditional anchovy-based dressing, and more greens. Serves 4
6 ounces haricots verts or thin string beans
3 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1 ounce (¼ cup) pitted Niçoise or kalamata olives, roughly chopped
6 tablespoons Not So Basic Vinaigrette or store-bought light oil and vinegar dressing, such as Ken’s Steak House Healthy Options Olive Oil & Vinegar
⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
One 6.5-ounce package (about 8 cups) sweet lettuce mix
1 cup grape tomatoes
Three 5-ounce cans chunk light tuna packed in water, drained
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the haricots verts and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer the haricots verts to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the color. When they are cold, drain the haricots verts and reserve them.
2. Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half; remove and discard the yolks. Slice the egg whites and set them aside.
3. In a small bowl, mix the olives with the vinaigrette and parsley.
4. To assemble the salads, divide the lettuce among 4 large dinner plates. Scatter the grape tomatoes and tuna over the lettuce. Divide the sliced egg whites and haricots verts among the 4 salads. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, and serve.
Healthy Tips
It’s long been established that the more flavorful a food is, the less you need to eat to feel satisfied. It has more recently been established that there are “super foods” that contain very high levels of nutrients. For a low-calorie “super food” snack, try water-packed canned sardines (the best ones come from Portugal) on sliced ripe tomatoes seasoned with Tabasco.
