Geez, I feel like its been a month since I’ve blogged… oh wait, it HAS been a month.  Well, I’ve been busy… lots of good things going on.  I finally made the decision to leave my job as a commercial lines insurance agent to work with my husband full time as the Studio Manager.  In case you’re new to my blog, and/or missed all of my past shameless plugs… he’s a fabulous photographer. I’m excited and just a tad scared of this new adventure I’m embarking on.  However, one of the things I’m really looking forward to is having more time for my blog.  I feel like I’ve treated my poor blog like a red headed stepchild lately and I’m sorry!

On to the food… The past month or two, Stephan and I decided to concentrate on eating healthy.  Well we always eat pretty healthy, but we’ve avoided the sweets… that’s also part of the reason I’ve been so quiet on the blog… Who wants to see grilled fish with steamed veggies… again?  Yeah, I didn’t think so!  LOL!   This salad is definitely blogworthy!  Its stupid easy and quick to prepare and lastly… very yummy!

Asian Chicken Salad Recipe

2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Mirin (rice wine)
3-4 tbsp rice wine vinegar (to taste)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 chicken breasts

1 head romaine lettuce, torn in bite size pieces
1/2 c red cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 english cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 small orange, segmented

sesame seeds, toasted
crispy rice noodles or wonton strips

1. Whisk together the first 7 ingredients and let sit for half an hour to dissolve the sugar.

2. Place the chicken breasts in a plastic ziploc bag and add 3 tablespoons of the dressing.  Whisk the dressing very well before adding to the chicken.  Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, turning the bag over a few times.  Grill until done.  Once grilled, let cool and slice into thin strips.

3. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk the dressing again very well to incorporate and toss with the salad ingredients and divide into large salad bowls. Top with the grilled chicken strips and garnish with sesame seeds and rice noodles/wonton strips.

Makes 2 servings as a large dinner salad or 4 as a side salad.

Note: The dressing is also very tasty with a tablespoon or two of peanut butter whisked in.