Food & Recipes / Salads, soups, & sides


Say Yes to Salads

Chef Kevin Millonzi and Melissa Cummings

Looking for healthy, delicious recipes? Salads can be a satisfying and wholesome option for any meal.

“Salads are incredibly versatile and cater to a range of dietary preferences and restrictions,” said Chef Kevin Millonzi of Millonzi Fine Catering in West Warwick, Rhode Island. “You can use a variety of fresh ingredients to create a balanced meal, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and proteins."

Recently, Chef Kevin appeared with Melissa Cummings, BCBSRI Chief Customer Officer, to demonstrate two salad recipes on the Studio 10 television show. Below are the recipes for you to try at home. As a BCBSRI member, you can also go to a free cooking demonstration with Chef Kevin at a Your Blue Store location or take other free healthy living classes. Sign up for a class.

Caprese quinoa bruschetta

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
½ cup part-skim fresh mozzarella, quartered 
1 cup grilled corn, shaved off the husk
1 Tbsp. red onion, diced
1 cup quinoa, cooked
1 tsp. chopped fresh garlic
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 small slices of fresh whole-grain bread, toasted (1 piece per portion)
4 tsp. balsamic glaze, no sugar added 
4 sprigs fresh basil 
Kosher salt to taste*

Directions
Combine tomatoes, mozzarella, corn, onion, quinoa, garlic, and olive oil.  Mix thoroughly.  Season to taste with kosher salt. Top over toasted bread and add balsamic glaze. Garnish with fresh basil.  

Nutrition facts
241 calories, 12 g total fat (3 g saturated fat), 11 mg cholesterol, 139 mg sodium, 28 g total carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 9 g sugars (0 g added sugars), 9 g protein

Berry and farro salad with lime poppy seed agave vinaigrette

Makes 4 servings

Salad ingredients
1 cup farro, cooked
½ cup blueberries
½ cup strawberries, sliced
½ cup blackberries
½ cup walnuts, toasted
1/3 cup watermelon radishes, sliced
1/3 cup cucumbers, diced
1 cup romaine, chopped
1 cup baby arugula greens 
Kosher salt* to taste
Pinch of cracked black pepper

Vinaigrette ingredients
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. poppy seeds
1½ Tbsp. agave nectar
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Toss all salad ingredients thoroughly and plate. Thoroughly mix all vinaigrette ingredients and add dressing as desired. Season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. 

Nutrition facts (salad)
158 calories, 9 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 63 mg sodium, 18 g total carbohydrate, 5 g sugars (0 g added sugars), 4 g protein

Nutrition facts (vinaigrette)
162 calories, 16 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 1 mg sodium, 5 g total carbohydrate, 4 g sugars (4 g added sugars), 0 g protein

Recipes are used with permission of Millonzi Fine Catering.

*Every ¼ tsp. of kosher salt will add 120 mg of sodium per serving.