Broccoli Salad with Mandarins
by Tracy Shaw
Looking for a light, delicious and filling salad? We love how easy this broccoli salad with mandarins is to make! Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s a perfect side dish or lunch idea.
Have you been searching for a healthy and tasty salad that packs a flavorful punch? This easy-to-make salad is amazingly delicious, and the combination of ingredients offers numerous health benefits as well.
Broccoli provides an abundance of essential vitamins such as A, C, K and B6, along with minerals like magnesium and phosphorus. The addition of mandarin oranges boosts your vitamin C intake even more while providing dietary fiber to aid in digestion. The combination’s low calorie count makes it an ideal part of any meal plan –– especially when you top it off with light dressing!
Broccoli Salad is Filling Thanks to Fiber and Protein!
Have you ever heard the phrase “you are what you eat?” Well, if that’s true then it means we should all be eating more broccoli! Not only is this delicious green veggie low in fat and high in fiber, but it also has protein.
One cup of chopped-up broccoli has around 2.6 grams of protein. It also features about 2.6 grams of fiber per cup! So while it may not have as much as other sources such as chicken or eggs, it still packs a punch when it comes to helping your body reach its recommended daily intake of protein and fiber.
Simple Changes Make a Big Impact
Getting more vegetables and fruit in your diet can go a long way in making your lifestyle healthier overall. Turkey bacon is a great alternative in this salad recipe because it has less fat, and fewer calories, and still provides that same savory flavor. Plus, turkey bacon contains iron, protein and other essential nutrients–making it a smart swap for regular bacon.
To make our salad we used broccoli florets, raisins, mandarins, sweet onion, and poppy seed dressing with crumbled turkey bacon on top — yum! You could also try out Vidalia Onion Salad Dressing!
Our Broccoli Salad is GREAT for Meal Prepping
Meal prepping doesn’t have to be time-consuming and overly complicated. This light and refreshing salad is filled with all kinds of nutritious ingredients.
Not only is this dish healthy and delicious but it’s also incredibly versatile – serve it as a side dish for dinner or pack it up for lunch at work. The best part? It lasts for up to four days in the refrigerator so you can make a big batch once and enjoy all week long! Just toss everything together with your favorite vinaigrette dressing before storing in an airtight container.
Alright, let’s make some broccoli salad with mandarins shall we?
Broccoli Salad with Mandarins
Ingredients
- 6 cups broccoli florets cut slightly smaller than bite size
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 10 slices turkey bacon cooked and chopped small I cook the bacon in the oven at the same time as the broccoli
- 4 mandarin oranges peeled and separated
- 1/2 small sweet onion very thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fat free/sugar free poppy seed dressing (we used Skinny Girl)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Put turkey bacon on a large baking sheet and put in oven.
- Spray a separate baking sheet with olive oil spray and spread out the broccoli in a single layer across.
- Spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with salt.
- Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until barely beginning to brown on the edges. The broccoli should be a bright. Let the broccoli cool completely before combining with the other salad ingredients.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled salad ingredients and then toss with the dressing.
Notes
Nutrition
More recipes to try:
5-Ingredient Broccoli Grape Salad
