trey's salacious seasonal salad

cucumber, seeded and sliced (or cubed)
carrots, cubed
potatoes, cubed
fresh apple, cubed
fresh pineapple, cubed
bacon bits, crisped
chicken, cubed
cheese, cubed
yoghurt, chilled
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, minced
salt and pepper to taste

1. boil chicken meat for 15 minutes, then add potatoes and carrots. boil for another 10 minutes. this will also give you chicken stock, which you can later use by itself or in other dishes.

2. while boiling the chicken and vegetables, crisp the bacon bits until golden brown.

3. mince the garlic and onion, then stir into chilled yoghurt with salt and pepper to taste, which is to be separated from the salad until serving time. place seasoned yoghurt in the refrigerator to chill.

4. cut and core the apples and pineapples into cubes. combine both immediately, so that the acid in the pineapple juices prevent the apple from browning.

5. combine the cheese cubes, bacon bits, chicken meat, carrots, potatoes, and cucumber into the fresh apples and pineapple, mix, and then chill if you're serving it later.

6. when serving, pour chilled yoghurt over the salad.

7. enjoy.

notes:

cucumbers - i like them seeded, but not peeled. or go for seedless if you can. just wash them carefully if you want to retain their skins.

potatoes - i also like to leave the skin on. just make sure they are thoroughly washed. you can also substitute yams for a different take on the salad.

apples - i like them seeded with the skins still on. they make fantastic visuals against the green of the cucumber, the orange of the carrots, the yellow of the pineapples, and the brown of the potatoes.

of course, this is a basic recipe, and you may choose to alter it to suit your taste. but basically it's figure-friendly with mostly fresh and homemade ingredients, with little or no msg. you control what goes in. you can even make it totally vegetarian.

other ingredients you may choose to add or substitute:
fresh seafood, steamed (or buttered)
turkey, cubed
cauliflower
broccoli (my favorite)
roasted eggplant, cubed or sliced
cooked beans, drained
olives, pitted
fresh corn bits, steamed (or sauteed lightly in butter)
bulgur pilaf, cooked
tabasco sauce or rubbed chili flakes, for that spicy kick
citrus fruits, sliced
ginger, minced
vinaigrette (olive oil and balsamic vinegar, seasoned)
fruit dressings (olive oil and citrus juice, seasoned)
cebuano dressing (olive oil and pure tuba vinegar)
asian dressing (soy sauce, vinegar or citrus juice, sesame oil, with or without honey)

what i love about this salad is that you can make it as summery or as hearty as the seasons (and moods) change. i made my first one in the summer, so it was pretty light. i soon tried different dressings, and i discovered that each one created a different mood. the cheese choice also influence the overall taste. blue cheese, goat cheese, even your common cheddar cheese at the grocery. add spice for that middle eastern flavor, or olives for that mediterranean feel. the choices are endless.

bon appetit!