Refreshing Broccoli Salad Travels Well In Summertime

Salads that can be prepared a day or two before a party are welcome any time of year, but especially during summertime. Broccoli Buffet Salad makes a winsome addition to your files.

The recipe is from "Lighthearted Everyday Cooking" by Anne Lindsay (MCM Books, $16.95). The Canadian food writer and home economist has written four cookbooks, with total sales of more than a million copies, including "The American Cancer Society Cookbook."

Lindsay says her sister-in-law brings this broccoli salad to family reunions at their summer cottage. It travels well in a cooler.

The bacon is optional, and if you don't use it, the salad can be assembled with no cooking, keeping your kitchen cool on a hot day. To reduce the fat content, Lindsay uses low-fat yogurt and reduced-fat mayonnaise in the dressing.

"There are lots of easy food substitutions that can help you avoid the fat and calories of some common foods but that won't leave you hungry and grumpy like most typical diets," Lindsay says.

For example, she recommends trying skim milk or 1 percent milk instead of whole milk, bagel with jelly instead of a doughnut, popcorn or pretzels instead of potato or tortilla chips, hard candy instead of chocolate candy, broiled fish instead of breaded fried fish, baked potato instead of french fries, pizza with vegetable toppings or low-fat cheese instead of pepperoni pizza and an English muffin instead of a Danish.

BROCCOLI BUFFET SALAD

----------------------------------------- 6 servings

1/3 pound bacon (optional)

1/2 cup low-fat yogurt

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cups broccoli florets (about 1 bunch)

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup roasted sunflower nuts or hulled sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1. If you decide to make the salad with bacon, cut slices into small pieces, fry until fully browned, then drain on paper towels and reserve.

2. To make the dressing, in a large bowl stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice and pepper. Add the broccoli florets, onion, sunflower nuts or seeds, raisins and feta cheese. Stir gently to combine ingredients. If using bacon, crumble it and stir into the mixture.

3. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Weekend Eats by Larry Brown appears the second and fourth Saturday of each month.