I have an awesome recipe for chicken salad but part of what makes it awesome are the grapes and craisins. Can you think of any substitutes, texture-wise, that would be Phase1-friendly, other than grape tomatoes? I think that it would be difficult to substitute them for flavor since they add the sweetness and Splenda just wouldn't do it. The salad already has nuts & celery in it.

Ohhh...I am so craving this salad!!!

TIA (I hope!).

chickpeas, maybe? its no raisin, but I love them in salads

I love to add apples or pears to my chicken salad.

Ohh...that is an idea! Thanks! Why didn't I think of my standard chick pea? I put them in everything else! You're right...it's no craisin but it might be okay for the time being.

I was also thinking about sundried tomatoes, they'd add a tangy and chewy texture.

Sounds GREAT but fruit is not a Ph1 food. That is why I am trying to sub the grapes/cranberries. Raisins and craisins are still taboo on Ph2. Thank you!

You can shake your chickpeas in a bag with some splenda and cinnamon before roasting them, too, to add that touch of sweetness to your chicken salad.

roasted almonds!!!

Ohhh...that is an idea! Okay...this is either going to be really good or really bad!

I once had the same determination when I was trying to find a healthy alternative for butter/oil in my chocolate chip cookies (ran out of all of my other options) and was either considering my baby's pureed carrots (all I had on hand at the time) or prune juice...umm...BLAH!!! That was until I discovered pureed great northern beans...not much better but it worked and I ate them guilt free...continued making them for years later, too! The kids had NO IDEA ~ I LOVE being sneaky!

This is one of my favorite chicken salad recipes. I still make the kind with grapes once in awhile, but this is far healthier and has SO much flavor. It is a staple in our house - I make at least one batch a week for lunches.

http://3fatchicks.com/forum/showthre...n+chicken+pita

Of course, omit the pita bread for a phase 1 salad.

instead of the grapes you can do grape tomatoes...

Has anyone tried drying grape tomatoes? That'd probably work pretty good- they'd be tomato raisins, with the sweet tangy taste of sundried tomatoes. I would test this out, but I have no dehydrator.

Maybe in the oven?

I dried grape tomatoes this summer as an experiment. They worked fine. I'm sure you could do the same thing in a very low oven. GOOGLE it.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of the wonderful suggestions!!! I am going to make it this weekend!! Hoping for some yumminess!