Spinach Salad Three Ways

Spinach salad can make a whole meal if you are eating light, and it’s highly nutritious. Try to find baby spinach leaves for this, but it you can’t, go ahead and use larger ones.

 

There are three recipes given here, one for the traditional Spinach, Bacon and Mushroom Salad, and two that have a more contemporary flavor and can be assembled quickly without requiring advance preparation of ingredients other than washing the spinach. Once again, there are no rules and you can mix them up or add anything else you like.

 

MAKES 2 MEAL SIZE SALADS or 4 SIDE SALADS

 

Ingredients:

A bunch of baby spinach, around 8 to 10 ounces, washed and dried

 

Vinaigrette

 

VERSION I ADDITIONS:

4 strips of bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces

4 large or 6 small mushrooms, sliced thinly

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

 

VERSION II ADDITIONS:

4 thin slices of red onion

¼ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese

8 to 10 Kalamata olives

8 to 10 thin strips of roast red pepper, cherry tomatoes or tomato cut into wedges

 

VERSION III ADDITIONS:

4 thin slices of red onion

half of an avocado, cut into small cubes

1 tablespoon of pine nuts

 

. . . . . . . .

 

Instructions:

▪ Place the spinach in a salad bowl and scatter over it the ingredients suggested or any other combination that appeals to your taste.

 

▪ When ready to serve, toss with vinaigrette; spinach salad would be good with a lemony vinaigrette.