Monday, January 14, 2008

A Light Refreshing Salad

There's nothing like a bright beautiful green salad that isn't overpowered with dressing to make me feel like I'm on the right track. I cook with spinach a lot, but for a long time I wouldn't touch it raw. Ever since I found this recipe, it's now one of my weekly staples. Also, I am a big fan of making my own salad dressing. Now, I just need to buy a salad spinner and my life will be that much easier. Make this recipe on a Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week as a starter before your main meals.

8 cups baby spinach (or spring mix)
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tbsps red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijion mustard
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp sugar

Combine 8 cups salad mix (arugula or spinach preferred) and 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese, and toss well. Combine 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijion mustard, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon sugar, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle juice mixture over salad; toss gently.

  • Not sure how to shave parmesan cheese? I use a vegetable peeler to create thin, long slices from a nice chunk of parmesan. It's so much prettier than using grated cheese in this salad.
  • Turn this side salad into a main course by adding grilled chicken or fish.
  • Yum...I'm enjoying this salad for dinner tonight. I added chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and they bring much needed texture to this dish. I also think a crumbled hard boiled ege would be delish, too.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen,

Great blog! This salad does look light and refreshing. . .reminds me of summer during this snowy season. I'm also interested in healthy cooking and baking, so your recipes look very appealing! I'm going to bookmark your site and take a more detailed look next time.