Here's a recipe for a healthy spinach salad:
Ingredients:
- - 6 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried
- - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- - 1/2 cup sliced cucumber
- - 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or almonds
- - 2 tablespoons dried cranberries or raisins
For the dressing:
- - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- - Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. **Prepare the ingredients**: Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly and dry them using a salad spinner or paper towels. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, slice the cucumber, thinly slice the red onion, crumble the feta cheese, and toast the walnuts or almonds lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat.
2. **Assemble the salad**: In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, toasted nuts, and dried cranberries or raisins.
3. **Make the dressing**: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
4. **Dress the salad**: Drizzle the dressing over the salad ingredients in the bowl.
5. **Toss and serve**: Gently toss the salad until the dressing is evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately as a side dish or add grilled chicken or tofu for a complete meal.
Enjoy your healthy spinach salad! Feel free to customize it with additional ingredients like grilled chicken, avocado, or quinoa for extra protein and nutrients.
