Stuffed Acorn Squash

This recipe came from a Meatout Mondays email. (www.meatoutmondays.org) It was perfect timing because we just got 2 acorn squashes in our Bountiful Basket on Saturday morning! I'll leave the recipe as posted because I am going to use their nutritional information. The only change I really made is that their "medium acorn squash" must have been bigger than mine because we had a lot of leftover filling. (Not a bad thing!!) I also recommend saving the seeds to roast with a little olive oil and salt at 275 for 15 minutes! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 medium acorn squash
1 cup vegan chick'n broth or vegetable broth
½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
½ large bell pepper (preferably red), chopped
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
1 cup fresh spinach
¼ cup raisins
2 ¼ teaspoons cumin
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegan butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Cut squash in half, remove pulp, place squash face down on a large baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or until done. Squash should be tender all the way through.

3. In the meantime, in a medium saucepan, add the broth and quinoa, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer and cover. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes.

4. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add garlic, onions, carrot and bell peppers. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the carrots are tender, stirring occasionally.

5. Add garbanzo beans, raisins, spinach, cumin and salt to the mix and continue cooking for a few minutes.

6. Add the quinoa to the skillet, stir well and remove from heat.

7. Once the squash is done cooking, remove from oven. Evenly spread the butter over the entire inner squash and sprinkle with the brown sugar. You can break the squash up a bit with a fork so that the butter and sugar are spread more evenly throughout.

8. Stuff each half of the squash with half of the quinoa stuffing mixture and serve.

Ratings:

Kristen: 4

    Dave: 4

Nutritional Information:

Serving = 1/4 squash stuffed. Makes 4 servings.
Amount Per Serving
Calories 367	From fat 102
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11.3g	17%
Saturated Fat 2.1g	10.5%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 590mg	24%
Total Carbohydrate 64g	21%
Dietary Fiber 7.7g	31%
Sugars 19.7g
Protein 8.1g
Vitamin A 98.7%	Vitamin C 68.8%
Calcium 9.2%	Iron 23.9%
* % Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Spinach Spaghetti with Walnut-Arugula Pesto

Wanted to try a new arugula recipe. Here it is!

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
3 oz walnut pieces (about 3/4 c), toasted and cooled
4 oz arugula
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 oz Parma! Vegan Parmesan
1 lb spinach spaghetti (like Hodgson Mills)
1 T grapeseed oil
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1. In a food processor, pulse garlic until very finely chopped. Add walnut pieces and arugula; process until a coarse paste forms, about 5 seconds. Transfer to a serving bowl. Stir in the salt and parmesan cheese, and set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti, and cook until al dente according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, and immediately add to bowl with walnut-arugula mixture. Drizzle with the oil, and season with pepper. Toss thoroughly until coated evenly. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 304

Fat: 10g

Saturated: 1g

Carbs: 43.5g

Fiber: 7g

Protein: 11g

Ratings:

Kristen: 3

Dave: 2

Garlic Creamed Chard

Had some chard to use. I chose this recipe, which I liked because it uses both the leaves and the stems! :)

Ingredients:
1 T grapeseed oil
1 lb chard, stems and leaves separated, chopped
2 T minced garlic
4 tsp Earth Balance buttery spread
4 tsp all-purpose flour
2/3 c unsweetened soymilk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:
1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add chard stems and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in chard leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Cover and cook, stirring once, until tender, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a colander placed in the sink and press with a spoon to remove excess liquid. Return the chard to the pot, cover and keep warm.

2. Place garlic and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook
until the garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook until bubbling, about 30 seconds. Add milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the chard into the sauce and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 116
Fat: 8g
Saturated: 1.5g                                     
Carbs: 9.5g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 3.5g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4 (yum, garlic!)
Dave: 3.5 (He says I should definitely make this again!)

Swiss Chard with Beans and Tomatoes

The original recipe calls this White Bean Stew with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes. I have to disagree though... it's not a stew at all. So I have re-named it appropriately. :) The original recipe calls for 16 oz of swiss chard, stemmed. I am guessing that this means before the stemming. I didn't have that much, so I used some chard and some kale.

Ingredients:
9 oz swiss chard, stemmed and torn into pieces (5 oz after stemming)
7 oz kale, stemmed and torn into pieces (5 oz after stemming)
1 tsp oil (I used grapeseed oil)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
14.5 oz diced tomatoes (Hunt's No Salt Added)
7.5 oz cannellini beans (Bush's)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add chard and kale. Simmer over medium heat for 8 minutes. Drain, cool slightly, and gently press out excess water.
2. In the same pot, heat oil over medium-low heat. Saute garlic and red pepper flakes, 1 minute.
3. Add tomatoes (increase heat) and bring to a boil. Add beans and simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Add kale and chard, and cook for 3 minutes, so that the flavors blend. Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 260
Fat: 3g
Saturated: 0.5g
Carbs: 49g
Fiber: 16.5g
Protein: 14g

Rating:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 3.5

Autumn Harvest Soup

The original recipe says it makes 5 servings. I made half of the recipe, as follows. This half recipe made between 7-8 cups of soup! I'm going to have to disagree and say this made much more than 2.5 servings!!

Ingredients:
1/2 T olive oil
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, sliced (56g)
1 celery stalk, sliced (58g)
8 oz diced tomatoes (I used Hunt's No Salt Added Basil, Garlic, and Oregano)
2 c vegetable broth
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced (5.2 oz)
2 small white potatoes, diced (5 oz)
2 c water
4 oz kale, stemmed and torn
4 oz green beans
15-oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:
In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion powder, basil, thyme, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth and sweet and white potatoes and the 2 cups of water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the kale, green beans and white beans and simmer another 15 minutes.
Makes 5 servings (1.5 c each).

 Nutritional Information:
Per 1.5 cup:
Calories: 166
Fat: 1.5g
Saturated: 0g
Carbs: 30.5g
Fiber: 8g
Protein: 7.5g

Ratings:
Kristen: 3
Dave: 3

Savory Bean and Kale Soup

Original recipe is here, courtesy of Fitness Magazine.

Ingredients:
42 oz vegetable broth (mine's homemade!)
15 oz tomato puree
15.5 oz great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c uncooked rice
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bunch of kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped (or spinach!)

Directions:
In a crockpot, combine vegetable broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, onion powder, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
Cover; cook on low 5 to 7 hours or on high 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours.
Just before serving, stir in kale.
Makes 8 (1 cup) servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 93
Fat: 0.5g
Saturated: 0g
Carbs: 17g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 5g

DELICIOUS! :)
***FORK SYSTEM!!! (Back by popular demand!!)
Kristen: 5

Pasta with Artichokes, Sundried Tomatoes and Arugula

Original Recipe

Ingredients:
3 oz oil-packed artichoke hearts, drained, 1/2 T oil reserved
3 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, 1/2 T oil reserved
1/6 c white wine
3 c arugula leaves
4.4 oz dry pasta, shape of your choice
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
1. Coarsely chop artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes; set aside.

2. Heat oil from artichokes and oil from tomatoes in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes, and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine, and cook 3 minutes, or until most of wine has evaporated. Stir in arugula, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until wilted.

3. Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Return drained pasta to pot with reserved cooking liquid, and stir in artichoke mixture. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 399*
Fat: 13.2
Saturated: 1.1g
Poly: 1.3g
Mono: 5g
Carbs: 54g
Fiber: 5.6g
Protein: 11.8g


Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 3.25


*I'm not totally sure about the calorie count, because the nutritional info for the artichokes does, I believe, include the oil it is packed in, but the tomatoes do not. I used the information on the jars of the artichokes and tomatoes and added information for 1T of olive oil (for the 1/2T + 1/2T reserved oil). So it may actually be less calories than this. Either way, it was really good and totally worth it! :)

Broke Bean Stew

Trying out some Biggest Loser recipes from their book "6 Weeks to a Healthier You". So far, they're great!

Ingredients:
1 T EVOO
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
28 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (Muir Glen)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
3 (15.5 oz) cans chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, or white beans, rinsed and drained, or 4-1/2 c cooked beans (I used chickpeas, great northern beans, and red beans)
4 c fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (mine's homemade!)
1/4 c cilantro
3 c fresh baby spinach leaves or 3 c chopped kale or swiss chard (I used kale)

Directions:
In a 4-qt saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Do not brown the garlic.
Add the tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, and crushed red pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups (2 cans) of the beans and 3-1/2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
Meanwhile, place the remaining 1-1/2 c of beans and 1/2 c of broth in a food processor or blender. Add the cilantro and puree or blend until smooth.
Add the puree to the stew. Add the greens and heat just until wilted. Stir well and serve hot.
Makes 10 (1 cup) servings.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 145
Fat: 2.2g
Saturated: 0.2g
Poly: 0.3g
Mono: 1g
Carbs: 22.7g
Fiber: 6.9g
Sugar: 4.3g
Protein: 7.7g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 3

Dave said he rated it a 3 because it was bland. He ate it as soon as it was ready but I didn't eat any until several hours later. Maybe letting the flavors blend for a little while longer helped. I am SHOCKED that I even liked this at all, because I normally don't like tomatoes OR onions, and there are lots of both in this. But it was really good! The onions and tomatoes did not bother me in the least.
Note: Any leftovers should freeze just fine. I'm planning on freezing about 6 cups.

Lime Orzo

Here's the original recipe.

Here's how I made it:
Ingredients:
2 T EVOO
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 c orzo pasta
1/2 zucchini, shredded (80g)
1 small summer squash, shredded (90g)
1 carrot, peeled and shredded (70g)
kale, torn into medium-sized pieces (45g)
14.5 oz stewed tomatoes, undrained
14.5 oz vegetable broth (homemade!)
Italian seasoning, basil, parsley, salt and pepper to taste
zest and juice of one lime

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and uncooked orzo pasta; cook and stir until pasta turns a light, golden color, about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, squash, and carrots; cook until vegetables soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium. Cover, and simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add kale in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Stir in the parsley, lime zest, and lime juice. 
Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 432.7
Fat: 8.6g
Saturated: 1g
Poly: 1.1g
Mono: 5g
Carbs: 74.6g
Fiber: 5.1g
Sugar: 10.8g
Protein: 12.2g


Ratings:
Kristen: 4.5
Dave: 3.5


Just wanted to comment... this is a really nutritious dish. Yes, it's a little high on the calorie side, but it also has vegetables included, so you don't really need much in terms of a side dish. It's moderate in terms of fat, and most of it is the good fats. It's got decent fiber, 95% of your daily value of vitamin A, 35% of your vitamin C, and 40% of your folate! You could easily add chicken or sausage as well. I give this one an A+!
Now if  only I could find whole wheat orzo... that'd be even better.

Easy Vegetarian Collard Greens

Original recipe comes from food.com

Ingredients:
1 lb collard greens (I had -and used- 8.4oz collard greens and 5.5oz beet greens)
2 garlic cloves
1-1/2c vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
hot sauce and/or red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:
Wash greens well, submerging in a sink full of cold water to remove any dirt and grit. Drain well. Cut off the stems right where the leaf starts. Stack about 5-8 leaves on top of each other, then roll lengthwise. Cut rolled up leaves into 1" slices widthwise. Repeat until all the greens are done, and add to a large pot.
Add all other ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes or until greens are extremely tender. Serve hot, using a slotted spoon to drain the liquid from the greens.
Serves 4

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 45
Fat: 0.1g
Carbs: 8.6g
Protein: 2.7g

Ratings:
Dave: 4.5

Quinoa Chard Pilaf

Original recipe is here.

Here's how I made it:
Ingredients:
1/2 T EVOO
onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c uncooked quinoa (Ancient Harvest Inca Red Organic Quinoa)
1/2 c lentils *see note
4 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 c vegetable broth
1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed, torn into pieces (Mine was a little over 100g after I tore it)

Directions:
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion powder- saute until garlic is lightly browned. Mix in quinoa, lentils and mushrooms. Pour in the broth. Cover, and cook 20 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat. Gently mix chard into the pot. Cover and allow to sit 5 minutes or until chard is wilted.
Serves 4

Nutritional Information: 
Calories: 254
Fat: 5.7g
Saturated Fat: 0.3g
Carbs: 41.8g
Protein: 9.4g

Ratings:
Kristen: 3.5
Dave: 2

*Note: I found Tasty Bite Lentil Magic in my grocery store in the rice aisle. It's pre-cooked and pre-seasoned lentils in a vacuum packed bag. The original recipe calls for canned lentils, which I didn't find. Of course you could just cook your own lentils, but I did this once with less-than-favorable results and the premium on the price for this one is totally worth it to me!!

Braised Kale, Potatoes and Mushrooms

This recipe is from food.com (formerly recipezaar).
Here's the original recipe (halved), with my amounts noted.

Ingredients:
1/8 c water
1/2 lb kale, stemmed and torn into large pieces (5.5 oz)
1/2 c diced uncooked red potatoes, with skin (4.9 oz idaho potatoes)
1/2 T EVOO
1/2 c portabella mushrooms, sliced (2.2 oz baby bellas)
1 medium shallots, minced (8 g red onion, chopped)
1 garlic clove, minced
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Place potatoes in medium saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and summer until tender, 7-10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large, wide skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until shallots are soft and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add kale to mushroom mixture and cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Add water and cooked potatoes. Cover and cook until kale is bright green, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 115
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Carbs: 19 g
Protein: 4 g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 2 (He thought it was bland.)

Swiss Chard & Mushroom Squares

Had some swiss chard in our produce box this week and made this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 bunch swiss chard, stems cut out and cut into thin ribbons and then chopped (mine was 126g after stemming) (can also use other greens)
*don't throw away the stems!! I should have a recipe on here in the next day or two for those.*
dash of salt
dash of red pepper flakes
onion powder, to taste
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 lb mushrooms, diced into small pieces
1/2 T EVOO
1/2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1/2 c shredded mozzarella
1/4 c bread crumbs
4 eggs, beaten


Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil while you stem the chard. Wash and chop the chard. Add the chard, salt and red pepper flakes to the boiling water. Boil about 10 minutes, until chard is softened and cooked through. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Preheat oven  to 350 F.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet. Saute garlic over medium heat about 2 minutes; add mushrooms and soy sauce and saute 5-7 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened and liquid is evaporated.

Squeeze water from drained chard and place into large plastic bowl. Add mushroom mixture, shredded cheese, bread crumbs, and beaten eggs, and mix together. Spray 9 X 9" casserole dish or pie plate with non-stick spray. Pour in egg mixture.

Bake 20-25 minutes, until firmly set but not hard, and slightly browned.

Serves 4, or can be cut into 9 squares for appetizers.  

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 168

Fat: 9.3g

Saturated Fat: 3.1g

Carbs: 9g

Protein: 12.3g

Ratings:

Kristen: 4

Dave: 4

Baked Kale Chips

I've seen this recipe online several places. Here is a nice website with pictures. Just scale the recipe to however much kale you have.

Ingredients:
6 oz kale
1 T EVOO
salt to taste

Directions:
Wash and dry kale. Tear into pieces and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Lay the pieces out in a single layer on a baking sheet. (I line mine with foil.) Bake at 300F for 15-20 minutes or until crisp.

Nutritional Information: (per ounce)
Calories: 28
Fat: 2.5g
Saturated Fat: 0.3g
Carbs: 1.5g
Protein: 0.5g

Ratings:
Kristen: 3.5
Dave: 3.5

Portuguese Chourico and Kale Soup

THANK YOU RACHAEL RAY!! This is soooo good. (Original Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 T EVOO
3 medium red potatoes, diced
1 red onion, chunked
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch of kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped (recipe called for 1lb... after I stemmed it, I ended up with 5oz)
Salt and pepper to taste
16 oz can garbanzos (chick peas), drained and rinsed
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 lb hot italian turkey sausage, casing removed, split into small pieces
29 oz chicken broth

Directions:
 Heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat. Add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add garlic and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes, sausage and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5-10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.
Makes about 10 cups.

Nutritional Information:
(Per 1 cup)
Calories: 175
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Carbs: 21g
Protein: 11g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 4.5

Poached Eggs and Pasta

I think I got this recipe from sparkpeople. The original poster said that they sometimes substitute broccoli (fresh or frozen) or sliced zucchini for the spinach. Here's how I made it:

Ingredients:
4 oz. Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Penne
2/3 c Ragu pasta sauce (The recipe calls for a whole cup but I only had 2/3)
2 eggs
4 c fresh spinach (7 oz)

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Heat pasta sauce in a skillet over medium low heat. When the sauce begins to bubble, crack the eggs on top of the sauce. Cover and cook until it has reached the desired consistency (leave the yolks a little runny).
Add the spinach to the pasta just before you drain it. Stir and drain well.
Divide pasta on two dishes and top each with one egg and half of the sauce.
Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 320
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Carbs: 51g
Protein:17g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 3.5

Winter Squash, Polenta & Kale Casserole

This recipe is from a restaurant called Moosewood in NY. I got the recipe from this blog.

Ingredients:
For the polenta layer:
2-1/3c water (use the water you steam the squash in)
2/3 c yellow corn meal
2 sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 c shredded cheddar (Sargento Reduced Fat)

For the kale layer:
2 T EVOO
4 garlic cloves, pressed
12 c stemmed & chopped kale (can also use collards, swiss chard, whatever)
1/2 c water
1/4 tsp salt

For the squash layer:
3 c pureed winter squash
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
Plenty of ground black pepper
2/3 c shredded cheddar

Directions:
1. Peel and cube the squash, and steam for about 20 minutes. When it is done, puree it in a food processor.
Polenta:
Bring 2-1/3 c water from the squash steaming to a boil and gradually whisk in the corn meal. Add the sundried tomatoes, salt and thyme, and cook on low heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese, and spread in a 9x13" dish. Preheat the oven to 350 now.
Greens:
Heat the EVOO in a big pot and add the garlic. Stir it around for just a second, then add the greens, water and salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Distribute over the polenta.
Squash:
Stir together pureed squash, egg, salt, pepper and 1/3 c of cheese. Spread it over the greens and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 c of cheese on top.
Cover and bake for 25 minutes; uncover and cook for another 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 9 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 188
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Carbs: 22g
Protein: 8g

Ratings:
Kristen: 3
Dave: 3.5
I would have rated this higher than a 3, but I just don't care for squash! The polenta and kale layers were ah-ma-zing though!
We had this for dinner but you could also make it as a side. A lot of work for a side though... but worth the work!
(Update: Got a tip to substitute sweet potatoes for the squash! This sounds good!)

Baby Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Toasted Almonds

I got this recipe from sparkpeople.

Ingredients:
1/3 c sliced almonds
6 oz baby spinach
3/4 c strawberries, quartered
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
3 T extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Toast the almonds. I do this in stoneware in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time until done.
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey and olive oil in a small bowl.
Toss together the spinach, toasted almonds, strawberries, and dressing.
Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 176
Fat: 15.5g
Carbs: 8g
Protein: 2g

Ratings:
Kristen: 4
Dave: 3 (he likes his vinaigrettes with more vinegar and less oil)