What magical delight combines fresh spinach, bold Dijon mustard, light hints of honey, and a little crunch? Spinach Dijon Salad, of course! This salad creates a perfect balance of flavors, leaving your taste buds buzzing and happy! It is simple to prepare and easy to bring along for your lunch. Not only that, but it looks elegant and colorful, making it perfect for a special occasion too!
This salad is just PACKED with nutrients. Spinach, the star, is themost in season in March through May, although you can easily get it any time of the year. According to An Abundant Lifestyle, Spinach is overflowing with Vitamins A, C, E, K, and B2. Also, it is a great source of magnesium, calcium, iron… the list could go on and on! It is great for your eyes, heart, mind, and general mood! I eat spinach ALL the time; in fact, I usually have a few bags of
cleaned baby spinach in my fridge. It is so versatile and is such a
great vehicle for flavor (not the mention that I can eat it by the
handfuls as well… Yes, I know, strange).
Pine nuts, which are sprinkled on top, have a lot of vitamin E and healthy, “bad cholesterol”-fighting fats. The hard-broiled egg is delicious and adds creaminess, but also is a fantastic source of protein! Top it all off with a delicious dressing, and call it a successful meal!
This salad serves two as a “large side” each serving, but if you wanted a nice big salad for a main dish then just eat it all yourself!
Spinach Dijon Salad
Serves 2 Serving Size: about 3 cups
Calories/Serving: (honey vs maple syrup): 198 vs 171
Ingredients:
- 6 cups baby spinach, washed and patted dry
- 1 large hard-broiled egg
- 2tbl pine nuts
- 2tbl light mayonnaise
- 1tsp Dijon mustard (coarse or smooth; doesn’t matter)
- 1tbl apple cider vinegar
- 1tbl water
- 1tbl sugar free maple syrup OR 1tbl honey
Instructions:
- Place the baby spinach in a medium-sized bowl.
- On a small cutting board, slice the egg in whatever way you choose, You can do cubes, or do as I prefer and slice it relatively thin so you can lay it over the top. Either way, once you have cut the egg, place it on the spinach leaves (or mix it in). Sprinkle the pine nuts on top of the salad.
- To prepare the dressing, combine the mayo, mustard, and cider vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk until well-mixed; add in the maple syrup OR honey. Thin out as needed with water (I find that about 1tbl water is needed; however, you can make it thinner or thicker depending on your preference). Drizzle the dressing over the salad (remember, mustard is strong, so you don’t need to drown this salad in dressing! Let the natural flavors stand out and shine).
- Dig in (the most important step!)
