Spinach Salad with Homemade Dijon Vinaigrette
Hello friends and I hope you’re having a wonderful 2018 so far. I want to begin by thanking all of you that entered the giveaway for the Mandoline Slicer.
I loved reading everyone’s goals for the new year. You all gave me some great ideas of ways I can improve myself in the coming months and years! Many of you commented that you want to improve your health and this is an area I want to work on as well. Not only physical health, but mental health, which is equally as important. I struggle with stress that is self-induced from trying to do too much and being unkind to myself when I fall short.
Realistically, we all have limitations. My problem is that I allow the ones I love to have limitations, but I beat myself up for all of my own limitations, which are numerous. However, the older I get, the better I get and I’m working on being nicer to myself. If only I gave myself the grace that I give to others!
I’m entering my 47th year this Friday, January 19th and I’ve discovered I have everything I need as far as material things go. The things I want in life now cannot be bought, but they are the true treasures like healthy relationships and time spent making memories.
[tweetthis]Healthy and delicious spinach salad w/ homemade dijon vinaigrette makes for an easy weeknight #dinner #recipe #foodblog[/tweetthis]
Ketchum Kitchen is my passion and I truly enjoy every moment I spend cultivating recipes, shooting and editing photos, and writing. Another one of my goals for the year ahead is to focus on making this blog the best it can be for my readers.
Since the new year is a time when a lot of people really focus on healthy eating, today I’m sharing a delicious and healthy Spinach Salad with Homemade Dijon Vinaigrette dressing. Salads are such an easy meal to make on busy weeknights and I love sharing different salad ideas here on the blog.
Here are some links to other salads you can find here.
Cobb Salad w/ Homemade Ranch Dressing
Grilled Fennel Salad w/ Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Cucumber and Arugula
Grilled Chicken Salad w/ Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries, Candied Walnuts
Making homemade salad dressing is simple and you have the opportunity to control the quality of the ingredients, salt content, fat content, etc. Fresh is always better! Homemade Dijon Vinaigrette requires only a few ingredients and they are all very affordable.
Other types of vinegar can be substituted for the red wine vinegar such as white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar or rice wine vinegar will work just fine. Olive oil is also an alternative for the canola oil. I prefer canola oil because olive oil has a strong olive flavor that I don’t prefer in my dressing, but if it’s all you have on hand, it’s absolutely ok to use it instead.
One of my favorite kitchen tools is this salad dressing shaker. Just toss all of the ingredients into the shaker and tighten the lid and shake everything together. The shaking motion will emulsify the oil and any leftovers can be stored in the fridge right in the shaker. It’s also dishwasher safe, so it’s super easy to clean.
I picked up this particular shaker at my local grocery store, but you can find lots of affordable options on Amazon. This one is less than $10 https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Little-Dressing-Shaker/dp/B016KMQ0BY/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1515978747&sr=8-11&keywords=salad+shaker
Although this is a very healthy salad, there is one guilty ingredient and that is pancetta. It can certainly be omitted, but it adds a really nice salty crunch to the salad. Most grocery stores carry pancetta that is already cut into small pieces. Just cook over medium-high heat in a small skillet and drain on paper towels.
After the fat has drained off, the pancetta is super crispy and just a small amount adds great texture and flavor to the Spinach Salad.
If you struggle with shells that stick to hard boiled eggs, check out my post with a Secret to Hard Boiling Eggs that the Shells Won’t Stick to. It works every single time!
Four Spinach Salads can be made with this simple recipe. Buy already washed spinach and pre-shredded carrots to make for easy prep.
Here are some ideas for other toppings that would be good on this salad.
- Chopped black olives
- Shredded cheese
- Toasted sunflower seeds
- Chopped red onion
- Chopped bell pepper
- Chicken breast strips
Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today and I hope you will try making this delicious salad yourself. Leave me a comment and let me know how you liked it and if you made any variations. I would love to hear your take on it!
Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list so you don’t miss out on any new posts. I promise I will never spam you and everything I make, without exception, is made from the ♥
Spinach Salad with Homemade Dijon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 4 large hard boiled eggs, chopped
- 4 ounces diced pancetta, fully cooked in a small skillet and drained on paper towels
- 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 6 cups fresh spinach leaves
- For the Dressing
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 3 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1.5 tsp dijon mustard
- 8 tsp canola oil
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- Pinch of dried thyme
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a shaker or mixing bowl. Mix well, making sure the oil has emulsified.
- For each salad, add 1.5 cups of spinach, 1/4 cup of carrots, 1/2 of a chopped tomato, one chopped hard boiled egg and 1 ounce of cooked pancetta. Top with the salad dressing.
Nutrition Facts
Spinach Salad with Homemade Dijon Vinaigrette
Serves: 4
| Amount Per Serving: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 309.6 kcal | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 25.95 g | 38.5% | |
| Saturated Fat 6.12 g | 30% | |
| Trans Fat 0.07 g | ||
| Cholesterol 205.21 mg | 68.3% | |
| Sodium 484.95 mg | 20.2% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 7.39 g | 2.3% | |
| Dietary Fiber 2.36 g | 8% | |
| Sugars 3.34 g | ||
| Protein 11.92 g | ||
| Vitamin A 556.61 µg | Vitamin C 19.38 mg | |
| Calcium 90.49 mg | Iron 2.26 mg | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ketchum Kitchen
Will give it a try
Please do! Let me know how you like it.