This salad has a warm and slightly tangy bacon dressing. It’s one of my family’s favorite ways to enjoy a spinach salad.

Ingredients

4 slices bacon
2 eggs
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound spinach
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

How to Prepare

1-Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Crumble and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat.
2-Place eggs in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water. Bring water to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot -water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and cut in wedges.
3-Return 2 tablespoons bacon fat to skillet, stir in sugar, vinegar, water and salt. Keep warm.
4-Wash and remove stems from spinach, dry thoroughly and break into pieces in salad bowl. Pour warm dressing over and toss until coated.
5-Top salad with mushrooms and bacon, garnish with egg.

Both beautiful in presentation and taste, this salad uses fresh berries in summer and orange slices in winter. Anytime of year this composed salad will bring rave reviews.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 onion, minced
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup pecans
2 heads Bibb lettuce – rinsed, dried and torn
3/4 pound grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced
2 large oranges, peeled and segmented

How to Prepare:

1-d red wine vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, salt, onion, mustard powdered, and white pepper in a blender; blend.
2-ace nuts in a dry skillet. Toast over medium heat, turning frequently, until nuts are fragrant and lightly browned.
3-range Bibb lettuce on plates, top with grilled chicken slices, seasonal fruit choice, and nuts. Drizzle arranged salad with dressing. Serve.

Enjoy creamy feta cheese and lightly-sweet apricots balanced by tender spring mix, crunchy romaine and toasted walnuts.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried apricots soaked for 30 minutes in 2 cups hot water (or 3 fresh apricots)
1 cup organic grape cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
Apricot balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below)
1 head organic heart of romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
5-oz package organic spring mix
1/2 LB feta cheese (cow or sheep milk), crumbled
6 slices nitrite-free bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
1/2 cup shelled walnuts (pieces are okay), toasted
Prepare Apricot Balsamic Vinaigrette (see recipe below).

How to Prepare:

Cut re-hydrated dried apricots into thin strips (or seed and quarter the fresh apricots). In a medium bowl, gently toss the tomato halves, onion and cucumber with the vinaigrette. Drain most of the vinaigrette into a large salad bowl.*

Add the romaine and spring mix to the vinaigrette in the large bowl with the apricot pieces, feta and bacon, if using. Toss until thoroughly coated. Arrange tomatoes, onion and cucumber on top of salad. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and serve immediately.

Ingredients:

3 TB rice vinegar
3 TB reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 TB fresh lime juice
1 TB creamy peanut butter
1 TB dark sesame oil

2 tsp firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4″-wide strips
8 oz firm low-fat tofu, cut into 1″ x 1/2″ cubes

How to Prepare:

In large bowl, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, peanut butter, sesame oil, brown sugar, and salt until well combined.

In medium pot of boiling water, cook broccoli for 2 minutes to blanch, adding corn and carrot for the last 30 seconds. Drain, run under cold water to stop the cooking, and drain again.

Add broccoli, corn, and carrot to bowl with soy sauce mixture. Add mushrooms and bell pepper. Toss well to combine, add tofu, and toss gently. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours before serving.

Ingredients:

3 TB apple cider or rice vinegar
2 TB low sodium tamari
1 tsp German mustard
1 TB sesame tahini
3 TB water

21/2 cups cooked beans
1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

How to Prepare:

Blend or whisk first 5 ingredients for dressing. Add to beans, scallions, carrots, and parsley. Let marinade for at least 15 minutes.

Slice pita bread in half and stuff with marinated beans. Top with lettuce and serve

Instead of potatoes and mayonnaise, this salad consists of sweet potatoes, pecans, and a spicy-sweet curried dressing.

Ingredients:

11/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 TB reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 TB mango chutney, finely chopped
1 TB frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 to 11/2 tsp curry powder, to taste
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup diced celery
1 TB coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

How to Prepare:

The preparation takes 35 minutes, place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

In a salad bowl, blend yogurt, mayonnaise, chutney, orange juice concentrate, curry powder, cumin, pepper, and salt.

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2″ chunks. Add to dressing along with celery and toss gently until well coated. Sprinkle with pecans and serve.

Ingredients:
Serves about 4
2 cups finely shredded cabbage (mix up the red and green for a bit of lively color)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sliced scallion
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
3 TB sugar (or not, it’s up to you)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp each ground cumin, oregano, and dry mustard
Sea salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste

How to Prepare:
Combine cabbage, carrots, and onions in a big container with a lid. In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar, garlic and spices until the sugar is dissolved; pour over the veggies and place in the icebox for at least 4 hours.

Ingredients:
Serves 4
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tsp Whole Foods Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and thickly sliced
3 plum tomatoes cut into 1/2″ chunks
1 stalk celery, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Whole foods organic Kalamata Olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

How to Prepare:
Preheat the broiler. Rub chicken with oregano, paprika, and 1/4 tsp of salt. Broil 6″ from heat for 4 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through.

Transfer to cutting board and when cool enough to handle, slice on diagonal into 3/4″-wide strips.

In large bowl, whisk together remaining 1/4 tsp salt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and oil. Add chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, celery, and mint, and toss to combine. Serve salad topped with feta cheese and olives.

Ingredients:
Serves 4
11/2 pounds large tomatoes (about 3), cut into thin wedges
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 TB organic extra virgin olive oil
1 TB fresh lemon juice
2 tsp organic balsamic vinegar
3 ounces crusty Italian or French bread, preferably whole wheat, cut into 12 slices
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

How to prepare:
Prep Time: 45 minutes

Place tomatoes in salad bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss gently. Then drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar. Cover and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Arrange bread on a baking sheet and broil 3″ to 4″ from heat for 1 minute on each side, or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Then rub each slice of bread with a cut clove of garlic and cut bread slices in half crosswise.

Add mozzarella, basil, and toasted bread to tomatoes and toss to blend well.

Ingredients:
1 cup medium-coarse bulgur
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chicken broth, canned or homemade
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/4″ dice
2 cups shredded carrots
11/2 cups chopped parsley, preferably flat-leaf
1/4 cup finely sliced scallions
3 TB fresh lemon juice
1 TB plus 1 tsp Whole Foods Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 medium tomatoes, sliced

How to Prepare:
Prep Time: 40 minutes

In a medium heatproof bowl, combine bulgur and boiling water. Let stand 30 minutes, then drain in a fine-mesh sieve, pressing out excess water.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine apricots and orange juice, and let stand while bulgur is soaking.

In a small saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through, three to five minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate and cover loosely so it doesn’t dry out.

Increase heat under saucepan to high and cook broth until it is caramel-colored, syrupy, and reduced to about 1 TB, about 10 minutes. Set reduced broth aside.

In a large bowl, combine drained bulgur, the apricots and their soaking liquid, the chicken, carrots, parsley, and scallions. Toss to mix well.

In a small bowl or cup, whisk reduced broth with lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt. Pour dressing over salad and toss to mix. Mound salad on a platter and surround with sliced tomatoes.