I used to be a romaine girl. That was until I discovered baby spinach. Romaine still has it's moments (think Caesar, taco, and a few other salads). But now I actually prefer spinach in my salad. The main reason being that it has such a mild flavor and blends well with almost any dressing. It is especially complementary to sweeter salad toppings. Now that you can buy bite-size baby spinach there's no reason to not get your full serving of greens every day! We've eaten a lot of spinach lately as I've been experimenting with a plethora of salad recipes. In the meantime, I've also discovered some incredible dressings! This Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette has that rich and classic balsamic flair, but with the sweet note of pure maple syrup. It's the perfect balance of fruity (olive oil), tangy (balsamic), and sweet (maple). If you love brie, then you will adore this salad. After I ran out of spinach, I started spreading brie on a baguette, layering it with granny smith apple slices, and dipping it in my vinaigrette drippings. Sometimes those on-the-spot recipe inventions are the most surprising and delicious!
INGREDIENTS
baby spinach
1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced
brie, cubed
pecans, chopped (toasted is optional)
Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. To assemble salad: layer spinach, apple, and brie in a salad bowl. Sprinkle with pecans. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve.
2. To make the vinaigrette: Pour vinegar, maple syrup, and mustard into a food processor or blender. Pulse to combine and then with the motor running, add the olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper.
Serves 4.
(Adapted from All Recipes)
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