Asian Spinach Salad Many Ways

(Makes 4 generous servings)

Dressing (more than is needed for 4 salads)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 T rice vinegar (don' t use seasoned vinegar which contains sugar)
3 T soy sauce
2 tsp. Splenda (or sugar)
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp. ground ginger (not powdered, see about ingredients below for substitutions)

Salad:
9 oz. bag baby spinach (I buy pre-washed spinach, but wash if needed and dry well)
1 cup diced red pepper (or more)
1 cup diagonal sliced snow peas (or more)
1 cup red grapes, cut in half (or more)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (optional)
1/4 cup cashews, coarsely chopped

Combine olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, Splenda, and ginger and whisk together well. (You can also put the ingredients in a small glass jar and shake it, then whatever dressing is left over can go right in the fridge for another use.)

Put spinach (and green onions if using) in bowl, add about 6 T dressing, then toss until spinach leaves are well coated with dressing. Divide spinach among four serving plates.

Arrange red peppers, snow peas, and grapes over spinach and drizzle a tiny bit more dressing on if desired. Sprinkle with cashews and serve.

This recipe makes more dressing than you will need for four salads, but it will be good for so many other uses. You could use the extra dressing on cooked greens, on arugula, to marinate chicken, to make a cold brown rice salad, or on whole wheat noodles.)

Many other ways to add interest to this salad:

* Use peanuts or slivered almonds instead of cashews
* Use diced apple or mandarin oranges instead of grapes
* add diced cucumber or raw zucchini
* add cooked leftover asparagus, broccoli, or cauliflower
* use green peas instead of snow peas
* add some shelled edamame
* add chopped jicama or turnip
* put some sesame seeds in the dressing, or sprinkle on
* marinate cooked chicken or pork in a bit of the dressing, and add that


This printable recipe from KalynsKitchen.com.