Spinach Salad with Portobello Mushrooms

  • Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

4-- loose-packed cups baby spinach leaves
2teaspoons olive oil
2teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2teaspoon dried Italian herb mixture
3medium portobello mushrooms, wiped clean with a towel
1/4cup pecan or walnut pieces
2teaspoons sugar
2ounces Fakin Bacon*
2-- hard-boiled eggs, chopped, optional
1/4cup crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2tablespoons raspberry or balsamic vinegar
-- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Place spinach leaves in a large bowl with a damp paper towel over the top and refrigerate.
  1. Combine olive oil, vinegar and Italian herbs. Use this mixture to brush portobello mushrooms on both sides.
  2. Preheat a grill or oven broiler. Grill mushrooms 3 to 4 minutes per side or broil them on a baking dish 2 inches from heating element 5 to 6 minutes per side until lightly browned. Slice into strips and set aside.
  3. Heat a dry saute pan or skillet over medium heat and add nuts and sugar. Stirring constantly, cook 2 minutes until sugar melts and forms a glossy coating on nuts. Remove nuts from pan and set aside on a plate.
  4. Place "bacon" strips in a dry saute pan or skillet over medium heat and brown lightly or follow package directions. (The tempeh bacon strips also can be browned under a broiler.) Chop cooked strips.
  5. Top spinach leaves with mushroom strips, caramelized nuts, eggs, if using, chopped bacon and blue cheese.
  6. Drizzle extra-virgin oil and vinegar over salad. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
 
*Fakin Bacon by Light Life is smoked tempeh-based bacon substitute. It comes in 6-ounce packages and can be found in the dairy or soy section of most natural food markets.

Nutritional Info *per serving

  • Calories 395
  • Fat 12g
  • Cholesterol 13mg
  • Sodium 403mg
  • Carbohydrate 12g
  • Fiber 4g
  • Protein 12g