Rick's Heart Smart Spinach Salad

I don't proclaim to be a great cook or anything. I'm far from an expert… But I do love to eat and I know what I like.

The following is a recipe I concocted back in the 1990s. I call it Rick's Heart Smart Spinach Salad.

For each ingredient (not counting liquids, oils, powdered spices) I am including a song that represents the ingredient and sets the mood for the food prep process.

Let's begin with:

Spinach

I usually buy fresh spinach. But if you wish you can purchase pre-washed packaged spinach. Note I still rinse the pre-washed spinach.

1. Fill a colander bowl with water (keep the colander in the bowl).

2. Mix ¼ cup of vinegar into the water.

3. Insert fresh spinach into the bowl. Swish around in water.

4. Lift the colander out of the bowl and let spinach drain.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 again as fresh spinach usually has grits of dirt in it and there is nothing more unappealing than getting dirt between your teeth as you eat your salad.

Next…

1. Pour rinsed and drained spinach on a towel (or paper towels) and pat dry.

2. Add spinach into a good sized mixing bowl.

White Onion

Note: you can use red onion or yellow onion to please your taste. I prefer the pungent white onion

1. Cut onion in half

2. Remove peel

3. Mince onion into small pieces

4. Pour onion into the bowl with the spinach.

Avocado

Note: Hass avocado works fine. I prefer fuerte when I can find them

1. Cut one avocado (or two if you really love avo).

2. Mix avocado into the bowl with onion and spinach.

Tomato

I use beefsteak tomatoes. But roma or cherry tomatoes or any other tomato works just fine.

1. Core tomato

2. Chop tomato into chunks

3. Mix into bowl with other ingredients

Garlic Clove

1. Peel one garlic clove.

2. Cut into small chunks (you can use a garlic press but I prefer to cut the garlic)

3. Mix into bowl with other ingredients

I use only one clove to give the hint of garlic.

To peel the garlic do the following:

Bring a bit of water to a boil, and then cover the clove with the boiling water in a bowl. After a minute in the boiling water, the clove should slip right out of its papery skin.

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Lastly, take ⅛ of a cup of olive oil and ⅛ of a cup of white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar) and pour into the bowl.

Gently mix salad in the bowl thoroughly.

Slivered Almonds

Garnish with a cup of slivered almonds on top.

But wait!!! How about the croutons???

BREAD

I use 3 to 5 slices of whole grain sourdough (sometimes Jewish rye)

Cut the bread into bite-size pieces, about 1-inch

Transfer the bread cubes to a large mixing bowl. Evenly drizzle 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the following seasonings: salt, garlic powder, and dried basil. You can also add a tablespoon of parmesan cheese. Toss well until the bread is evenly coated.

Preheat the air fryer. Air fry bread for 5 to six minutes. At the 3-minute mark, shake the bread to toss in order to cook evenly.

Now you have beautiful croutons for your salad.

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Pour your salad into an ornamental serving bowl and impress your guests. You should have enough salad to serve four and have some left over for yourself.

I usually leave the croutons on the side so people can add as they please

You might want to have a few salad dressings on hand - ranch, Bleu cheese, Italian, Caesar… just in case.

Enjoy your salad!!!