Loaded Spinach Salad Recipe

Makes: 2 servings, about 4 cups each
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing

• 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup buttermilk or nonfat milk
• 1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Salad

• 8 large eggs
• 6 cups baby spinach
• 4 tablespoons Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing, divided
• 1 8-ounce can beets, rinsed and sliced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted (see Tip)

Preparation

1. To prepare dressing: Whisk mayonnaise, buttermilk (or milk), yogurt, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Add cheese and stir, mashing with a spoon until the cheese is incorporated.
2. To prepare salad: Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook at the lowest simmer for 10 minutes. Pour off the hot water and run cold water over the eggs until they are completely cooled. Peel the eggs; discard 6 of the yolks. Chop the remaining yolks and whites.
3. Toss spinach and 2 tablespoons of the dressing in a large bowl. Divide between 2 plates. Top with the chopped eggs, beets, carrots and pecans. Drizzle with 2 more tablespoons dressing. (Refrigerate the extra dressing for up to 1 week.)

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: The recipe makes 1 1/4 cups dressing (Step 1); cover and refrigerate extra dressing for up to 1 week. Stir before using.

• Tip: To toast chopped nuts, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 270 calories; 12 g fat (3 g sat, 5 g mono); 189 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 23 g protein; 6 g fiber; 803 mg sodium; 1098 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (359% daily value), Folate (61% dv), Vitamin C (55% dv), Potassium (32% dv), Iron (31% dv), Calcium (20% dv)
Carbohydrate Servings: 1
Exchanges: 4 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat