Recipe: Fresh Spinach Salad Three Ways

FRESH SPINACH SALAD THREE WAYS

6 cups spinach leaves
2 cups mandarin oranges
1 cup pine nuts, toasted*
1 to 2 cups prepared chicken salad
1 to 2 cups prepared tuna salad
1 to 2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup Cumin Honey Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

SELECTION ONE:
Place spinach leaves on plate or in bowl and place 1 cup of chicken or tuna salad or cottage cheese in the center of spinach leaves. Arrange mandarin oranges around the chicken or tuna salad or cottage cheese and sprinkle the pine nuts on top. Drizzle with vinaigrette. You may also toss the vinaigrette with mandarin oranges, spinach and pine nuts; place on a plate and top with one of the salads. Makes 2 servings.

SELECTION TWO:
Follow the same directions but instead of 1 cup, use 1/2 of 2 of the 3 salads.

SELECTION THREE:
Follow the same directions for the first selection, but use 1/2 cup of all three salads on top of spinach leaves.

*Toast pine nuts in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for about 5 to 8 minutes.

CUMIN HONEY VINAIGRETTE
Makes 6 cups

1 ounce cumin seed, toasted*
1/2 ounce ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups olive oil
2 cups canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper

Combine remaining ingredients together except the oils and blend with a hand blender really well. Slowly start adding the oils and blend well.

*The cumin seed can be toasted either in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes or heated a saut? pan until just before it smokes (no oil). Put the seeds in the pan and toss for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not burn seed or the vinaigrette will taste burnt.

Source: Simply Entree Salads by Janie Ebinger