Sunday, November 16, 2014

Butternut Squash Soup

2 pounds butternut squash, cubed
2 onions, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 dash ground nutmeg
1 dash ground cloves
1 dash ground cinnamon

In a large microwave safe dish combine squash, onions and butter. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Peel squash. Stir in broth and cook on high for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until squash is tender. Puree squash, onions and broth in a food processor or blender. Add cream, salt and pepper, and microwave on high for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through. Flavor with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon to taste. 


Alternate method: Peel squash and put in slow cooker with onions, butter, and broth. Cook on low until squash is soft.  Puree and return to slow cooker.  Add cream and spices and heat through.

Cauliflower Chowder

This is actually quite good and Steve said is was like the potato soup he had growing up. 

4 slices bacon, diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup 2% milk
1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in cauliflower and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower are tender, about 12-15 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the chowder is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.


Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and parsley, if desired.

Pumpkin Pie Yogurt

This is sooo yummy.  I made it for E's after school snack and I tasted it.  It made me wish I was hungry for a snack today so I could have some too!  E was a little unsure about it when I was making it.  But he ended up trying it and asked for it again tomorrow.  I'd say that's a win.  :) I found it here.

 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
 1/2 tablespoon honey

 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Hash Brown Egg Nests

We thought this was a fun twist to a hash brown and egg breakfast (or dinner!)

HASH BROWN EGG NESTS WITH AVOCADO

PREP TIME
10 mins

COOK TIME
30 mins

TOTAL TIME
40 mins

Author: The Cooking Jar
Serves: 8 cups

INGREDIENTS
15 oz. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 medium eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 tablespoon Cheddar cheese, shredded
½ tablespoon parsley, chopped
2 avocados, sliced and chilled


INSTRUCTIONS
Mix hash browns, salt, pepper, olive oil and 1 cup Cheddar cheese in a mixing bowl
Grease the muffin pan and divide hash brown mixture. Use your fingers to pack them tightly and shape them into nests
Bake at 425 degrees F or until the edges have browned and the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes
Crack a medium egg into each nest and season with salt and pepper to taste
Top with crumbled bacon, 1 tablespoon cheddar cheese and parsley
Bake at 350 degrees F until the egg whites set, about 13 to 16 minutes
Let it cool, gently slide a knife along the edges and use a fork to lift it out of the pan
Dish and serve with chilled avocado slices
NOTES
If you don't have frozen shredded hash browns, bake 4-6 russet potatoes. Let them cool off, then peel and grate them to form shreds.

Black Bean Taco

Quick, simple and tasty! Found it at endlesssimmer.com

Ingredients

2 C. black beans, cooked
½ C. red onion, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
4-6 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 avocado, sliced
Pinch of salt and pepper
8 corn tortillas
Hot sauce
Salsa
Sour cream
Make a Spicy Taco Bake w/ Chips & Sausage

Instructions

1) In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, and spices. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all of the ingredients together. Grate your cheese and have it ready as well.
2) In a large, non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet, add a few tablespoons of oil and heat over medium-high heat.
3) Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1?4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese.
4) Using a spatula, carefully fold the tortilla over so it forms a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape.
5) As the first tortilla cooks, move it to the side and do a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you should be able to get 2 or 3 tacos at once. If you have a griddle you can do even more at once.
6) Cook each taco for about 3 minutes per side until they are nicely browned and crispy.
7) When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out.
8) Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.
Note: Corn tortillas are resilent to heat. Don’t worry about burning them. They are very flexible. Just be sure to cook them on each side long enough to get them really crispy.here

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Energy Bars

These are really good.  Miss A likes them, though Big E didn't want to try them.  All the rest of us like them.  I found the weight and the cup measurements didn't match for mine and so I used the weight ones.  The cup of dates wasn't 220g, even mashed into the cup.  It was a bit more than 1 cup.  The cashews were about 3/4 cup at 100g.  I found the recipe here.

1 cup pitted dates (220g)
½ cup raw cashews (100g)
2 Tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds + 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds (garnish)
2 Tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes
¼ cup rolled oats OR ¼ cup vanilla protein powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup pure pumpkin puree 

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. This may take some time, but just be patient with it - you can always leave the mixture a little chunky if you like as well!

In an 8x8 baking pan, place parchment paper on the bottom.

Add in the energy bar batter from the food processor - it will be quite sticky, so it's advised to work with wet hands to prevent it sticking to your hands!

Press down the mixture into a pan and use the back of a wet spoon to smooth the top.

Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds.

Freeze for 2-3 hours or until solid, and cut into 8 bars.

Store in the freezer (if left at room temperature these bars will soften and become mushy, so it's best to enjoy right out of the freezer where they keep a good consistency!) (Rachel's note:  They are much softer out of the freezer, but not so soft that you can't eat them, just have hand wipes available, or eat them between some sweetish type of cracker, not ritz or saltine.) 

Enjoy!

NOTES
If you prefer the bar to be more dense at last longer at room temperature, double the oats or protein powder to make the batter less moist! This will change the nutritional facts however. 



No-bake Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Since fall doesn't really happen here, I've been looking for recipes to make that taste like fall.  My kids like these and they are so easy to make.  I found the recipe here

  • 3/4 cup quick oats (60g)
  • 1/2 cup oat flour (or make your own by blending oats in a food processor until they become powder. Measure after blending.) (75g)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup xylitol or sugar (or coconut sugar or sucanat) (55g)
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional: a pinch pumpkin pie spice as well)
  • optional: handful mini chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup canned pumpkin (or sweet potato puree) (80g)
  • 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons milk of choice, as needed
  • 1 tablespoon oil (omit if you desire, but I can’t vouch for the results)
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Combine all dry ingredients and stir very well. In a separate bowl, combine all liquid (including pumpkin). Then stir to combine, and form into balls or cookies. Or put in the fridge to firm up a little before forming cookies.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Home Made Spaghetti Sauce

This makes a lot.  There was enough to feed 5 adults and some kids with lots left over.  I got the recipe here.

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped and divided
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
2 pounds hamburger (at least 90% lean) or lean ground turkey
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 12 oz. can tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons dried oregano
3 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 14-oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes
2 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 carton fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 1/2 cups beef stock or beef broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of the onions and saute until translucent and slightly browned. Add garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add beef and cook until no red is showing. Drain beef slightly. Blend up the remaining onions and red pepper in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth. Add mixture to the garlic, onions and beef and stir to combine, cooking for another minute. Add tomato paste and spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring until combined. Add tomatoes, beef broth and sugar (and mushrooms, if using). Stir until combined and add the bay leaves.
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Fifteen minutes before serving, stir in the balsamic vinegar.


NOTE: The sauce will seem watery at first but will reduce to perfection after simmering for an hour. I’ve let it simmer on the stove for up to three hours before with no problems.

Pumpkin Granola

5 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
¾ tsp. salt
3 tbs ground flax (optional)
1- 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts like walnuts, almonds (I put both in)
1/2 cup honey
½ cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup oil
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, salt, flax, and nuts. Mix well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated. They will be moist. Evenly spread the mixture onto a large baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and stir. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the granola is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and stir in dried cranberries (I usually just add some when I eat a bowl rather than when I make it). Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Grilled Vegetable Burritos

I got this from diabeticlivingonline.com.  It is a bit time consuming, but oh so good. Probably less time consuming if you don't have to also make the tortillas...

1 red sweet pepper, quartered and seeded
1/2 of a small eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 medium zucchini, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 portobello mushroom, stem removed (about 5 ounces)
Nonstick cooking spray
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 7 - 8 - inch whole grain tortillas
1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped fresh tomato (optional)
1/4 cup Cilantro Pesto (recipe follows)
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons light dairy sour cream (optional)

Directions
1. Lightly coat sweet pepper, eggplant, zucchini, and mushroom with cooking spray. For a charcoal grill, place vegetables on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium-hot coals. Grill for 3 minutes; turn vegetables. Grill 3 to 5 minutes more or until vegetables are crisp- tender. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place vegetables on grill rack over heat; cover and grill as above.) Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly.
2. Coarsely chop vegetables. In a medium bowl toss together chopped vegetables, garlic, and pepper. Divide vegetables among tortillas, placing vegetables just below center and to within 1 inch of the edge. Sprinkle vegetables with cheese. Fold bottom edge of each tortilla up and over filling. Fold opposite sides in over filling. Roll up from the bottom.
3. Return filled tortillas to grill rack. Grill for 1 minute; turn and grill 1 to 2 minutes more or until tortillas are lightly browned. Serve with tomato (if using), Cilantro Pesto and if desired, avocado and sour cream.


Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1 clove minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon water

Directions
1. In a blender or food processor, combine firmly packed cilantro leaves, toasted pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic. Cover and blend or process with several on-off turns until a paste forms, stopping the machine several times and scraping down the sides. With the machine running, gradually add olive oil and water; blend or process until smooth. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.


Servings Per Recipe: 4
PER SERVING: 293 cal., 14 g total fat (5 g sat. fat),  25 g carb. (14 g fiber, 5 g sugars), 18 g pro.

Vegetable Lasanga

I got this recipe from  diabeticlivingonline.com

6 dried whole wheat lasagna noodles (these are impossible to find here so I just use regular no boil                                         kind)
2 1/2 cups zucchini and/or yellow summer squash halved lengthwise and sliced (2 medium)
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped onion (1 small)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup light ricotta cheese
1/4 cup snipped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
3 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups purchased pasta sauce
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped, seeded tomato (1 medium)

Directions
1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well. (I have the no boil kind and have not cooked them and it has worked just fine.)

2. Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet cook and stir squash, mushrooms*, and onion in hot oil over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until tender; remove from heat and set aside. In a small bowl combine ricotta cheese, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and pepper. *TIP: Baby portabella mushrooms taste great in this recipe.

3. To assemble, place 3 lasagna noodles in the bottom of a 2-quart rectangular baking dish, trimming to fit as necessary. Spoon half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Top with half of the vegetable mixture, half of the sauce, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining noodles, ricotta cheese mixture, vegetable mixture, and sauce.

4. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with tomato and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 minutes more or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

Servings Per Recipe: 6
PER SERVING: 256 cal., 8 g total fat (4 g sat. fat), 30 g carb. (6 g fiber, 5 g sugars), 16 g pro.


Ratatouille

Since being diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, I've been looking for good, meatless meals that we can eat.  I've found a few that I thought you'd also enjoy.  There's a lot of eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and mushrooms used.  Steve and I ate this and had some cashews on the side for added protein.


Makes 4 servings


2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

salt to taste

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 zucchini, sliced

1 large onion, sliced into rings

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 green bell pepper, sliced

2 large tomatoes, chopped


 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat bottom and sides of a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

 Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic until lightly browned. Mix in parsley and eggplant. Cook and stir until eggplant is soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Spread eggplant mixture evenly across bottom of prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Spread zucchini in an even layer over top. Lightly salt and sprinkle with a little more cheese. Continue layering in this fashion, with onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomatoes, covering each layer with a sprinkling of salt and cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

21 g carbs per serving, 15 g protein


Thursday, February 27, 2014

No Bake Granola Bars

I don't know how everyone feels about granola bars, but I love them!!

No Bake Granola Bars

No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars(recipe makes a 9x13 pan)
recipe by Carole Jones of My Kitchen Escapades
2 cups quick cooking oats (or pulse whole oats in a food processor a bit)
1 C rice crispy cereal
1/4 C shredded coconut
1/4 C butter
1/4 C honey or agave
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix -In variations listed below

1.  In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, cereal and coconut.  Set a small saucepan over medium high heat and melt the butter.  Add the honey, brown sugar and salt.  Stir together then leave it alone as it comes to a boil.  Once the boil has reached all the way around the edges of the pan, begin timing.  Allow this mixture to boil for 2 minutes and 15 seconds.  During this time, you may need to turn the heat down a bit so it doesn't overflow, but be sure it keeps boiling.
2.  Add the vanilla then pour the mixture over the oats, using a rubber spatula to get all the sugar mixture out of the pan.  Mix the ingredients together until the oats are completely coated.  Add in your desired mix-in then press very firmly into a lightly greased 9x13" pan.  If you like your bars thicker, you can use a smaller pan.  If you do not press firmly enough, the bars will fall apart when you eat them.  Place them in the fridge for 20 minutes then cut to size.

Chocolate Chip
Add 1/2 C of mini chocolate chips to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan, allowing it cool just a bit or you will end up with melted chips.  Sprinkle on a few extra chips over the top after they are pressed into the pan.

White Chocolate Cranberry
Add 1/3 C of white chocolate chips and 1/3 C of Craisins to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan, allowing it to cool just a bit first or you will end up with melted chips.

Candy Bar
Add 1/3 C of Heath bar pieces, 1/3 C of mini M&M's and 1/3 C of chopped pretzels to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan.

Peanut Butter
Add 2 Tb of peanut butter to the finished sugar mixture before pouring it over the oats.  Once mixed with the oats, add 1/2 C peanut butter chips before pressing into the pan.

Raisin Nut
Add 1/3 C of chopped raisins and 1/3 C of chopped pecans to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan.

Oven-Fried Chicken Chimichangas

Oven-Fried Chicken Chimichangas                

23 cup picante sauce or your favorite salsa,
1 tsp ground cumin,
12 tsp dried oregano, leaves crushed
1 12 cup cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 green onion, chopped with some tops (about 1/4 cup)
8 in flour tortilla,
2 tbsp margarine, melted
1 cheddar cheese, shredded, for serving
1 cheddar cheese, shredded, for serving

Directions

  1. Mix chicken, picante sauce or salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese and onions.
  2. Place about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.
  3. Fold opposite sides over filling.
  4. Roll up from bottom and place seam-side down on a baking sheet.
  5. Brush with melted margarine.
  6. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes or until golden.
  7. Garnish with additional cheese and green onion and serve salsa on the side
Serves 6

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Sweet and Spicy Stir-fry Chicken
 

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 25 mins


Ingredients
           
Sauce
            1/4  cup 
Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-ounce carton)



            1   tablespoon 
cornstarch



            1   tablespoon 
sugar



            
2   tablespoons 
soy sauce



            1   tablespoon 
white vinegar



            1/4  teaspoon 
ground red pepper (cayenne)


 ( to taste, 1/4 tsp is too much for us)
Stir-Fry
            2   tablespoons 
peanut or vegetable oil



            1   pound 
boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces



            1   
small onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges



            2   
cloves garlic, finely chopped



            1   teaspoon 
grated gingerroot, if desired
 (I just added a little ground ginger)
                  fresh petite green beans


 ( have used any vegetables)
1   
medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces



2   tablespoons 
water



      1   cup 
cubed (1 inch) fresh pineapple



      1/3  cup 
dry-roasted peanuts

directions
1.
In small bowl, mix sauce ingredients with wire whisk until well blended; set aside.
2.
In wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat about 2 minutes. Add chicken, onion, garlic and gingerroot, breaking up clumps of chicken with wooden spoon; cook 1 minute without stirring. Stir-fry about 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Transfer chicken mixture to clean bowl.


3.
To empty wok, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil; heat over high heat about 1 minute. Add green beans and bell pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water; cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir vegetables.
4.
Return chicken mixture to wok. Mix sauce mixture again with wire whisk to recombine; pour into wok. Stir to coat mixture with sauce. Cook uncovered about 1 minute or until sauce is thickened. Stir in pineapple and peanuts


Thursday, February 6, 2014

Sweet and Spicy Stir Fry with Chicken and Broccoli
 
recipe image
Rated:rating
Submitted By: amanda1432
Photo By: TTV78
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Servings: 4
"Garlic, crushed red pepper, and chili paste add heat; hoisin sauce and ginger sweeten the deal. Great served over jasmine rice!"
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups broccoli florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast
halves - cut into 1 inch strips
1/4 cup sliced green onions
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon chile paste
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/8 cup chicken stock
DIRECTIONS:
1.Place broccoli in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes.
2.Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the chicken, green onions, and garlic until the chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3.Stir the hoisin sauce, chile paste, and soy sauce into the skillet. Season with ginger, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Stir in the chicken stock and simmer about 2 minutes. Mix in the steamed broccoli until coated with the sauce mixture.
Nutrition
Information
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Calories: 160
Amount Per Serving
  • Total Fat: 6.2g
  • Cholesterol: 36mg
  • Sodium: 607mg
Amount Per Serving
  • Total Carbs: 11.9g
  •     Dietary Fiber: 2.4g
  • Protein: 16.1g

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

I got this from my Sister-in-Law, Jessilyn and she got it here. It is by far one of my favorite salads! It was amazing! While I was eating it for dinner the first time, all I could think was that I couldn't wait for lunch tomorrow when I could have more! :)
Rachel, it calls for bacon. I'm sorry. But I can tell you that it was still amzing with out the bacon because I didn't have any bacon when I made this and it was amazing.
Hope you all enjoy!!

Amazing Spinach Salad with Sweet-Spicy Nuts, Apples, Feta and Bacon
INGREDIENTS
    Salad:
  • 16 ounces baby spinach
  • ½ small red onion, slivered (see note about tempering the onion flavor)
  • 6 slices of applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup Feta cheese crumbles, more or less to taste
  • 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries, more or less to taste
  • 1-2 Honey Crisp apples, cored and sliced thin (I used Gala because it's what I had
  • Sweet Spicy Nuts:
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of cayenne (more to taste if you want)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Red Wine Vinaigrette:
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, pressed or finely minced
  • 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
  • Fresh cracked pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
  1. For the dressing, shake all the ingredients together in a mason jar until well combined or run them through a quick blender cycle. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The dressing can be made up to a week in advance.
  2. For the nuts, lightly toast the nuts in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, checking often so they don't burn. While they toast, place the sugar, cayenne and salt in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the sugar mixture until it liquifies completely, adjusting the heat so it doesn't bubble and burn. Toss in the toasted nuts and stir to coat the nuts with sugar. Let the sugared nuts cool completely.
  3. To assemble the salad, toss all the salad ingredients together along with the cooled nuts. Serve immediately with the vinaigrette alongside. All the components can be measured out/prepped ahead of time and stored separately (I like to soak the apples in a bit of lemon juice in water to help prevent browning). Just toss right before serving. Enjoy!