I admit; I LOVE spinach! I will eat just about anything with spinach… steamed, fresh spinach, spinach balls, spinach stuffed in turkey, chicken, or anything else. I no longer eat the traditional spinach salad served with delicious fresh crisp bacon bits right off the griddle. But I will always recall the smell and remember the taste. As a little girl, daddy started me on my bacon frenzy by leaving me several crispy and very greasy pieces before he left for work. I looked forward to those bacon slices at least five days a week. Mmm… Wait! I did say that I don’t eat bacon anymore, but I know this isn’t reading that way. Lol! These days, I’m eating a completely different version of a spinach salad that I’ve literally thrown together and it is scrumptious.

Spinach salad

2 (about) cups of fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup of spring salad mix
1 red, yellow, and/or orange bell pepper sliced into small strips
1 fresh finely shredded carrot
1/4 cup (about) dried cranberries
5 or 6 cherry tomatoes or a similar variety halved
1/3 cup of black beans (drained & rinsed)
1 small boneless and skinless grilled chicken or turkey breast
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
drizzle of olive oil (preferably garlic roasted) to taste

Place spinach and spring mix in a bowl, thoroughly wash, dry, and cut peppers and tomatoes and toss in bowl. Drain black beans and rinse in water. Add chicken or turkey, black pepper and toss. Drizzle with olive oil and toss. Now enjoy your delightful spinach salad.