Spinach Salad

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This is my new favorite and it is so simple, it is almost criminal.  This dish was inspired by an old restaurant Rick and I used to love and was our favorite on special occasions.  The oceanfront restaurant had been the place we always went to for a romantic quiet evening.  Unfortunately, they don’t serve any healthy or vegetarian food so we haven’t been frequenting it lately.  They used to serve an awesome spinach salad topped with hot bacon dressing that I adored.  One day I must have been inspired and I decided to mix some real maple syrup with a little bit of soy sauce, heat it and serve it over a bed of fresh baby spinach.  Sitting around the dining room table listening to my children recant every event of the day did not take me back to our favorite restaurant, but the salad almost did.  Be creative with this salad, top it with your favorite toppings and remix the dressing to satisfy your sweet or salt tooth.

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Ingredients:

• Maple syrup
• Soy sauce
• Fresh baby spinach
• Cashews, pine nuts or pecans
• Craisins or raisins or dried cherries

Directions:

1. Heat the maple syrup and soy sauce until warm. ( I usually use 3 parts maple syrup to 1 part soy sauce depending on if I want salty or sweet that day.)
2. Fill your salad bowl with fresh spinach.
3. Throw on your favorite toppings.
4. Top with the maple syrup and soy sauce and serve immediately.

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