SPINACH BENEDICT SALAD

SPINACH BENEDICT SALAD

Fresh spinach, mushrooms, and croutons tossed with a creamy fresh lemon, tarragon and garlic dressing! Topped with matchstick slices of Veggie Canadian Bacon! My plan was to make  a Veggie Eggs Benedict, which would require a stove, a toaster and a blender. 

When the lights went out at Kirby Manor and I had no electricity, I made this beautiful salad instead, thus the name!

Makes 4-6 main dish servings

Benedict Dressing: Makes 1-3/4 cups

1 c. soy sour cream (I used Toffuti brand)

1/3 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice, strained

2 T. white vinegar

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 t. salt

1-1/2 t. dried tarragon

2 t. sugar

1 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. turmeric

1/4 t. dry mustard

1/8 t. red cayenne pepper

1/4 c. finely diced yellow onion

6 oz. bag fresh baby spinach

12 oz. fresh white mushrooms, sliced

1 c. croutons

additional salt

1 pkg. Yves Veggie Canadian Bacon; for each salad serving, cut 1 piece of the ‘bacon’ into thin matchstick size slices

freshly ground black pepper

In mixing bowl combine the first 12 ingredients, up to and including the onion, stirring well after each addition till creamy and smooth. Set aside.

In large salad bowl combine spinach, mushrooms and croutons. Salt very lightly. Toss to distribute evenly.

Pour all dressing over greens. Toss well.

Spoon onto individual salad plates. Top each serving with the matchstick ‘bacon’. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, and serve.

Notes: You can either serve this salad immediately with the dressing being more fluid, or you can toss the salad with the dressing and refrigerate, covered, for a couple of hours, then plate, top with ‘bacon’ and freshly ground pepper and serve. Both ways are different and both ways delicious. When refrigerated with the dressing on it, the dressing congeals somewhat and clings more firmly to the spinach, mushrooms and croutons. The croutons soften, but the texture is great.

This dish definitely has an ‘eggy’ component, which I think you’ll like.