I live in a beautiful city full of beautiful people (in coastal Southern California). Petite, bikini-clad women and hard-bodied men frequent the beaches. Healthy-minded folks demand spa-style cuisine and organic coffee shops. Go for a drive on the weekend and you’ll see bike riders and runners everywhere you look. And let’s just say that cosmetic surgeons do quite well here.
I won’t ever be classified as ‘petite.’ I’m rarely seen in a one-piece bathing suit (let alone a bikini!) I’d order Mexican food over a salad anytime. I might bike or run around the neighborhood (but no further). And I haven’t had any plastic surgery. I do love where I live, but I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that I just won’t ever be one of those people, and I’m still working on feeling okay about that. My newfound ‘love’ of exercise and eating healthy is turning out to be a wonderful experience. Who knew that there could be recipes out there that can be so satisfying and delicious, and they don’t make you fat? My family is going to benefit from this as well. I don’t want junk around, so there won’t be junk around! I find myself thinking more about experimenting with new, fresh flavors as well as how I can incorporate more vegetables in my meals.
Look at all of those fresh, spa-like ingredients… fresh spinach, chickpeas, red onion, Italian parsley, a lemony cumin vinaigrette, and an orange-tainted yogurt sauce!
This is a fabulous lunch choice from Ellie Krieger’s The Food You Crave. I like to pair it with shredded lamb and a few orange slices to make a complete and filling mid-day meal. I actually sit down… in the kitchen to eat this salad. Usually I’m on the run or eating in front of my computer screen. I force myself to eat slowly, relax and enjoy my lunch. It’s a wonderful salad with a light and flavorful dressing. Salads are pretty much a lunch staple around here, but it’s nice to make one that is a little bit different once in a while Those spa-obsessed, perfect-people mentioned above might even like this one too (but none of them are invited to my house for lunch).
Here are a few more spinach salad recipes you might enjoy:
Sriracha Strawberry Spinach Salad by Reluctant Entertainer Spinach Salad with Chicken, Avocado and Goat Cheese by Recipe Girl Southwest Spinach Salad by Recipe Girl Spinach Salad with Peaches, Gorgonzola and Almonds by Aggie’s Kitchen
