Two Spinach-Happy Dishes

Pursuant to yesterday's yummy food post, I wanted to share two tasty spinach-happy dishes my co-host Heather brought to our friend Nicola's baby shower. Not only were these dishes fantastically yummy (seriously, the guests could not stop raving), but given that my roughage consumption tends to plummet with the cold weather (and close of CSA season), I love how excited these dishes got me about eating leafy greens. Enjoy!
Heather's Spinach Salad

Salad:

About 8 oz baby spinach leaves

1 cup pecan halves or pieces

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup crumbled gorgonzola or other blue cheese

Dressing:

3 tablespoons regular olive oil

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

Mix salad contents in a serving bowl. Place dressing ingredients in a jar or lidded bowl and shake vigorously to mix. Drizzle dressing over salad just before serving.

Spinach Pasta Salad
(Heather said she found this recipe on Recipes.com)

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) package farfalle pasta

10 ounces baby spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size piece

2 ounces crumbled feta cheese with basil and tomato

1 red onion, chopped

1 (15 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped

1 cup Italian-style salad dressing

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain.

2. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, spinach, feta cheese, red onion, and olives.

3. Whisk together the salad dressing, garlic, lemon juice, garlic salt, and pepper. Pour over salad and toss. Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve chilled.

Image credits: Christine Koh