Healthy Spinach Salad Recipes

Children generally do not prefer eating it because of its bland taste, but you can definitely prepare some delicious salads by using this vegetable and turn it into a regular dish in your daily meals.

An appetizing and healthy salad forms the most essential part of any meal, not only because it increases our appetite, but it also provides our body with much-needed vitamins, minerals and fibers. All these help in building our body's resistance against various diseases and infections.

You can serve the spinach salad with a dressing, or various other garnishes such as nuts or croûtons. It is not only easy to prepare, but also benefits people trying to lose weight or following a restricted diet. However, where most of us usually get stuck, is how to make it delectable and flavorsome.

Spinach, as we all know is a powerhouse of health amongst all leafy green vegetables. But what most of us don't know is how many calories does a salad made out of it contains. The calorie content varies as per its serving size and methods of preparation.

For instance, 0.25 lb. spinach salad contains 145 calories. Likewise, without dressing it accounts for about 107.59 calories with 4.81 grams of fat while with dressing it contains 525 calories and 38 grams of fat.

A spinach salad is loaded with a whole host of vitamins and minerals, like vitamin B, vitamin C, calcium, folate, iron, fiber, as well as photo-chemicals such as lutein and zeaxanthin.

Being rich in folate, which is associated with a reduction in blood levels of homocysteine (an amino acid), it prevents the risks of having arterial blockage and cardiovascular diseases. Besides these health benefits, it helps in lowering the risks of macular degeneration, a condition which can leads to blindness and also considered as a fighter of cancer.

After having a fair idea about its calories and nutritional benefits, let us move on to some simple, nutritious and easy recipes.

Ingredients

• Sesame Seeds, (toasted) ½ tbsp.
• Fresh Spinach Leaves, (torn) 6 cups
• Fresh Strawberries, (rinsed, dried and hulled) 2 cups

Dressing

• Salad Oil, ¼ cup
• Red Wine Vinegar, 2 tbsp.
• Sugar, 1 ½ tbsp.
• Dried Dill Weed, ½ tbsp.
• Onion Powder, ⅛ tbsp.
• Garlic Powder, ⅛ tbsp.
• Dry Mustard, ⅛ tbsp.

Directions
In a mixing bowl, toss spinach with sesame seeds and add strawberries; cover and refrigerate. Take a screw-top jar or shaker, mix all dressing ingredients and then refrigerate to chill. Finally, pour the chilled dressing over the mixture, toss gently and serve.

Ingredients

• Chicken Tenders, 12 oz.
• Spinach Leaves, (shredded) 4 cups
• Romaine Lettuce Leaves, (washed and torn) 2 cups
• Red Onion, (thin slices) 8
• Blue Cheese, (crumbled) 2 tbsp.

• Large Grapefruit, (Peeled and Sectioned) 1
• Frozen Citrus Blend Concentrate, (thawed) ½ cup
• Prepared Fat-Free Italian Dressing, ¼ cup
• Non-stick Cooking Spray

Directions
Take a large non-stick skillet, spray with non-stick cooking spray and heat over medium heat until hot. Meanwhile, cut chicken tenders into 2 x ½ inch strips, cook for 5 - 7 minutes and then remove from skillet.

Distribute spinach, lettuce, onion, cheese, grapefruit, and chicken evenly among 4 serving plates. In a small bowl, mix citrus blend concentrate and Italian Dressing; drizzle over salads. While serving garnish with assorted greens.

Ingredients

• Spinach, ½ bunch
• Kale, ½ bunch
• Tofu, 0.33 lb.
• Large Avocado, 1
• Dried Cranberries, ½ cup
• Flax Seeds, ¼ cup
• Hemp Seeds, ¼ cup
• Feta Cheese, (Crumbled ) 2 tbsp.
• Red Pepper, 1

• Tomato, 1
• Sesame Seeds, 1 tbsp.
• Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp.
• Olive Oil, (optional) 1 tbsp.
• Balsamic Vinegar, (optional) 1 tbsp.

Directions
Chop the tofu into small cubes and put in a skillet with sesame seeds, soy sauce, and a tbsp. of olive oil. Stir fry until slightly browned and then keep aside to cool.

Cut the avocado, red pepper, and tomato into small pieces and add to a large bowl with the flax seeds, hemp seeds, cranberries, olive oil, and vinegar; mix well. Rinse spinach and kale with water. Tear into bite-size pieces. Finally, mix everything together in a large bowl and serve.

These were some healthy recipes that will surely satiate your taste buds as well as fulfill your nutritional requirements. You can improvise these recipes by adding meat, fish, pasta, cheese, eggs, or whole grains.