Author Notes
I love the mild flavor of baby spinach as well as the simplicity of using it- there is no chopping required.
In this salad, I combined the spinach with parsley because I love its nutritional profile (it is very high in minerals as well as vitamin C), as well as it’s characteristic fresh taste. Toasted hazelnuts add depth and crunch, the pear adds a little sweetness, and the shaved parmesan lends it’s salty richness.
I strongly recommend using Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese here (it’s pretty expensive but a little goes a long way), but any hard Italian cheese will work. I like this dressed with just a drizzle of good olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon; feel free to use your favorite healthy vinaigrette recipe, if you prefer. —WinnieAb
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Ingredients
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7 cups
baby spinach (more or less), preferably organic
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1 cup
fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
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1/4 cup
shredded red cabbage-optional
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1/2 cup
hazelnuts, toasted in a 350°F oven for appox. 5 minutes
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1
organic pear, shaved with a vegetable peeler
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approx. 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings (I use a vegetable peeler for this)
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your best olive oil and fresh lemon juice
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coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper- to taste
Directions
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Mix all ingredients (except cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper) in a medium-large bowl.
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Compose salad on plates and arrange shaved parmesan on top. Drizzle with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle with a little course sea salt and fresh ground pepper if you like.
I grew up in a restaurant family (my parents owned the now closed Quilted Giraffe in NYC) and I've always loved to cook.
My interest in the connection between food and health led me to pursue a graduate degree in naturopathic medicine. I don't practice medicine anymore; I have a blog called Healthy Green Kitchen that I started in May of 2009 and I wrote a book called One Simple Change that will be published in January, 2014.
I live in upstate New York with my family and many pets.
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