Hearty Spinach Salad with Grains, Roasted Red Peppers and White Beans

I enjoy salads year-round and especially ones that double as a whole meal – for lunch or a light dinner. This recipe fits the bill. If you have some leftover rice, as in this recipe, or quinoa, include them in your salad to make it hearty and delicious. Same goes with the veggie you include – no jarred roasted red peppers? Use pickles, green beans, peas or jarred sun-dried tomatoes. Even the white beans are interchangeable for beans of your choice – lentils, chickpeas, fava, romano or red kidney beans. The easy delicious dressing pulls it all together. Top with sunflower seeds, grated carrot, avocado chunks, chopped nuts, spouts, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, hemp hearts - anything you like, or nothing at all. I love that this salad has the balance of protein, carbs and fat, and is so fresh and full of wonderful nutrients to nourish your body and to satisfy your hunger and your taste buds!

Spinach – an extremely nutrient-rich vegetable, including potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B6, B9, E, C, K, with high amounts of carotenoids (that turns into VitA in the body), folic acid, iron, and calcium.

Bell Peppers – antioxidant, low in calories, rich in vitamin C, especially the red ones (more than an orange – can you believe it!), VitE, VitA, folate, and potassium.

White Beans – the kind I prefer for salads are the popular cannellini beans - fabulous source of plant-based protein and fiber, they contain coper, folate, iron and potassium.

This salad is a great take-along. Take the dressing separately and add it when ready to eat. You will be the envy at the picnic or at the office with your hearty salad lunch!

As always, when you make this recipe, please post a photo of your Salad goodness and tag my IG account #RenataCollective or leave a comment with your thoughts!

Prep Time: 10 minutes (with already cooked rice/grain) / Cook Time: no cook time / Serves: 2 generous servings of this delicious salad

Ingredients

• 1 Garlic Clove - minced

• 4 Cups Baby Spinach

• 1 Cup Cooked Rice (Red Rice in the photos)

• 1 Cup Canned White Cannellini Beans – rinsed and drained

• 1/3 Cup Jarred Roasted Red Peppers – diced

• 6 Grape Tomatoes – halved – optional

• 2 Radishes – halved if large and sliced - optional

• 1½ Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1½ Tablespoon Avocado Oil – Alternate: Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil

• 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup

• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

• A few grinds of Fresh Pepper and a pinch of Herbamare or Sea Salt (optional)

How It’s Made

• Mince the garlic and set aside to release its nutritional magic.

• In a large bowl, add the spinach, top with the rice, the beans and the roasted red peppers and the baby tomatoes and radish if using.

• Whisk the remaining ingredients in a small bowl to make the dressing: the minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, avocado oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, a few grindings of black pepper and a pinch of Herbamare or sea salt.

• Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Top with what you wish – see intro comments for ideas! Serve!

Enjoy!