Easy Wilted Spinach Salad with Coconut Bacon Recipe

Easy Wilted Spinach Salad with Coconut Bacon

“When I was a vegan and seemed to fraternize only with fellow plant eaters, one fact that got tossed around a lot was that Baco-Bits are vegan,” says Danny Seo in his book Naturally, Delicious - 100 Recipes for Healthy Eats that Make You Happy. “The reality is, everybody loves bacon, and we missed its salty, crunchy taste. This is my ode to bacon; who knew strips of coconut could be turned into a savory, protein-packed ‘fakin’ bacon’ treat?”


Yield
MAKES 6 WRAPS | 30 MINUTES

Ingredients

FOR THE COCONUT “BACON”

• 1/4 cup large flaked coconut 
• 1/2 teaspoon tamari 
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

FOR THE DRESSING

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon white or black mustard seeds 
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 1 teaspoon grade B organic maple syrup 
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
• Sea salt, to taste

FOR THE SALAD

• 4 ounces spinach (not baby, it wilts too quickly), stemmed, washed, and spun dry 
• 1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled, diced, and roasted 
• 2 ounces red onion, sliced thinly

How to Make It

Step 1
Preheat oven to 325°. Toss together the coconut, tamari, and paprika*, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes. Transfer to a cool baking sheet; the “bacon” bits will crisp as they cool.

Step 2
Make the dressing: Warm the oil* and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds begin to pop, carefully add the vinegar. Whisk in the maple syrup and mustard, and season with salt.

Step 3
Divide and arrange spinach, squash, and red onion between 2 plates.

Step 4
Drizzle dressing over spinach to wilt lightly, and sprinkle with coconut “bacon.”

Nutritional Information

• Calories 326 
• Caloriesfromfat 214 
• Protein 3.6g 
• Fat 24g 
• Satfat 20g 
• Carbohydrate 26g 
• Fiber 5.2g 
• Sodium 396mg 
• Cholesterol 0mg