Today's recipe is a little more healthy and it is one I'm sure you have all had at some point. It is my favorite salad with Poppy Seed Dressing. We just put in the amounts that are good for our family (the lettuce lightens it up more than just having the spinach) and often during the summer this will be our main course. The kids love this salad and there is never any leftovers. As I noted at the bottom, this salad is great with mandarin oranges and strawberries but it is also divine with all your favorite veggies. My picture doesn't feature the carmelized almonds but they are definately worth the extra calories.

Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Spinach leaves

Lettuce, optional (any kind, but I use romaine)

Mandarin Oranges

Bacon, cooked and chopped

Mushrooms

Red Onion slices

1/2 cup carmelized almonds

Mix all together and serve with poppyseed dressing. To carmelize the almonds, place nuts in frying pan with 3 Tablespoons sugar. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar melts and almonds turn golden brown.

Poppyseed Dressing

3/4 Tablespoon poppy seeds

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/2-3/4 cup oil

1/4 cup grated onion (red is best)

2 Tablespoons mustard

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

Mix well.

Notes:

We love this salad with the oranges and bacon OR we omit the oranges and bacon and fill it up with all our favorite veggies: tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, peppers, cucumber. This dressing is good on just about everything. I also use it to make a sweet onion and chicken sub sandwhich, sort of like you can get at Subway...very good!