Good Enough for Company – Spinach and Beet Green Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

“Good enough for company.” was the comment I received from Mike when I put placed this salad on his lap with a glass of his favorite red wine.  Football on the television and good food. It’s not such a bad life for Mikey, is it?

It’s not such a bad life for me either. Mike is my harshest food critic. If he likes a dish, then I know it’s company ready.

Mind you, I don’t always take his advice. After all, there are foods he won’t touch that I love. Curry anything is a great example of a food I adore. Mike thinks curry tastes like soap. Can you imagine!

Anyway, we are in agreement when it comes to this creative salad. Ruby red beets, tart Honey Crisp apples, and tender chicken breast tops a pile of leafy spinach and beet greens.

Blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette and a few crunchy walnuts finish this salad off perfectly.

Happy cooking!

Spinach and Beet Green Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

4 cups baby spinach
2 cups beet greens, chopped
½ cup green onion, sliced
1 cup beets, cooked and sliced
1 small apple, cored and thinly sliced
4 ounces chicken breast, cooked and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons walnuts, pieces, toasted

Toss salad greens with desired amount of salad dressing. Layer beets, apples and chicken on the side of greens and sprinkle with onion and walnuts.

Salad Dressing Ingredients

Serves 8

⅓ cup blue cheese, crumbled
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic

Pinch of salt and pepper

Combine ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth and combined.

What’s good for me in this dish?

Beets contain folate, manganese, potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. That colorful red color means they are loaded with phytonutrients that provide wonderful antioxidant benefits, and are thought to fight certain types of cancer. They also promote heart heath by potentially lowering cholesterol levels.

Chicken is a complete protein, with less saturated fat than beef. Much of the fat is in the skin, so it is best eaten without the skin, with chicken breasts being the leanest choice. Chicken provides 67% of your daily protein needs. It also has cancer protecting B vitamins, including Niacin and B6 for energy.

Salad Ingredients

Servings: 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 288, Weight Watchers Points 6
Total Fat: 11.40g
Cholesterol: 48mg
Sodium: 231mg
Total Carbs: 24.50g
Dietary Fiber: 8.07g
Sugars: 13.75g
Protein: 24.17g

Salad Dressing

Servings: 8

Calories: 86, Weight Watchers Points 2
Total Fat: 7.37g
Cholesterol: 5mg
Sodium: 80mg
Total Carbs: 1.61g
Dietary Fiber: 0.01g
Sugars: 1.22g
Protein: 1.27g

Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com. The statement made here are strictly my opinion and are not meant to replace medical advice from your physician. Please see disclaimer for further details.

Last updated by Kristi Rimkus at October 25, 2012.

Tagged as: apple salad recipes, beet greens salad, beet salad, blue cheese salad recipes, chicken salad recipes, cooking light, health-recipes, healthy cooking, healthy recipes, healthy salad recipes, Light Recipes, Mother Rimmy's Cooking Light Done Right, Recipes, Weight Watchers Points