Dandelion Salad with Goat Cheese & Tomato Dressing

Dandelion Salad with Goat Cheese & Tomato Dressing Recipe Cultivated dandelion greens are a bit milder than their wild cousins, but they still have some bite—easily tamed with bacon and cheese in this salad.


From EatingWell:  March/April 2009

Yield: 4 servings, about 2 cups each

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients
Dressing

  • 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
  • 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Salad

  • 8 ounces orecchiette, or small pasta shells, preferably whole-wheat
  • 2 slices bacon
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups chopped dandelion greens, or arugula, any tough stems removed
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

  1. To prepare dressing: Combine goat cheese, vinegar and maple syrup in a blender or food processor and blend until combined. Add 1/4 cup oil and tomatoes and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tarragon.
  2. To prepare salad: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
  3. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel. Crumble when cool. Wipe out the pan. Add 1 tablespoon oil and onion and cook, stirring, over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
  4. When the bacon and onion are cool, toss them in a large bowl with dandelion greens (or arugula), spinach, Parmesan and 1/2 cup dressing. Drizzle more dressing over each serving, if desired. (Cover and refrigerate the remaining 1/2 cup dressing for up to 3 days.)

Tips & Notes
  • Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Per serving:

382 calories; 16 g fat (4 g sat, 10 g mono); 12 mg cholesterol; 49 g carbohydrates; 15 g protein; 6 g fiber; 378 mg sodium; 378 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (90% daily value), Vitamin C (30% dv), Iron & Magnesium (19% dv), Calcium (16% dv).

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fruit, 3 fat

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