My Favorite Spinach salad

I was really hating salads for a while there, until I "discovered" baby spinach. It's got tons of vitamins, but doesn't taste as bitter as some of the other dark leaf lettuces. So when we eat salads these days, the lettuce is almost always baby spinach. Try my Favorite Spinach Salad, or just add your own toppings and post what combos you love!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag pre-washed baby spinach
• 1 crisp apple, cored & chopped (but I leave the skin on)
• 1/2 to 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts
• raspberry vinegarette

Directions:
This is pretty easy - it's a salad! Place the spinach on individual plates or bowls. Top with the apple, feta and walnuts. Add dressing sparingly.
My tip for the apples - use a peeler/corer/slicer without peeling, and then just cut the spiral apple in wedges for the right sized chunks. Toss with lemon juice if you're not serving right away, this will keep the apples from browning so quickly.

A little out of season - Chicken salad on Cantaloupe rings

Okay, so this is something I usually serve in late spring, when the temperatures are starting to climb, but it's still pretty toasty here in the valley, so I'm going to give you this recipe for a refreshing light lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups Cubed, cooked chicken (use canned chicken chunks if you're short on time!)
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1 cup halved green grapes
• 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
  
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablesppon apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teasoons mustard
• 1/2 teasoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cantaloupe rings (slice off the top and bottom of a cantaloupe, and divide the remainder into four rings. cut the melon rings of the rind)
• toasted sliced almonds

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, grapes and parsley. In a small bowl, combine the mayo, lemon juice, cider vinegar, mustard, salt & pepper; mix well.Pour over chicken mixture and toss.

To serve, place 1 cup chicken salad on each cantaloupe ring, sprinkle with almonds. My kids like when I make crescent rolls with this meal.