Fresh Spinach Salad

Fresh spinach will often have sand trapped in the crinkly leaves and stems. It needs to be washed carefully. Any roots should be trimmed off. The leaves should be allowed to drop into a large bowl of lukewarm water. Wash the leaves gently with your hands. The sand and grit should settle on the bottom as you gently lift leaves out. The process of soaking should be repeated to ensure leaves are clean. ### Did you know that it is best to washed bagged lettuce even if it is labeled "prewashed". 

Crisp the spinach for salad by washing leaves, drying them in salad spinner or shaking them dry in a colander. Wrap the spinach in paper towels, place in plastic bag and chill in fridge for no more than a few hours before using. 

3-4 cups baby spinach or other dark leafy greens
2 tomatoes
1 red capsicum
1 zucchini
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1/4 cup shredded coconut

Method

Wash and dry greens.
Grate the zucchini.
Slice the capsicum thinly.
Chop tomatoes into quarters.
Gently combine greens, zucchini and capsicum in a large salad bowl.
Arrange tomato quarters on top.
Sprinkle with coconut, pine nuts and craisins.

Tips

Serve with a light and simple salad dressing such as olive oil and white wine vinegar (2 parts to one).
You can substitute dried apricots or goji berries for the dried cranberries.
This salad matches well with a BBQ in Summer.

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