new fave summer salad

after a fun weekend in highlands with friends who eat much healthier than joe & myself i've been turned on to all sorts of new healthy options for sides and meals! one thing that i recreated the moment i got back for a cookout was a great crowd pleasing salad! don't turn up your nose until you've tried it yourself! it is so yummy!

these quantities made enough for a party size salad to feed 10-12 adults

what you need:
-1.5 lbs of fresh brussel sprouts
-1 bag of spinach
-6 slices reduced fat bacon
-1 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella or italian blend cheese
-1/2 cup chopped walnuts
-1 fresh lemon
-olive oil
-salt
-pepper
-dijon mustard

what you do:
get out that food processor or just start chopping those brussel sprouts after you wash and dry them. be sure to peel away any shady looking leaves.

chop the spinach into strips and combine in a large salad bowl with nuts, cheese and brussels.

place bacon on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until crispy [by the way this is my new favorite way to make bacon...looks gorgeous and is minimally messy]. once cooked, blot with paper towels and crunch up for toppings.

add bacon to the salad.

juice the lemon while watching for seeds. add olive oil and mustard by the tablespoon until well mixed. my large very ripe lemon yielded enough dressing with 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons mustard. salt & pepper were added for taste. toss the salad with 1/2 the dressing before putting on the remainder. it does seem to spread throughout the salad as it sits and tastes best when dressed and chilled for an hour or two.

next time i make it which will surely be soon i will need to take a photo before chowing down!