Dandelion Salad with Goat Cheese & Tomato Dressing

From EatingWell: March/April 2009 — Subscribe Now!

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.

Dandelion Salad with Goat Cheese & Tomato Dressing Recipe

4 servings, about 2 cups each

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Low cholesterol | Low sodium | High calcium | High fiber | View Complete Nutrition Guidelines»

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

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.
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.
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.
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