Toasted sesame spinach salad

When it comes to salads, I need variety. I love salads when they have an extra special touch to them, and that is why I like to make my own dressings. Reason #1, store-bought dressings are usually loaded with unnecessary fat and additives. Reason #2, making your own dressing lets you be creative. All you need are the basics, extra virgin olive oil to start, then experiment with fun and different sorts of vinegars. My favorites are balsamic, red wine, rice, champagne, and as of recent, orange muscat champagne vinegar. Mix a little dressing with some olive oil and pepper, maybe some roasted or even fresh minced garlic, and you have just re-vamped your plain salad into a new tasty version.

But don’t stop there – you can get really involved in preparing dressings, and create even more exotic combinations like my toasted sesame dressing for this delicious oriental salad. One of my favorite food blogs, 101 Cookbooks, has a ton of great recipes for homemade all-natural dressings.

I used flavorful components in this salad to make the flavor burst in your mouth. The pomegranate salsa adds the perfect dimension to this already yummy oriental-inspired salad. Then the crunch factor comes in with the toasted rice noodles – all you need is a sprinkle.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of organic spinach
• 1 cup red cabbage shredded
• 1/2 cup red onion, sliced
• 1 cup frisée, chopped
• 1/2 cup Carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup Pomegranate salsa
• Toasted rice noodles, for topping

Toasted Sesame Dressing

• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• Dash of garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce

Directions for Dressing

1. Vigorously shake all ingredients in an air tight jar