Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad with Maple Walnuts and Bacon

This Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad with Maple-Glazed Walnuts, Pomegranate and Bacon makes a wholesome lunch or a festive fall salad for a holiday dinner.

This Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad is an ideal salad to include in one of your holiday dinners. It has a beautiful balance of savoury and sweet. Caramelized sweet potatoes, maple-glazed walnuts, pomegranate arils and crumbled bacon . . .  who could resist this tasty fall salad?

I'm making room amid all the cookies and tarts for some healthy greens this week with this Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad!
The last few weeks before Christmas are my favourite days of the year. They're filled with checklists of all the things we like to do . . . and bake . . . and eat! Sweets and chocolate seem to creep in to our diet.

While we love our traditional Christmas favourites (butter tarts, and gingerbread cookes, I'm looking at you) a nutritious bowl of greens is always a good idea. This autumn salad is topped with maple-glazed walnuts, pomegranate and a sprinkle of bacon bits makes a welcome lunch amid all the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

Ingredients

• sweet potatoes: choose small tubular shaped potatoes that you can slice into small rounds
• spinach: baby spinach leaves are best for salad
• romaine:  crisp crunchy leaves provide structure to the salad
• walnuts: glazed with maple syrup (you can sub pecans if you'd prefer)
• pomegranate arils: for natural sweetness, colour, and a festive touch!
• bacon:  hormone-free, nitrate-free, cooked until crisp. Omit to keep this recipe vegan.

How to Make this Autumn Spinach Salad

Start by combining the Honey-Dijon Dressing ingredients. Shake in a small jar, then set aside to allow flavours to blend.

Next, caramelize the sweet potatoes in the oven. (see below). Cook two strips of bacon in a skillet, or bake them in the oven alongside the sweet potatoes. When almost crisp, remove from oven and drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, heat walnuts (or pecans if you prefer) in a skillet over medium heat on the stove top. Toast for 4-5 minutes or just until they become fragrant, then toss with a little maple syrup. Spread them on a small piece of parchment paper to cool, then break apart.

Assemble this Sweet Potato Spinach Salad, either in individual bowls or in a large serving bowl or platter.

Layer the greens, sweet potatoes, maple-glazed walnuts, pomegranate arils, and crumbled bacon bits, then drizzle and toss with this light, lemony Honey-Dijon dressing just before serving. (Omit the bacon to keep this salad vegan.)

Enjoy this nourishing wholesome salad to keep you healthy at this busy time of year!

Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad with Maple Walnuts and Bacon

This Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad with Maple-Glazed Walnuts, Pomegranate and Bacon makes a nutritious lunch or a festive salad for a holiday dinner.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salads and Dressings

Cuisine: American, Gluten-Free

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4 side salads

Calories: 236kcal

Author: Flavour & Savour

Ingredients

• 2 small sweet potatoes
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 2 cups chopped romaine
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1.5 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 2 slices bacon nitrate-free, cooked and crumbled

Honey-Dijon Dressing

• 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients for Honey-Dijon Dressing in a small jar. Set aside to allow flavours to blend.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. When hot, place a baking tray in the oven to heat. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into rounds 1/2 inch thick. If potatoes are large, slice into half circles. In a medium bowl, toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Remove hot tray from oven using oven mitts, arrange sweet potatoes so they don't touch each other and return to the oven. Roast for 15 - 20 minutes or until tender, turning over half way through roasting time. For crispy edges, place under the broiler for 2 - 3 minutes, watching carefully.
• Cook two strips of bacon in a skillet, or bake them in the oven alongside the sweet potatoes. When almost crisp, remove from oven and drain on paper towels.
• Toast walnuts in a small skillet for 4 - 5 minutes, just until they become fragrant. Toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup. Let cool on a sheet of parchment paper and break apart when cool.
• Wash and dry spinach and chopped romaine. Arrange in bowls or on a serving platter, topping with maple-glazed walnuts, pomegranate arils, roasted sweet potatoes and crumbled bacon bits. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3525IU | Vitamin C: 10.1mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1.1mg

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