Healthy (Paleo) Warm Spinach and Chicken Salad is a meal!  It is a heavenly meal.

I was speaking with my girlfriend Amy the other day.  Amy eats well, although she does not follow a specific lifestyle.  She shared with me in detail about the dinner she had created for friends.  She described her warm spinach salad with candied pecans.   My mouth was watering in delight in hearing the recipe. After that call, a warm spinach salad with candied pecans was all I thought about and craved.  After some research, I created this healthy (Paleo) spinach recipe using veggies that Shawn and I enjoy.  I tried making spicy candied pecans with no sugar added marmalade and they turned out!  We loved them!  I think the spicy candied pecans taste better when you toast the nuts first.  The toasty flavor of the nuts combined with the sweetness and spiciness of the coating makes these Paleo candied pecans delicious.  I decided to use the spicy rub that I made from the Cinnamon Marmalade Chicken blog.  Cinnamon is so healthy. 

WHAT IS THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF HEALTHY (PALEO) WARM SPINACH AND CHICKEN SALAD?

Lots of nutrition in this Healthy (Paleo) Warm Spinach and Chicken Salad!  As I wrote on another blog, every morning my father puts cinnamon on a quarter slice of toast with peanut butter and eats it. Since undertaking this morning ritual, he says he no longer experiences angina when he walks. Cinnamon has many health benefits for the body and the brain, including anti-viral and antibacterial properties to help to heal irritable bowel syndrome, gastric cancers and stomach flu, as well as colds, a sore throat and cough. It possesses two compounds called cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin that help prevent clumps of the tau protein from occurring in the brain and therefore is believed to help prevent Alzheimer’s.  Cinnamon also helps to regulate insulin levels for diabetics. And for this reason, studies suggest that it may also contain anti-Alzheimer’s properties.  Spinach, like collard and mustard greens, has concentrated levels of minerals, phytonutrients and vitamins B, E, K and C, as well as beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein. They are also rich in iron, magnesium, calcium and potassium. The top leafy greens include spinach, mustard greens, collards, Swiss chard and romaine lettuce. We eat leafy greens on a regular basis. I make an Asian-inspired vinaigrette combining a dash of sesame oil with equal parts white wine vinegar and Coconut Aminos, sesame seeds and freshly grated ginger. These foods are rich in folate and B9, improving cognition and reducing depression.

Pecans contain monounsaturated fats (oleic acid) along with phenolic antioxidants.  Eating pecans can:

-help reduce the risk of heart disease

-improves digestion

– helps with weight loss

– help reduce the risk of certain cancers

– provide anti-Inflammatory benefits

– help boost your immunity

– help slow aging

– help prevent skin issues

WHAT IS THE TASTE PROFILE OF HEALTHY (PALEO) WARM SPINACH AND CHICKEN SALAD?

Big flavor explodes in this Healthy (Paleo) Warm Spinach and Chicken Salad with every bite.  Overall, you will enjoy the tanginess of the mustard dressing (due to the wine vinegar).  While vinegar is not technically considered “primal” most include it in their diet as fermented foods are optimal for our health.  Every once in a while you experience the spice and sweetness from the pecans, as well as the creaminess from the avocado.

WHAT WINE HARMONIZES WITH HEALTHY (PALEO) WARM SPINACH AND CHICKEN SALAD?

Let’s look at wine that complements Healthy (Paleo) Warm Spinach and Chicken Salad …While it is true that tanginess is the predominant taste sensation of this salad due to the dressing, you cannot overlook or avoid the spiciness and sweetness of the candied pecans.  If you choose a crisp, dry white wine it will taste absolutely delicious…until you bit into a pecan!  The pecan’s spiciness and sweetness will transform the wine’s acidity into something that tastes like paint thinner.  Therefore, choose a white wine with great acidity to match the dressing and a hint of sweetness to ensure every bite is enjoyable.  I highly recommend an off-dry Riesling.  If you don’t like a hint of sweetness in your wine a bone dry. Riesling is best as the fruitiness of the wine will help to ease that acidity class when biting into the candied pecans.

WHAT HEALTHY (PALEO) DESSERT RECIPES CAN YOU ENJOY?

Healthy (Paleo) Date Paste

Healthy (Paleo) Moms Carrot Cake

Healthy (Paleo) Banana Bread

Healthy (Paleo) Apple Bundt Cakes

Healthy (Paleo) Peach Crumble

Healthy (Paleo) Bread Pudding

Healthy (Paleo) Wet-Bottom Apple Cake

WHAT IS SHARI MAC’S PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION FOR YOUR PALEO DIET?

I wanted to share with you the BEST thing you can do for yourself to support your diet.  Invest in a Vitamix Blender!  I stand behind this product 100%.  This Vitamix is a long-term investment worth every dollar! I use this Vitamix for almost daily all of my diet needs – smoothies, ice cream blends, hot soups (made right in the Vitamix), sauces, and more!  Every other blender I purchased before my Vitamix failed within a couple of years.  This blender is a work horse. My best-friend has had her Vitamix for over 20 years with NO issues!  I just got my Vitamix this past year and LOVE IT!

HOW IS HEALTHY (PALEO) WARM SPINACH AND CHICKEN SALAD?

In a pan add 1 teaspoon oil and saute garlic and shallots for dressing. Once done add garlic and shallots to blender with other dressing ingredients. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a cup. Set aside.

In a bowl combine no sugar added marmalade and cinnamon spice dry rub. Mix well together. Add pecans to the bowl and coat well.

Spicy Candied Pecans

Transfer all salad ingredients to a bowl except for the dressing. Set in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Toss apple cubes with lemon juice if not eating right away.

When ready to eat. place dressing in the microwave and heat for 2 minutes until boiling hot. Toss salad with dressing. Sprinkle with vegan parmesan if desired. Serve warm.

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