Char Grilled Corn, Spinach and Bacon Salad

Although we try to eat salad all year round - I guess I mean it's a huge effort to try and eat salad during the winter months, like most people we tend to eat a lot of salads during summer and the warmer weather.  

Green salad or a general tossed salad gets boring after the second or third time in a row so we are always on the look out for a new and exciting salad.  This one was perfect and went well with the Chicken Spit that we had for dinner.

Char grilled corn was the hero - I love the flavour and aroma that the corn gives when it's barbecued. These little yellow juicy morsels tossed through baby spinach, red onion and crisp bacon were delicious dressed with a balsamic mixture.

Such an inviting and yummy change.... a good start to summer eating.

Char Grilled Corn, Spinach and Bacon Salad

(Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers The Ultimate Family Cookbook)

Serves: 8 as a salad

Serves: 4 as a main

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon seeded mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoons chopped parsley

salt

pepper

4 cobs of corn, husks removed

cooking spray

125 grams bacon, fat trimmed

120 grams baby spinach leaves

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Place vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, honey and parsley in a small jug or bowl.  Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined.  Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a barbecue or a chargrill pan to a medium to high heat.  

Lightly coat the corn cobs with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the corn for 7 - 10 minutes or until corn is just slightly charred.  Let cool and then slice off the kernels into a large bowl.

Spray a small frying pan with cooking spray and heat over high heat.  Add bacon and cook, stirring, for 3 - 5 minutes or until crisp.  Place on paper towel to drain and cool slightly.  Add to the corn in the bowl.

Add the spinach and onion to the corn mix in the bowl.  Drizzle over the dressing and toss gently,

Serve immediately.

If serving as a main, serve with 4 x 60 gram pieces of char grilled Turkish bread.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)