I usually meal plan for the upcoming week sometime on Saturday afternoon so I can write out my grocery list and be ready to shop first thing Sunday morning. If I’ve planned on making a ‘I’m pretty sure Ben’s going to hate this’ recipe that week I’ll run it by him to gauge how horrified he’d be if I actually went through with it.
It always sounds like a good idea at the time, until the following inevitably happens…
Me: “Hey will you eat an Almond-Crusted Warm Goat Cheese Spinach Salad with Cherries if I make it this week?”
Ben: “Mmmm…yeah.”
Me: “Really?!”
Ben: “Yeah. You mean like as an appetizer? Totally.”
Me: “No I mean like for dinner.”
Ben: “Oh you mean like before dinner…”
Me: “NO I MEAN AN ALMOND-CRUSTED WARM GOAT CHEESE SPINACH SALAD WITH CHERRIES AS OUR ENTIRE DINNER.”
Ben: “Oh…no. Pssht. NO!“
At this point he’s so horrified at the thought of only eating goat cheese, leaves and fruit for dinner, that I figure I’ll have to scrap the entire recipe because he’s lost ALL taste for it. Unless…
Unless I can quickly & cleverly modify the meal in some way that will swiftly bring him back around, and glory can once again be mine!
Ok, “cleverly” usually entails just adding a chicken breast. I know. Seriously though, it works. Every time.
Me: “What if I add a chicken breast on top?
Ben: “Fine.”
Victory!
Thus, Almond-Crusted Warm Goat Cheese Spinach Salad with Cherries (and Chicken Breast) made it back on this week’s menu before it ever even really left. This might be my very favorite salad of the entire summer!
Think velvety goat cheese draped over torn baby spinach, accented with juicy cherries and toasted almonds.
Drizzled with balsamic reduction.
So amazing!
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Almond-Crusted Warm Goat Cheese Spinach Salad with Cherries
Description
Almond-Crusted Warm Goat Cheese Spinach Salad with Cherries is elegant and mouthwatering!
Ingredients
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1-9oz bag baby spinach, torn
- 20 cherries, pitted & halved
- 5oz chevre goat cheese
- extra virgin olive oil
- handful sliced almonds
Directions
- Simmer balsamic vinegar in a pan over medium-high heat and reduce until it reaches the consistency of thin maple syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice goat cheese into 6 slices and line up on the baking sheet. Brush tops of goat cheese with olive oil and top with sliced almonds. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until goat cheese is warm and softened.
- Divide spinach between two plates. Top with cherries, warm goat cheese, and balsamic reduction.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I cannot profess my undying love for this combo enough. The balsamic reduction and melty goat cheese combine to make the must luscious salad dressing.
It’s great when everybody wins, no?
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
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[…] recipe adopted from Iowa Girl Eats […]
I just made this salad for dinner (including a chicken breast for my husband!) and it was FABULOUS. It tasted and looked so gourmet, but it was very quick to prepare. Loved it.
My other half is full on meat and potatoes and I am a veggie. Also he can eat anything and stay thin and I look at chips and gain 5 pounds. So needless to say we eat many seperate meals. luckly I love to cook. Great blog love it all the way from Vancouver, BC. :)
Wow, I haven’t read all comments here, but you ladies must have some really one-dimensional eating men.
Everything mentioned here sounds fantastic.
No meat, no problem. I am more concerned with taste than any certain type of ingredient.
Didn’t think I was that much of an anomaly.
[…] Comments « How to Make Any Meal Husband-Friendly […]
That salad looks amazing! I struggle with the same thing with my husband. I’m trying to cut back on my meat consumption, but to him if there’s no meat, it’s not a proper meal! I love the way you modified the salad so you both were happy!
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woo hoo doing my popchips dance!
Kyle and I eat fairly the same… healthy with a little indulgence here and there. He’d probably want the chicken on his salad though :) I’m wayyyy more into desserts, but he’s coming around on the fro yo front. And Sunday he even had a cupcake for breakfast… sigh.
My boyfriend & I eat completely opposite! There are only a few things I can make that we both like. Ugh! I usually just end up making separate meals. Grrr…
LOVE JP! :)
My husband grills the meat year-round for most of our meals. If I’m making something that doesn’t include meat and he wants some, he’ll toss a chicken breast or pork chop on the grill. Also, I sneak tofu into lasagna instead of meat; he and the kids haven’t caught on (or complained) yet!
This looks so amazing…I barely have the words to say how much I want this- now! Yum.
This looks delicious! That trick might work on my boyfriend too!