Week 2: Strawberry Fields Forever

Besides keeping my New Year's resolution to cook something new weekly and record it for future cooking conundrums, my other food-lution was to replace at least one dinner a week with salad, so I can start getting more nutrients in my diet.

With that said, let me now introduce the completely unhealthy salad that was among the top 10 things ever eaten on a bed of greens. It uses one of my only acceptable forms of greens: spinach, which came in a bag claiming its status as a certified SuperFood. And well -- if that's not reason enough for you to try this salad, I don't know what is.

Caramelized Onions, Strawberries and Spinach with a Honey Balsamic Reduction

1. Caramelize some onions. I learned how to do this last year and it changed my life. Look here for inspiration. I used one onion. Once the onions got lightly brown, I threw in some sliced mushrooms (about the same size slice as the onions, for consistency when cooking).

2. While the onions are caramelizing (which seems to take a while), get started on the dressing. I used honey and balsamic vinegar, in a pot on low/medium. Throw in the honey first to start it melting, then put in a little bit of vinegar at a time, tasting as you go to figure out what ratio of works for you. One you have your magic mix, let it simmer but do not let it stay on the heat for too long, or your deliciousity will evaporate and leave you with something tart and unrecognizable. The consistency should be of a glaze to signal it's done.

3. Use your fanschy smanchy Ikea salad spinner to wash/dry your spinach.

4. Cut up some strawberry into slices that show off the curvaceousness of the strawberry's figure (lengthwise / don't dice them). I did something at this point that Joe thought was delicious while I later regretted because it was too sweet for my taste. I dusted powdered sugar on my strawberries, which turned into a strawberry-sugar syrup. Again, some like it and others don't.

5. Assemble: Throw down the spinach leaves. Artfully set some caramelized onions and mushrooms across the bed of green beauty, top with some strawberries. Throw on some gorgonzola cheese, and then throw on the honey-balsamic reduction.

As for the food-lution re: nutrient filled dinners, this is about equivalent to stuffing your crap in your closet when your mom tells you to clean your room. Sure, it's not exactly what she wanted you to do, but it hits the basic requirements and is a hell of a lot more fun.