Recipes & Ideas

Warm Berry and Spinach Salad with Maple Bacon and Roasted Sweet Potato Recipe

Bacon is the base for the warm vinaigrette in this colorful and full-bodied salad recipe. The sweetness of berries and roasted sweet potato marries well with a savory blackberry-bacon dressing. Add grilled chicken breast to make it a meal.

INGREDIENTS

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices maple wood smoked bacon
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 red onion, halved and sliced vertically
1 1/2 packages (6 ounces) Driscoll's Blackberries
1/3 cups red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
24 ounces spinach leaves, rinsed and dried
2 packages (6 ounces each) Driscoll's Raspberries
1/2 cups pecans, toasted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss sweet potatoes with oil. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Lay bacon strips flat on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar and season with salt and pepper. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate, and reserve 3 tablespoons fat for dressing. Crumble bacon into 1/2-inch pieces.

Heat bacon fat in a large skillet; add onion and cook over medium heat until golden brown. Stir in blackberries, vinegar and maple syrup and remove from heat.

Place spinach in a large bowl. Pour warm dressing over spinach and toss quickly to wilt. Gently mix in raspberries, pecans, crumbled bacon and sweet potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.