Salad Monday - Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Salad Monday got its start at our house about a year ago as a way to eat less meat, get more veggies in our diet and overall eat lighter... especially after the weekend when my hubby and I loosen the reigns and indulge in some meals of the higher calorie variety.  ;)  We typically go out to dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, then I make a big Sunday dinner so, yes, come Monday we are ready to lighten things up a bit.  Last Monday I made this Shrimp Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing.  It serves 2-4. 

Bacon dressing

1 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons bacon drippings

Whisk all ingredients except bacon drippings in a bowl and set aside.

Spinach Salad
4 slices of bacon, cut into 1" pieces (reserve 2 tablespoons drippings for dressing)
1 lb shrimp, cleaned, peeled, with tails off
Cajun spice
Kosher salt
1/4 cup beer
Fresh cracked black pepper

Bag of baby spinach
1 hard boiled egg, sliced
2 mushrooms, sliced
1 avocado, diced

Assemble salads, dividing the spinach, egg, mushrooms and avocado between plates, chill.

Fry bacon in a large skillet (I use a 12" cast iron pan), set aside.  Drain off the fat and keep warm to add to dressing right before serving.  Sprinkle shrimp with seasoning, salt and pepper.  Saute shrimp in same pan you used for the bacon, about 2 minutes on each side until opaque.  Add beer to plump shrimp up and add a ton of flavor. :)

Finish dressing by whisking in warm bacon drippings.  Add shrimp and bacon to salads, drizzle with dressing and serve.

You can change this up a bit by adding in candied walnuts, sliced red onions and/or croutons!  Hope you like it.