Warm Spinach and Broccoli Salad

It's amazing how much can change in less than a year.  A few months ago I was a reluctant spinach eater.  Cooked was definitely better than raw, and I could hardly tolerate more than three or four raw leaves mixed in with the rest of my salad.

Now?

Now I am voluntarily making a salad with spinach as a main ingredient. 

I came across this recipe through my mom on Pinterest, so I guess Mom is still making sure that I eat my vegetables!

Recipe:  (from athoughtforfood via Pinterest)
2 cups spinach, rinsed and dried
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved or left whole
1 head broccoli, florets cut thinly with a knife
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup chopped pecans
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried

Transfer the spinach and grape tomatoes to a serving bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet until just about to smoke.  Add broccoli florets and season with smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon salt.

Let the broccoli brown for 1-2 minutes then stir to brown the other sides, cooking an additional 2 minutes.

Pour the broccoli over the spinach and toss to combine.

Add the pecans to the same pan you used to cook the broccoli and set to medium heat.  Toast in the pan for 2-3 minutes or until browned.

Toss over the salad.

Drizzle the salad with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, then season with parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side, 2 as a main dish (Although if I ever tried to serve spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, and pecans to my husband as a main dish....  He'd probably leave the table and go straight to Taco Bell!)

Verdict:
There are just so many wonderful nutrients packed into this dish that I can't even stand it.   Where do I start?  The broccoli packs tons of Vitamins C and K, folate, fiber, and tons of other awesome stuff.  Spinach has much of the same + a good amount of iron, the absorption of which is boosted thanks to pairing with tomatoes.  The pecans (along with the olive oil) pack some healthy fats, not to mention protein, antioxidants... I could go on...

Even better, this nutrient packed salad delivers in the taste and texture departments as well.  The broccoli was just slightly smokey, the pecans added a nutty depth, and the dash of lemon juice seemed to bring out the flavors of everything.  Both the broccoli and pecans added just the right crunch to the salad.  The only thing I would change in the future is to decrease the salt.  I found it just a tad on the salty side - so I would maybe only add a 1/2 teaspoon salt when cooking the broccoli.  More can always be added later!

I'm already looking forward to eating the leftovers for lunch....